US couple saved up to $350,000 after living in a $600-a-month trailer before building their dream home

A South Dakota couple who spent six years living in a 1,500-square-foot trailer with a monthly housing payment of just $600 has now moved into a 3,600-square-foot custom-built home that cost about $410,000 to complete. By managing the construction themselves and doing much of the labor on their own, Allison Brown and her husband say they saved an estimated $200,000 to $350,000 compared with hiring contractors.

The couple told People that choosing an affordable home in 2019 instead of taking on a large mortgage gave them the financial flexibility to save for land, wait for construction costs to stabilize after the pandemic and eventually build the house they had always wanted.

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They chose a trailer because it made financial sense

When Brown, now 29, and her husband bought the trailer in a small South Dakota town in 2019, they believed it would be their forever home. Instead of stretching their budget, they focused on keeping their monthly expenses as low as possible while raising their family. Looking back, Brown said it turned out to be one of the best financial decisions they ever made.

She described it as the best financial choice and the best "bang for your buck" situation.

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Their $600 monthly payment helped them save for years

One of the biggest reasons the family was able to build a larger home later was their low housing cost. "Our payment for everything was around $600 a month, which was very affordable in comparison to the average rent or mortgage payment at the time, being around double that."

Brown added: "If we had a traditional mortgage or rent payment that was double that, we never would have been able to save like we did."

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Growing children changed the family's plans

The trailer was never intended to be a temporary stop. However, as the couple's children grew older and became involved in sports and other activities in a larger city about 25 to 30 minutes away, daily travel became increasingly difficult.

Around 2022, the family found an affordable plot of land in a golf course community and decided to buy it. According to Brown, they could only afford the purchase because they had spent years keeping their housing expenses low.

The couple also benefited from lower property taxes, favorable interest rates and relatively affordable housing prices before the Covid-19 pandemic.

They waited until construction costs settled

Although they had already bought land, the family chose not to begin construction immediately. Like many Americans, they watched construction costs climb after the pandemic and worried the project would become too expensive.

They eventually decided to move forward when prices became more stable toward the end of 2024 and into 2025.

Construction began in April 2025.

They built the house themselves and cut costs dramatically. Rather than hiring a general contractor, the couple managed the entire project on their own.

Brown said her husband and father-in-law both had years of construction experience, making the decision possible.

"Although he never pursued a business in that area as an adult, he still knows everything there is to know about building a home, so he was a huge factor in why we were able to make this happen."

Before construction started, three contractors quoted between $650,000 and $800,000 for the same home. By taking charge of the project themselves, the family completed it for around $410,000, saving an estimated $200,000 to $350,000.

Every material was price-matched

Brown said they carefully compared prices before purchasing construction materials. "We price-matched absolutely everything."

The family also completed much of the labor themselves, including digging, hauling rock, installing siding, insulation, flooring and masonry work.

Brown said doing the work themselves was one of the biggest reasons they were able to save so much money.

"That's also a major reason why we decided to self-build is because we knew we'd be saving hundreds of thousands by doing it ourselves, and if we had the resources to do that, why not?"

Their new home reflects lessons from trailer living

The couple designed their new 3,600-square-foot home based on everything they learned while living in the trailer.

The house includes a spacious basement for the children, improved insulation to handle South Dakota's harsh winters and significantly more storage space for the family.

Their old trailer is now generating income

After moving into the new home in 2026, the family chose not to sell the trailer that helped them save for years. Instead, they converted it into an Airbnb because their hometown attracts tourists.

According to Brown, the rental has become another important source of income. "Frankly, I make more money managing the Airbnb than if I got a regular 9-5 job." She added: "It has been a major blessing, and we are very fortunate for sure."

(With TOI inputs)