{"id":35313,"date":"2026-04-08T12:18:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T12:18:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indafunds.com\/?p=35313"},"modified":"2026-04-08T12:18:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T12:18:16","slug":"i-took-a-second-job-to-save-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indafunds.com\/?p=35313","title":{"rendered":"“I Took a Second Job to Save Up” |"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Illustration by Hunter Newton\/Bankrate\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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While most 24-year-olds are preparing to leave the warm embrace of their parents\u2019 health insurance, Jocelyn Becerra had something else in mind \u2014 becoming a homeowner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Two years ago, Becerra bought her house in Bentonville, Ark., after a year of buckling down to save up. She took a second job and funneled every penny of the extra income toward her down payment. \u201cI focused all my energy on it for a full year and put my head down,\u201d she says about the saving process.<\/p>\n

Setting the scene on homebuying\u00a0<\/h2>\n

For many young homeowners, the housing market can feel out of reach. A Bankrate analysis found that anyone earning the median U.S. income is effectively priced out of three of every four homes for sale.\u201cFor many young people in this country, they feel like they\u2019re supposed to be buying a house,\u201d says Bridget Venus Grimes, CFP\u00ae. \u201cBut it\u2019s a really tough market. In most places, it\u2019s just crazy expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Becerra couldn\u2019t do much about home prices, but she could boost her income and cut down her expenses to save for a down payment \u2014 a meaningful first step for first-time homebuyers.<\/p>\n

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\n I focused all my energy on it for a year and put my head down.<\/q>
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\n \u2014 Jocelyn Becerra
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Behind her homebuying experience\u00a0<\/h2>\n

A simple plan on paper, but far from an easy one. Becerra sacrificed around nine months of her life, devoting her evenings and weekends outside of her nine-to-five marketing job to save up her down payment. \u201cI was willing to do it to be able to have this long term result,\u201d she says of owning her home.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The down payment was the primary hurdle she had to clear. She did the research and found that monthly rent in Bentonville was comparable to a monthly mortgage payment. \u201cIf I\u2019m going to pay rent, I might as well try to own, especially in a place where I can do what I want and put down roots,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n

She financed her home through her builder\u2019s preferred lender at a 6.875% rate \u2014 which is higher than today\u2019s mortgage rates \u2014 though she\u2019s hoping to refinance later on. The lender provided a $10,000 incentive toward her closing costs, which she applied toward buying mortgage points to secure a lower rate.<\/p>\n

While she was laser-focused on saving up for her down payment, Becerra says wasn\u2019t prioritizing other financial goals, like retirement. She\u2019s now honing in on growing her brokerage accounts. After hustling for her down payment, Becerra knows that there\u2019s more within her financial reach than she previously thought. \u201cIt\u2019s a mindset thing,\u201d she reflects. \u201cIt was hard, but it was feasible. I want to keep that mindset.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n An expert’s take
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\n Balancing saving for a house and for retirement can feel impossible for young people, but Bridget Venus Grimes, CFP\u00ae, insists it doesn\u2019t have to be all or nothing. In fact, for savers in their twenties, a little bit can go a long way. \u201cIt really has to be something \u2014 just get yourself started,\u201d she says. \u201cIf you put $50 aside in an IRA or a 401(k) and intentionally add to that every month \u2026that is so powerful over time.\u201d Grimes also recommends working with a CFP to help juggle competing financial priorities. \u201cWe\u2019re not just for people who are 65 or have a ton of money,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Her homeownership dream<\/h2>\n

Becerra loves having a space that\u2019s truly hers that she can decorate to her heart\u2019s content. Though being financially responsible for the entire building \u2014 what if the roof leaks or a pipe bursts?\u00a0 \u2014 can be intimidating, she says it\u2019s a worthy trade-off.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While her street address may change at some point, Becerra knows she\u2019s found her home in northwest Arkansas. She doesn\u2019t want to be a landlord, but she\u2019s open to turning her current residence into an investment property someday. \u201cI\u2019d love the idea of having multiple homes in the area, since I\u2019m so familiar with this place, and I think it\u2019s a great place that a lot of people have been moving here recently,\u201d she shares.<\/p>\n

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