In this episode of The Good Dad Project Podcast, America’s money man Jordan Goodman shares insights on paying off our mortgages and credit card debit and saving for the future.
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The American Dream: House, 2.5 kids, pets, credit card debt, 30-year mortgage with an ARM, car loan, wondering how to pay for the education of those 2.5 kids, the list goes on. It’s kind of a given, isn’t it? Being strapped till the end of time with debt? It kind of nestles itself right in with the family, just like that annoying relative. How comfy! But, what if, you could eliminate that unwanted “family member” more quickly than you thought?
You can listen to the podcast here.
The Mortgage
Jordan Goodman (Money magazine, financial analyst at NBC, and the author of numerous books on the topic) has helped people pay off their mortgages in 5-6 years and reduce their credit card debt. Yeah, right, you say. But, it’s true! He says if you have equity in your home, take out a Home Equity Line of Credit, connect it to your checking account, use the credit line to pay towards the principal of your mortgage. Repaying the line of credit and then repeating the process six months to a year down the road, you will have that house paid off rapidly.
The Debt
Credit cards can be both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that they help build our credit. The curse is that, if we overspend on them, we can find ourselves in a world of hurt. Use one credit card to pay your bills every month and then pay it off the next month. That way, you keep your credit in great standing and pay your regular bills.
The Budget
Half of all divorces occur because of money issues. Yep, that unwanted family member is responsible for half of all the broken marriages. So, one solution to that issue is to have open communication with your spouse regarding handling money. Our relationship with money may differ from that of our spouse (most likely it will), so, understanding how our spouse deals with money and communicating how you deal with money is key to a happy home. If you really enjoy golf outings, but your wife loves her Manolo Blahniks (it’s a big name shoe designer guys), then make those items part of your budget. Don’t just cut out the things that bring you joy in the name of frugality (unless, of course, you’re simply trying to put food on the table).
Of course, this is simply the tip of the iceberg. This episode really dives into the details of how you can get yourself on a better path with your money and unload the “family member” you aren’t so fond of.
Resources:
GRAB A COPY OF THE DAD’S EDGE HERE
Originally published on The Good Dad Project Podcast
Photo courtesy of author
The post How to Pay Off Your Mortgage and Be Financially Free in 5 Years appeared first on The Good Men Project.