Early Monday morning, as I settled into my desk, recovering from my vacation sponsored by a time-share presentation, my sunburned body and jet-lagged brain once again reminisced on our time away.

Truth be known, as every producing Realtor can attest to, a plan to go out of town is an immediate invitation to the cosmos for us to suddenly get busier than we have been all year. This, so we can be sure to take our work with us, lest we forget in the three to four days we are away how to do our jobs. Most of us are fine with it though. Phone calls, emails, texts and contracts are just as fun with the view of the ocean as they are with a view of the mountains. Sometimes we just need a temporary change of scenery. Either way, we were on a fact-finding mission about timeshares, so essentially, it was a work trip.

In all fairness, we were also doing some investigative research on how to travel to a notoriously expensive destination on a budget. Since my daughter is getting married at the end of the month and they are planning their honeymoon to this same destination, we took it upon ourselves to selflessly donate our time – pro bono – to this extensive and tedious experiment. In summary, it was a noble sacrifice on our part. Move over Mother of the Year, you have some competition.

While splitting meals and collecting coupons from the concierge (who clearly had no idea we had already nixed the time share), I began thinking about how someone could do the same to save for a down payment on a home. This is advice that I have given to my own children as well as others who are starting their journey toward homeownership.

The very first step is designating a savings fund specifically for a down payment. This is not an emergency fund, or a vacation fund, or a movie night fund; it is separate from all those funds, specific only to homeownership (i.e., your future). Speaking of the vacation fund, you can start this after you own a home. All monies that would go toward that, put toward investment in a home.

Personally, we have received more than one wedding invitation in which the registry includes a donation to a “new home fund.” This is a great idea, and much more useful than a second toaster.

A side hustle is also not a bad idea. It is temporary, for the purpose of a down payment, and it can be in the form of babysitting, waiting tables, driving for Uber or Lyft or delivering food. A side hustle where you must invest money to make money, however, is probably not the best option.

Ask yourself if you can take public transportation, share a car or share a ride. A car takes a huge cut out of the budget and if there is already one car in the family, perhaps this could work temporarily while some money is put away. Many grocery stores also provide discounts on gas if you use their rewards card. You can save significant money on a tank if used correctly.

Some of the more obvious money saving “hacks” include canceling the many unused or rarely used subscriptions you may have. With smart devices at our fingertips, we have become masters at downloading. Be mindful and aware of what you are paying for and what you are using. Do you really need all those streaming services?

Save your tax refund, get a roommate to offset your rent, quit the $7.00 a shot coffee shop order and quit buying stuff you don’t need. There are also down payment assistance programs and grant money that is available. Talking to a lender early in the game, sometimes an entire year before purchasing – or more – can prepare you in the best way.  It requires a deliberate and careful mindset, but the reward is worth it.

Meantime, we are splitting the ahi tuna and a diet coke and then walking over to the neighbors for a free swim.

Jen Fischer is an associate broker and Realtor she can be reached at 801-645-2134 or jen@jen-fischer.com