Saving money can be difficult if you live away from home as an ex-pat. However, if you are looking to buy a property, we suggest that you at least save your funds to make the down payment. Since each situation differs, you may need to put up at least 5% of the loan value up front. Listed below are some tips that can help you save money for your down payment.

1. stop eating out

First of all, instead of eating outside food, you should start cooking at home. You can eat outside food only on special occasions. In fact, these activities may be consuming a lot of your time but you may not realize it. If your friends ask about it, just tell them you made an expensive purchase.

You might want to set your own budget and avoid going over the limit. Without saving money, you can’t make this purchase, no matter what.

2. increase your income

You may want to come up with some effective ways to make more money. For example, you might consider private tutoring or dog walking. You can engage in these activities especially if you have free time on a daily basis. You may want to go for an option that interests you.

3. rent a room

If you have a big house, you can rent two rooms. With this approach, you can accumulate hundreds of dollars on a monthly basis.

4. reduce your gym expenses

We are not suggesting that you stop working. All you have to do is take a break. The good thing is that you can workout at home too. You can watch YouTube videos on how you can exercise at home. This will help you save some money.

5. Hold on to other savings schemes

You may also have some other savings plans. What you need to do is put them on hold. For example, if you have a retirement plan, you may want to put it on hold for a while. You can resume these plans after making the down payment.

6. reduce your travel expenses

If you are used to traveling a lot, we suggest you reduce your travel experience. For example, you can use public transportation instead of your own vehicle. This will help you save a lot of money on your fuel expenses.

7. downsizing

If you have rented an entire apartment or flat, you can rent a room instead. Again, this will help you save hundreds of dollars on a monthly basis.

8. sell your unwanted stuff

If you have some household items that you don’t use or don’t need anymore, we suggest that you sell them. For example, if you are not using your old computer or sound system, you can sell it online. This method will help you collect some money to make the down payment for your home.

Long story short, if you follow these simple tips, it will be much easier for you to save money to make your down payment. Hopefully, these tips will help you get started and make your down payment successfully.