Amassing a giant chunk of change is the best way to nail down a lower payment for a vehicle or home, but the process can be so long and arduous that it prevents you from proceeding. The key to following through with your goal is to set a reasonable plan in place and stick to it. The tough part is to find a way to get the ball rolling.

The Frugal Toad offers these steps to jolt you into hyper-saving mode:

* Sell stuff. If you own a big-ticket luxury item — say, an all-terrain vehicle, golf clubs or pool table you hardly use — consider selling them off to raise some quick funds. An initial boost in funding tends to make it easier to add on to the pile.

* Get liquid. If you’ve got money tied up in investments, think about pulling out what you can to free up some cash. If you’ve got a broker, talk about the tax implications to make sure you’re timing and implementing your transactions so you’re not hit with unnecessary taxes and fees.

* Beg. It can be humiliating to approach parents or other loved ones for a loan or gift, but a lot of people do it. To avoid hard feelings, nail down an agreement in writing about how you’ll use and repay the funds.

Saving Money for a Home Down Payment [The Frugal Toad]

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