In a time when the market conditions are at its worst in years, real estate is at its worst in years and national confidence is at its worst in years, I thought I would share a nice little story with you from this past weekend.

On Friday, the kids were off from school as it was a Diocease Conference (Catholic School System). I stayed home with them and not paying too much attention, noticed about mid-day that they were very quiet.

I asked them what was going on and they stated they were producing and directing their own play, along with props. Not thinking too much about it, I went about my business as they did theirs.

When my wife got home from work, the kids were pretty excited about putting this play on for us and asked if I would video tape it. Assuring them that I would get the camera out and capture their hard work for ever and ever, I opened the closet and grabbed the camera bag.

We have three daughters, Hunter (11), Kennedy (7) and Liberty (5). They each have their own DVD for individual tapings and then we have a "family" DVD. I wanted to make sure that I had the right DVD in so I opened the front pouch to check that their individual DVDs were in there. Well, I found more than I ever dreamed.

In a money envelope was about $60.00 in bills and $5.00 in change. I must have put some cash in the camera bag on our last outing and completely forgot about it!!!!! It was like finding a dollar bill in your jeans before doing laundry, only a million times better.

I took all but $20.00 and put it in the Mortgage Payoff Fund (I will update it tomorrow) and kept the $20.00 for myslef (which usually equates into somthing for the kids...lololol).

Thought you would enjoy the story.

PS - The play was a shortened version of Noah's Ark and they scripted lines, made animal cutouts and even wrote/sang a song. All on DVD of course.

I hit the 5,000 necessary points on my VISA card in order to redeem $50.00. This or course will go toward my mortgage payoff challenge. I peeked into the change bank this weekend and saw a $5.00 bill and some silver so I have to assume there is about $7.00 or so waiting for deposit.

I will make the deposit when I get the reward chash and update the blog balance.

Mortgage Payoff Account - GOAL: Put the entire monthly balance against the mortgage principal.

The kids are helping by collecting change around the house.

2/15/08 Balance....$55.27

2/19/2008 Deposit.....$52.91

2/19/2008 Balance.....$108.18

2/27/2008 Deposit.....$67.00

2/27/2008 Balance.....$175.18

2/29/2008 Deposit.....$275.00

2/29/2008 Balance.....$450.18

3/3/2008 Deposit.....$116.63

3/3/2008 Balance.....$566.81

3/4/2008 Mortgage Pre Payment.....$566.81

3/4/2008 Balance.....$0.00

3/6/2008 Deposit.....$210.00

3/6/2008 Balance.....$210.00

3/10/2008 Deposit.....$123.42

3/10/2008 Balance.....$333.42
NOTE: MTG BALANCE....$115,969.22
NOTE: ORG BALANCE....$145,000.00
NOTE: ORG TERM: 15 YRS
NOTE: REMAINING TERM: 12 YRS 4 MOS

3/18/2008 Deposit.....$77.00

3/18/2008 Balance.....$410.42

3/24/2008 Deposit.....$100.00

3/24/2008 Balance.....$510.42

4/1/2008 Deposit.....$76.00

4/1/2008 Balance.....$586.42

Paying off your mortgage is not always a wise financial move. For example, if your investments are currently earning more than what you are paying in mortgage interest, you would be better suited putting your money in said investment's since paying off your mortgage is really doing nothing more than giving the mortgage holder a boost in cash.

That said, I have maxed out my two major investments, my Roth IRA (still qualify since I am under 166K in income) and my companies SIMPLE IRA. My rental property is currently paid via tenants and my cash reserves total about 75K (held in a Money Market Account).

I have an interest in establishing a Stock Portfolio but have yet to find a broker that I feel comfortable with (will take any suggestions).

Thus, I have begun a crusade in paying off my mortgage. To date, I have been able to put about 35K against it, leaving me with a balance of about 117K. The interst rate is 5.5% and I have 12.5 years left on the 15 year term.

Putting large chuncks of money against it occurs about two or three times per year. This is not soothing the payoff best within me. I have begun a mortgage payoff piggy bank. Nickles, dimes and dollar bills will count. I opened a "Mortgage Payoff Money Market Account" whereby all I can scrounge and save will be deposited.

I will keep you updated as to how its going and I wish you all the very best in financial stability. God Bless.