How Lentils and Rice Helped Me Save for My First House Deposit

When I was saving for my first house deposit, I quickly realised that the biggest challenge wasn’t just how much I earned — it was how much I kept. Every dollar I could keep aside meant I was one step closer to that home of my own.

The tricky part? Life doesn’t stop while you’re saving. You still need to eat, catch up with friends, pay bills, and manage all the “little things” that seem to eat away at your bank account.

For me, one of the biggest game-changers was learning how to simplify meals without feeling like I was missing out. And that’s how lentils and rice became my go-to dish.

It might not sound glamorous, but it ticked all the boxes:

• Cheap — A bag of lentils and a packet of rice cost just a few dollars and lasted for weeks.

• Nutritious — Lentils are packed with protein and fibre, and when paired with rice they make a complete protein (so I wasn’t living on noodles alone!).

• Filling — It kept me satisfied, which meant less temptation to splurge on takeaway.

• Flexible — I could throw in whatever vegetables or spices I had lying around, so it never felt boring.

By making this simple meal a few nights a week, I freed up extra cash that went straight into my savings account. It might not seem like much — $20 saved here, $50 saved there — but over months and years, those savings snowballed into my deposit.

The Recipe: Lentil & Rice One-Pot Wonder

Serves: 4 | Cost per serve: Around $2.50

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown or green lentils (dried, rinsed well)

• 1 cup rice (white or brown)

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 zucchini, diced (or any veg you have)

• 1 can diced tomatoes (400g)

• 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• Salt & pepper to taste

• 2 tbsp olive oil

Optional: yoghurt, coriander, lemon, or a fried egg on top.

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Sauté onion, garlic, carrot, and zucchini until soft.

2. Stir in spices until fragrant.

3. Add lentils, rice, tomatoes, and stock. Stir well.

4. Bring to the boil, then simmer on low:

   • White rice: 20 mins

   • Brown rice: 35–40 mins
     Stir occasionally, adding extra water if needed.

5. Season and serve with toppings.

To be honest, sometimes it was just lentils and stock, served on rice!