One of the biggest roadblocks for first-time home buyers is the down payment. Saving for your down payment can be difficult as you will need several thousands of dollars, even if you use a special loan program with a lower down payment option. Here are some of the ways you can save more for your down payment and do it faster.

Make Coffee at Home

It may seem like a small thing, but when you stop at your favorite coffee shop and put down $2 to $5 for that cup of Joe, it adds up fast. You can make coffee at home for less than 50 cents per cup. Even just saving $1 a day for a year is an extra $365, but you will likely save closer to triple that or more.

Start Packing Your Lunch

One of the most expensive things people do is eat out for lunch. This can cost between $8 and $20 per day, which adds up fast. Even if you just eat out twice a week, you'll spend around $1,000 per year to eat out. Packing your lunch can save you about 80% or more of that $1,000, which will help boost your down payment savings this year.

Take the Bus, If Possible

If you can take the bus in Madison to and from work and use it whenever you go out to shop or for fun, you'll save money. You probably spend a few hundred dollars a month on gas and you have to get the oil changed, as well. Plus, if a repair comes up, it can be very costly.

Your vehicle is likely the second biggest expense you have outside of your home. Taking the bus could save you hundreds each month you could be saving towards your down payment.

Ditch Cable TV

Cable TV is unnecessary and costs the average person more than $100 per month. You can subscribe to an online service, such as Netflix or Hulu for about $15 per month, which saves you more than $85 per month. You can put that extra cash towards your down payment and by the end of the year; you'll have several hundred dollars more!

There are several little things you can do to speed up your down payment savings. Along with this list, you can cut back on going out for drinks and dinner, stop buying alcohol altogether and curb any other spending habits you have that are unnecessary.