// BBC BUSINESS NEWS — FINANZA
You need £17,000 for a first home - here's how to do it
If buying your own home is the finishing line, then saving up the money to get there is a marathon.
The "Your First Home" scheme, announced on Saturday, aims to help first-time buyers in England get on the housing ladder with a small deposit.
Currently a 5% deposit on the current average UK house price of £272,000 plus moving costs and legal fees - will set you back about £16,850, according to financial information service Moneyfacts.
That's daunting, but here are four ways that experts say you can at least make a start on saving for a deposit.
Depositing an amount you can afford into a regular savers account the day after you are paid is a good way to start, suggests Anna Bowes, savings expert at financial advisers The Private Office.
"It becomes like another bill, but one that you can benefit from in the future," she says.
The type of account that's suitable depends on your circumstances.
Some of the ones which pay the highest interest are only accessible if you hold a current account with the provider, she says.
Other considerations are whether you can lock the money away for longer, to receive a better savings rate.
If you don't have a buffer of other savings, then experts say an easy access account gives you the chance to dip into the money to pay an unexpected bill.