| 05/08/10
So many things come to mind at the moment...
"I am kicking myself for being in cash." (April 2010) - What a difference a few days makes.
"Sell in May, go away"
"Ouch!"
"Glitch???"
I am seriously thinking about putting the 401k into park for a few years to double down on the mortgage. I am forever playing mind games with myself about the mortgage. I have spent countless hours using Karl's mortgage calculator, playing with the numbers, always searching for scenarios that lead to a shackle free existence as soon as possible. I am convinced that the piece of mind achieved by getting rid of the mortgage would be spectacular. A complete feeling of freedom...
Some scenarios...
1) We change nothing - The house is paid for in 13 years - too long!
2) Increase the principle payment to $1k - Done in 9 years.
3) Put down a $30k lump sum and keep the same payments - 10 years.
I am seriously eyeballing #2. We may shift to this plan as early as July...
All this aside, paying off a mortgage with a low interest rate is foolish. And somehow I just don't care...
Emotion, emotion, emotion. I wish it would just leave me alone!
One last thought. Does it suddenly seem like the World is coming to an end again? Europe seems to be self-destructing in front of our eyes. And any way I look at, it seems like the US is only a few years off from being in the same situation... C'est la vie!
Happy Mothers Day! Without my mother I'd be bagging groceries...
05/19/10
Taking a look back at the drop in our home's value, I have been pondering how much of the drop in our home's value can be attributed to the expiration of the home buyers tax credit of $6,500. Our home's value dropped sharply at the end of 2009, but has remained fairly steady since February - a couple months before the credit expired. There are many factors, but I'd guess that the expiration of the credit is the major one.
On another note, my job is killing me. For the first time in many many years I have been looking at other jobs online. Probably not a great time to be on the job hunt, but I must say, I do see openings out there. My commute takes me 55 miles south each day. I'd be willing to take a large pay cut to work closer to home.
On the other hand, the longer I can last in my current position, the more we can secure our future - aka paying off the house quickly.
05/20/10
The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
05/26/10
Just pulled the trigger to refinance our mortgage. 15 years - 4.25%. Closing costs are a little high, but I did almost no work or research. In the end this loan will save us some serious time and money. The same lender also offered a 10 year a 3.75%, but I thought that was just a little too aggressive. Instead I will continue to pay extra principle, with the goal of paying off the loan by 2020.
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