Oh, happy day!

[HFS]

Make sure you mark it "principal payment only". Otherwise the bank will do one of a couple of things -- which I don't feel like typing our right now -- but it amounts to them making sure the payment is applied in a manner so that they can make the most money off you as they can.

Find an online calculator. You will be FLABBERGASTED at how much you will save yourself by paying your mortgage off early.

^^^ Absolutely.
And I'd say, be sure to check your mortgage balance too.
Make sure those "illegitimate children" at the bank didn't record your additional principal payment incorrectly.
By accident I'm sure.

 

[Mr.Glock]

I can't stop! They have such awesome sales every month!

I gave 3 of those keychain ones I got from you away. Wife, a daughter and a friend. They love em! The buddy bought em for Christmas presents for all his Family Members!

 

[THAT Gurl]

Outstanding!

My father said paying off your home and car(s) is crucial to achieving a happy retirement.

Yep.

And I have a perfect example. Guy down the street owned his own business. Wife worked for the feds. They were living in their house when I moved in here. And their kids were leaving high school around that time -- '99, 2000. So, it looked like they were doing okay -- on the surface, anyway.

But then I start to notice things -- he had a brand new truck every few years.

They took vacations. LONG vacations.

Everyone who I have known who owned their own business was either working or lining up work for when their current job was done. Not him. He would take a break between jobs to rest up. Because being a contractor is WAY more difficult than it looks on the surface. At least that's what he said.

And FINALLY, he told me I was a fool for not taking out home equity loans every so often. Because "that was the only way you were gonna get your money from the bank." Of course, the first mortgage wasn't paid off.

THEN, about 10 years ago his wife wanted to move to a VERY upscale neighborhood. (My guess is he handles all the finances and she doesn't have a clue.) He told me that there were some empty lots in the subdivision she had picked out so she was gonna get the home of her dreams. He was sweating bullets while we were talking and at one point admitted that she had never asked him for a single solitary thing the entire time they'd been married (they were high school sweethearts and neither of them had never even gone in a date with anyone else) so he "had to make this happen".

I felt bad for her because I KNEW without a shadow of a doubt from that conversation that he wasn't gonna be able to make it happen. And sure enough. They are still living on the poor side of Lake Overholser.

She retired a few years ago. He is still "working". And unless something has changed drastically (I will say he hasn't bought a new truck in several years. Not since she asked to build a custom home and he couldn't make it happen.) I don't think he will ever be able to retire completely.

You can either spend it when you are young. Or spend it when you are old. But ... The company pension is a thing of the past for the vast majority of people. And Social Security was NEVER meant to fully fund anyone's retirement.

Choices have consequences. I fuss about Grumpy but it's all fun and games -- most of the time -- but that was the second SERIOUS conversation we had as we progressed forward in our dating relationship. Money is serious business when you've been so poor you skipped meals so your kids could have more to eat, and calculated the days to payday while you were at the grocery store buying formula and diapers, making sure the check you were gonna write didn't get to the bank before the paycheck you were gonna get on Friday.

The first one was if I "wanted to be in love with a cop" I was gonna have to stop smoking weed.

Seriously. It's kinda funny when you think about it. Especially now, since it's legal and all.