How to afford a home?

This is a little persinal, but i you don't mind sharing, how the heck are you all able to afford homes on Long Island?
I've always been very good with finances, but I feel like I'm missing a trick. I can't seem to get anywhere near enough saved to even think about it.
How did you do it?!

I am so with you!! My fh has an awsm job which pays well and i have two jobs that both pay decent which makes a really good salary combined. Yet i feel like there is no way for us to afford a house. I keep feeling like we're missing something.

make a budget and stick to it.

write down all your expenses for a month - you will be surprised about how much $$ you spend on silly stuff!

For househunting - DH and I were looking all over LI - we finally narrowed it down to a few towns, which made searching easier because we knew every house that was for sale, who really needed to sell, etc.

I recommend going to the LI Housing Partnership (www.LIHP.org). They have free homebuyer seminars and will sit with you and go over how much you can afford (really afford, not what a mortgage broker will tell you!)

Good luck!!

That is great advice! (sorry, I was away for the holiday).
Now if I can get DH to stop buying cr*p, we'd be in good shape!