Owning your own home has a lot of payoffs, especially these days when mortgage rates are still among the lowest in 30 years. There are also many housing options available in a wide range of prices.

Simply put, you can carry a home of your own for no more than what you would pay in rent. And, unlike renting, your payments go toward increasing the equity in your home.

So, what’s stopping you? For most people who have never owned a home before, it’s the initial down payment and the ability to keep up with the monthly financial obligations (mortgage payment, insurance, utilities, maintenance).

The effort to save for and buy a home may require you to make significant changes in your way of life. For most people, it means changing their spending and lifestyle habits to support the additional costs of saving for, paying for, and maintaining a home.

One of the best ways of saving for a down payment is to take advantage of government programs available to