We’ve got some big news this week that you probably didn’t see coming (and yes, we might be a little crazy). In this episode we share how we paid off our mortgage, and how a decade of small financial choices and house projects set the stage for that milestone. We also talk about items you shouldn’t pass down to your children—some surprising things that experts no longer consider meaningful heirlooms—and walk through the costs and lessons from our first home. You’ll also hear why the mortgage on our third house ended up being smaller than the mortgage on our first.
You can download the episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio, or listen to it on this page. Use this post for links, notes, and photos we mentioned. Note: if you’re reading in a feed reader you may need to click through to see the player.
What’s New
- We’ve taken on a new project — just one house away from our pink one. In the episode we explain why we bought it and how we made the numbers work. We’ll follow up soon with a full post and a video tour with more photos and details.
- We also noticed another duplex a few blocks away that got our imagination going about how our place could fit into the neighborhood. We’re picturing mint green shutters and doors, or maybe wood doors with classic shutters—so many design choices to try out over the coming months.
- The outside styling gets a lot of attention because the interior is begging for work. Here’s the main living area on one side of the duplex, followed by a photo of the kitchen, which is currently tucked into what was once a side porch.
- There’s a lot more to show. We’re planning a video tour and a detailed post to walk through the space, budget, and design ideas.
What’s Not
- We discussed a list of items that might be better off removed from your life before they become a burden to the next generation. The idea is to be intentional about what you keep and pass on so you don’t leave unnecessary responsibilities to your kids.
- We also covered thoughtful alternatives: five investment pieces that do hold long-term value and can genuinely become meaningful family heirlooms.
Paying Off Our Mortgage
- There are many details in the episode about how we accelerated our mortgage payoff, including examples from our first house and why our third mortgage was smaller than our first. A key move early on was a refinance on our first home that saved us $430 a month—money we redirected to principal and that made a huge dent in the balance.
- Being self-employed influenced our choices: we bought homes below our means and prioritized shorter-term mortgages when practical. That conservative approach made it easier to manage payments and pay down debt faster.
- Other lifestyle decisions mattered too. We had a simple backyard wedding that cost under $4,000 and we kept to one car for 11 years, which reduced ongoing expenses like insurance, maintenance, and fuel. Those savings added up and were applied to our mortgage goals.
- We’ve written many posts with additional money-saving strategies. If you want more ideas, check the Saving Money category for topics like cutting cable, staying debt-free, things we reduced or eliminated to save cash, DIY haircuts, and how we handled pay cuts during the economic downturn.
- We also share practical money tips in recent podcast episodes—like negotiating services and making a few phone calls that together saved us significant amounts. Small, consistent actions add up.
We’re Digging
- Sherry has been looking at shelf bracket options and shared 11 choices she likes, including the style we currently use in our kitchen. These are solid picks if you’re planning open shelving and want a mix of functional and decorative brackets.
- We also mentioned a helpful bathtub drain solution we use for older tubs that won’t hold water: the OXO Tot Tub Drain Stopper. It’s a simple fix for an annoying problem in many vintage tubs.
If you’re trying to find something we featured in a past episode but can’t remember which show notes to open, we compiled a master list of everything we’ve been digging from past episodes to make it easy to locate resources and products.
Finally, a big thank-you to Universal Furniture for sponsoring this episode. They’re offering a sweepstakes to win $10,000 in dining room furniture. We appreciate sponsors who help us keep producing the show.
Thanks for listening, everyone!
*This post contains affiliate links*