Many people find a huge amount of satisfaction in owning a home. Mortgages are very common, but they are still a debt you owe. However, there are a few ways to make your mortgage more manageable.

If you are looking to buy a home, make sure to figure out how much you can afford to pay each month with your mortgage, property taxes, insurance, and other maintenance. It’s easy to see just the monthly mortgage that you will pay, but that is not the only monthly cost your house will have. If a home’s mortgage is just what you can afford, consider finding a slightly cheaper home to have some wiggle room.

Next, save up a larger down payment. It’s very tempting to put zero down on a home when you have been renting, but this will cause more financial implications. You’ll have to have a special mortgage account, and you’ll end up paying more on your monthly mortgage and interest. On the other hand, if you put more money down, you are lowering your monthly payments. You will have more equity in your home as well.

Finally, consider a 15-year mortgage over a 30-year mortgage. Your monthly payments will increase from a 30-year mortgage to a 15-year mortgage, but you’ll owe less in interest by doing this. You will also reduce the amount of time you’ll be making these monthly payments.