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1. Create a Budget That Supports It
Paying off your mortgage early isn’t about luck. It’s about structure.
A solid budget keeps your money working for you instead of slipping away.
Here’s what a smart budget does:
Shows where every dollar goes, so you can redirect more toward your home.
Keeps lifestyle creep in check, avoiding new expenses that slow progress.
Gives clarity, making your 10-year goal actually doable.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Create a monthly plan that covers essentials first, then dedicates a fixed chunk toward your mortgage.
Make It Easy: Use a budget binder to visualize exactly where you can trim.
2. Figure Out How Much You Can Really Pay Each Month
Your mortgage payoff plan starts with a number. Your real number.
Most people underestimate how much they can safely put toward their loan.
Here’s how to find your sweet spot:
Add up essentials, like utilities, food, and insurance.
Include savings, so you’re still building a cushion.
Assign the rest to your mortgage, with enough left for a little fun.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Review three months of spending and set a realistic monthly mortgage target above the minimum.
Make It Easy: Keep a monthly income and expense tracker to stay consistent.
3. Pay Every Two Weeks Instead of Once a Month
This one’s sneaky but powerful. You’ll end up making an entire extra payment every year.
Biweekly payments reduce interest faster and help you pay the house off years early.
Here’s why it works:
You make 26 half-payments, which equals 13 full ones per year.
You save thousands in interest over the life of the loan.
You stay consistent, turning your paycheck rhythm into a payoff tool.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Ask your lender if they allow biweekly payments or make two smaller payments yourself each month.
4. Stop Buying Stuff You Don’t Need and Save the Extra
Every Target trip, Amazon haul, or “just browsing” moment is stealing from your mortgage freedom.
Those little extras add up faster than you think.
Here’s what cutting back really gives you:
You redirect wasteful spending into something that builds equity.
You reduce clutter, which means fewer regrets later.
You start seeing real results as your balance drops faster.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Challenge yourself to a 30-day “no unnecessary shopping” streak and send the savings straight to your mortgage.
Make It Easy: Use Rocket Money to cancel or pause unused subscriptions and free up more cash.
5. Get a Side Hustle and Use All the Money for Extra Mortgage Payments
That extra $200–$500 from a side hustle might not seem like much. But over 10 years, it’s game-changing.
Side income turns “someday” goals into “almost done” faster than you’d expect.
Here’s what happens when you commit:
You speed up progress, applying all side money directly to the principal.
You stay motivated, watching the balance shrink monthly.
You keep lifestyle spending separate, so your day job covers life, not debt.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Try one side gig you enjoy. like delivering with Uber, freelancing, or renting stuff you own. and send it all to the mortgage.
6. Use Any Bonus Money to Pay Down the House Faster
Got a tax refund, holiday bonus, or surprise paycheck bump? Don’t let it disappear on impulse buys.
Applying windfalls directly to your mortgage is one of the fastest shortcuts to debt freedom.
Here’s why it’s so effective:
You make huge leaps in principal reduction with zero lifestyle change.
You avoid lifestyle creep, since you’re not relying on the bonus for bills.
You feel real progress, because big chunks move the needle fast.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: The moment extra money hits your account, transfer it to your lender before you can spend it elsewhere.
Make It Easy: Use Betterment Cash Reserve to temporarily store bonus cash until you make an extra payment.
7. Make One Extra Mortgage Payment Each Year
One extra payment per year can shave years off your mortgage. and save thousands in interest.
It’s easier than it sounds when you plan it.
Here’s how it makes a big difference:
You cut years off your loan just by paying ahead.
You lower the interest, since the balance drops faster.
You gain momentum, watching your payoff accelerate each year.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Divide your monthly payment by 12 and add that small amount to each month’s payment automatically.
Make It Easy: Use a mortgage payoff tracker to see your annual progress visually.
8. Rent a Room, Garage, or Basement for Extra Cash
Your home can help pay for itself. literally.
A spare room or unused space can turn into steady extra income with minimal effort.
Here’s why it’s a smart move:
You generate passive income, which goes straight to your mortgage.
You maximize your space, instead of letting it sit empty.
You hit your goal faster, using someone else’s rent to fund it.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: List your space on trusted sites and dedicate every dollar earned toward your loan.
Make It Easy: Rent your space easily and securely through Neighbor.com for extra cash without hassle.
9. Get Rid of All Your Consumer Debt and Redirect Savings to Mortgage
Paying off your home early gets way easier once credit cards and car loans are gone.
Those monthly payments are money you could be throwing at your house instead.
Here’s why this move multiplies your progress:
You free up income, redirecting it to your mortgage.
You reduce stress with fewer bills competing for your paycheck.
You save on interest, both short-term and long-term.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Use the Debt Snowball method. tackle the smallest debt first, then roll payments into the next until they’re all gone.
Make It Easy: Use Undebt.it to organize and automate your debt-free strategy seamlessly.
10. Always Keep a Decent Emergency Fund
Paying off your home fast is exciting. But not if one emergency sends you back into debt.
An emergency fund protects your progress and keeps stress low.
Here’s why it’s your safety net:
You stay debt-free, even when life gets messy.
You avoid pausing payments, since you’re covered for surprise costs.
You maintain peace, knowing your family is secure no matter what.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Build and maintain at least three months of expenses in a separate savings account.
Make It Easy: Open a Betterment Cash Reserve Account to automate your emergency savings with no temptation to dip in.
Hey, I'm Lily! I'm a mom who's really good at two things: stretching a dollar and talking about stretching a dollar. I created Money Vice after one too many grocery trips where I watched my total climb and thought, "There's gotta be a better way." Spoiler: there is. Think of me as your money-savvy friend who's always got a tip (and coffee in hand).
