Should I Pay Off the Mortgage Early or Invest?


This has always been a very tough question to answer. Is debt freedom your dream? Many people recommend that you never pay your mortgage off early because of the low interest rates and tax deductions. Tons of people (very popular in California) are now going with 40 year mortgages and never plan to pay them off. Others love to be 100% debt free for peace of mind and so they can focus their money on other things.


I believe that once you are free from all your other debt, you should then focus on the mortgage. Many people feel that mortgages are NORMAL and that they will always have one. Don't buy more home than you can afford and you will find out that you should be able to pay off your mortgage 3x faster than scheduled. You will still have time to invest once the mortgage is torched.

The Stock market can be risky, but a paid off home is yours to keep. If you have a 5.5% mortgage, by paying it off early you are effectively getting a 5.5% return on the extra payments. A guaranteed 5.5% is pretty good in these tough economic times. The mortgage interest is tax deductible (only if you itemize) but it is NOT worth paying the bank the extra interest. You lose, the bank wins.

Want to retire early? A paid off home is a good start! If you have a aid off home, you know exactly what you have (No more payments and 100% home equity), but with the stock market (or any other investment) you never really know what will happen. You may lose almost everything in the rare event of a total collapse. You should still invest, but only get intense about it after your home is paid off. Is this the Maximum Potential Strategy---Probably not, but it is much safer and might allow you to sleep better.

Dave Ramsey's Seven Baby Steps


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THE 7 BABY STEPS

Following Dave Ramsey's Plan:

Step 1
$1000 in Starter Emergency Fund.
Save $1000 in an emergency fund. This money is for Emergency Use ONLY. Not for buying Christmas presents, new tires, etc...you need to expect those expenses. Put this money in a secure place but NOT in your checking account.

Step 2 Pay off all debt using the "Debt Snowball" (Except the house)
Pay off your debt SMALLEST to largest-regardless of the interest rate. Paying off the small ones will give you maximum motivation to keep you going strong throughout this debt elimination process. The interest rate difference will not really amount to much in the long run and if you were good at math you wouldn't be in this mess in the first place.


Step 3 Finish Full Emergency Fund (3-6 months living expenses)
Save 3-6 months of living expenses. This is in case of a big emergency such as a job loss. For most people, 3-6 months of bare bones expenses will probably be between $10,000 to $20,000. This step takes a while and you need to be careful not to get antsy and jump ahead.

Step 4 Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement savings
(Steps 4, 5, & 6 can be done at the same time)
Save for your retirement. This is one area that is hard to catch up on, so start getting intense unless you plan on working until you are quite old.

Step 5 College Funding
Helping your children with college expenses is a great way to ensure they don't repeat your debt mistakes. Try to instill a debt free lifestyle with your children by helping them graduate debt free! I recommend that they help pay for part of their college expenses.

Step 6 Pay off the House!
My Favorite Step! How great will it be to be 100% DEBT FREE, including the house? Some people will scoff at the notion of funneling extra payments to your mortgage because of the tax advantage (yea, right) and the cheap interest rate. Stay strong and think of all the ways you can use the "mortgage money" once you are debt free.

Step 7 Build wealth and Give
Continue building your retirement wealth. Be generous. Teach others to become debt free. You have WON!

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50 All-Time Great Movie Quotes





 50 All-Time Great Movie Quotes


"...I have nipples, Greg. Could you milk me?"
- JACK BYRNES (Robert De Niro) in Meet the Parents (2000)

"Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son."
- DEAN WORMER (John Vernon) in National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

"Who told you to step on my sneakers, who told you to walk on my side of the block, who told you to be in my neighborhood?"
- BUGGIN OUT (Giancarlo Esposito) in Do The Right Thing (1989)

"There's a lotta things about me you don't know anything about, Dottie. Things you wouldn't understand. Things you couldn't understand."
- PEE-WEE HERMAN (Paul Reubens) in Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)

"Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?"
- CAPTAIN OVEUR (Peter Graves) in Airplane! (1980)


"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the armies of the North, General of the Felix legions, loyal servant to the true Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next."
- MAXIMUS (Russell Crowe) in Gladiator (2000)



"Bring the dog, I love animals. I'm a great cook."

- ALEX FORREST (Glenn Close) in Fatal Attraction (1987)

"And one day, not long from now, my looks will go. They will discover I can't act, and I will become some sad middle-aged woman who looks a bit like someone who was famous for a while."
- ANNA SCOTT (Julia Roberts) in Notting Hill (1999)

"Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not 'every man for himself.' And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked 'em up."
- WANDA (Jamie Lee Curtis) in A Fish Called Wanda (1988)


"Empire had the better ending. I mean, Luke gets his hand cut off, finds out Vader's his father, Han gets frozen and taken away by Boba Fett. It ends on such a down note. I mean, that's what life is, a series of down endings. All Jedi had was a bunch of Muppets."
- DANTE (Brian O'Halloran) in Clerks (1994)


"My daughter is in pain...Give my daughter the shot!"
- AURORA GREENWAY (Shirley MacLaine) in Terms of Endearment (1983)

"Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring; besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls. It's more democratic."
- CRASH DAVIS (Kevin Costner) in Bull Durham (1988)


"You know, I have one simple request. And that is to have sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads! Now evidently, my cycloptic colleague informs me that that can't be done. Can you remind me what I pay you people for? Honestly, throw me a bone here. What do we have?"
- DR. EVIL (Mike Myers) in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)


"I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way."
- JESSICA RABBIT (Kathleen Turner) in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)


"You want me to strap her to the hood?...She'll be fine. It's not as if it's going to rain or something."
- CLARK GRISWOLD (Chevy Chase) in National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) 

"When I first saw you, I thought you were handsome. Then, of course, you spoke."
- CAROL CONNELLY (Helen Hunt) in As Good As It Gets (1997)

"When it comes down to making out, whenever possible, put on side 1 of Led Zeppelin IV."
- MIKE DAMONE (Robert Romanus) in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)


"I wanted to see exotic Vietnam, the jewel of Southeast Asia. I, uh, I wanted to meet interesting and stimulating people of an ancient culture, and kill them."
- PRIVATE JOKER (Matthew Modine) in Full Metal Jacket (1987)


"Look at that! Look how she moves! That's just like Jell-O on springs."
- JERRY (Jack Lemmon) in Some Like It Hot (1959)
"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
- MAXWELL SCOTT (Carleton Young) in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)


"Someone has to die in order that the rest of us should value life more."
- VIRGINIA WOOLF (Nicole Kidman) in The Hours (2003)

"Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate."
- CRAIG SCHWARTZ (John Cusack) in Being John Malkovich (1999)

"Jerry, d'you know the human head weighs eight pounds?"
- RAY (Jonathan Lipnicki) in Jerry Maguire (1996)

"I can't believe I gave my panties to a geek."
- SAMANTHA (Molly Ringwald) in Sixteen Candles (1984)



"I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it."
- TERRY MALLOY (Marlon Brando) in On the Waterfront (1954)

"We all go a little mad sometimes."
- NORMAN BATES (Anthony Perkins) in Psycho (1960)


"Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me, aren't you?"
- BEN BRADDOCK (Dustin Hoffman) in The Graduate (1967)


"Hey, don't knock masturbation. It's sex with someone I love."
- ALVY SINGER (Woody Allen) in Annie Hall (1977)


"She's my daughter!...She's my sister! She's my daughter! My sister, my daughter...She's my sister and my daughter."
- EVELYN CROSS MULWRAY (Faye Dunaway) in Chinatown (1974)


"Open the pod bay doors, please, HAL."
- DAVE BOWMAN (Keir Dullea) in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)


"Take your stinkin' paws off me, you damn dirty ape."
- TAYLOR (Charlton Heston) in Planet of the Apes (1968)

"Because when you're a call girl, you control it, that's why. Because someone wants you...and for an hour...I'm the best actress in the world."
- BREE DANIEL (Jane Fonda) in Klute (1971)

"So we finish 18 and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, 'Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know.' And he says, 'Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness.' So I got that goin' for me, which is nice."
- CARL SPACKLER (Bill Murray) in Caddyshack (1980)


"Hitler was better-looking than Churchill, he was a better dresser than Churchill, he had more hair, he told funnier jokes, and he could dance the pants off of Churchill!"
- FRANZ LIEBKIND (Kenneth Mars) in The Producers (1968)

"No, I'm all man. I even fought in WWII. Of course, I was wearing women's undergarments under my uniform."
- ED WOOD (Johnny Depp) in Ed Wood (1994)

"...Your mother's in here with us, Karras. Would you like to leave a message? I'll see that she gets it."
- REGAN MacNEIL/SATAN (Linda Blair) in The Exorcist (1973)


"You hear me talkin', hillbilly boy? I ain't through with you by a damn sight. I'm gonna get medieval on your ass."
- MARCELLUS WALLACE (Ving Rhames) in Pulp Fiction (1994)


"I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."
- FRENCH SOLDIER (John Cleese) in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)


"He won't come after me. He won't. I can't explain it. He would consider that...rude."
- CLARICE STARLING (Jodie Foster) in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
"Excuse me while I whip this out."
- BART (Cleavon Little) in Blazing Saddles (1974)


"No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die!"
- AURIC GOLDFINGER (Gert Frobe) in Goldfinger (1964)


"You know what I am? I'm your worst fuckin' nightmare, man. I'm a nigger with a badge. That mean I got permission to kick your fuckin' ass whenever I feel like it."
- REGGIE HAMMOND (Eddie Murphy) in 48 HRS. (1982)


"Kid, the next time I say, 'Let's go someplace like Bolivia,' let's go someplace like Bolivia."
- BUTCH CASSIDY (Paul Newman) in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

"Wendy?...Darling. Light of my life. I'm not gonna hurt ya. You didn't let me finish my sentence. I said: 'I'm not gonna hurt ya.' I'm just gonna bash your brains in. I'm gonna bash 'em right the f#$@in! Ha, ha."
- JACK TORRANCE (Jack Nicholson) in The Shining (1980)


"I just hate you and I hate your ass face."
- CORKY ST. CLAIR (Christopher Guest) in Waiting for Guffman (1996) 

"You shoot off a guy's head with his pants down, believe me, Texas is not the place you wanna get caught."
- LOUISE (Susan Sarandon) in Thelma & Louise (1991)

"And I guess that was your accomplice in the wood chipper."
- MARGE GUNDERSON (Frances McDormand) in Fargo (1996)

"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."
- VERBAL KINT (Kevin Spacey) in The Usual Suspects (1995)


"I do not, for one, think that the problem was that the band was down. The problem may have been that there was a Stonehenge monument on the stage that was in danger of being crushed by a dwarf."
- DAVID ST. HUBBINS (Michael McKean) in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)


"That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age."
- WOODERSON (Matthew McConaughey) in Dazed and Confused (1993)








Rising death toll in Egypt protests: Cairo 25; Suez 38; Alexandria 36 - Al Jazeera



Only a matter of time now.. Husni Mubarak WILL step down. Thugs and looters who have been caught by civilians have been found carrying central security ID cards! The Israeli embassy in Cairo is now completely empty. There is no more Israeli flag hanging in Cairo. Omar Suleiman has close ties to Mossad, Shin Bet and Aman (military intel). His friends are Israeli spy chiefs. The Egyptians are fighting for the rule of freedom and equality - not a collaboration of dictators, Mubarak and Suleiman.
Looters broke into museum, destroyed two Pharaonic mummies late Friday, says nation's top archaeologist. Crazy times.

Egypt's Uprising Affects the U.S. Stock Market. Oil Prices May Keep Going Up


Worldwide stocks sank the most since November, crude oil prices posted the largest jump since 2009 and the dollar rose versus the euro after protesters challenged Egyptian President 30-year rule.  Egypt’s dollar bonds sank, pushing yields to a record.  The turmoil in Egypt is affecting the United States and the global economy in a significant way.
This is just the beginning and the end result may be devastating.  The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean and Red Sea.  It is located in Egypt.and it critical in the transportation of one million barrels of oil each day to Europe and other developed economies.  Egypt's cell phone service has since been restored after the government blocked it along with the internet in an attempt to try to stop the uprising, but communication was still spotty. The U.S. stock market dumped on Friday due to the uprising. Hosni Mubarak set a curfew that was ignored and the violence continued. Oil prices may continue to rise and we all know how that affects our wallets. Let's all hope the protesters calm down and get on with their life. The Middle East economy is critical to the U.S. economy and the global stock market. Cairo, please chill out.

My Toshiba Satellite A135 Laptop Review. Best Price for a Budget Notebook Computer


I own a Toshiba A135 laptop that I have had for several years. I use it almost exclusively for my blogging and computer needs. A quick review of the features, pros, and cons. It is like most budget series laptops in that it does what it is supposed to do just without all the bells and whistles. No webcam, minimal ram (2GB ram), and sufficient hard drive space.
My favorite thing about my Toshiba that most other laptops don't have is that it has a volume control dial that makes turning up/down the sound really easy. Nothing much else out of the ordinary. The cons are that the fan is really loud and the keyboard keys seem to pop off easily. I am missing two keys and several others come off easily. Overall, I would recommend a Toshiba brand to anyone looking for a quality Laptop Computer.

Review of TomTom ONE XL GPS. Best features and Price. U.S. & Canada


I bought a refurbished TomTom One XL Gps from Amazon last year and forgot to do a review. It has a 4.3" screen, text to speech, and United States maps (and maybe Canada?). I don't use a GPS very often but it is great for vacations and the occasional work travel.
It took me a little while to fully trust the GPS (I was still printing out mapquest AND bringing the GPS), but now I know it will get me there. It was a great price at the time ($88) so I decided to purchase it. The first unit I received was DOA, it would not find any satellites. I returned it and received a replacement that worked. I would recommend TomTom to anyone who wants a quality, easy to use GPS. I really have no desire for the weather and traffic features....yet.

2005 Chevy Silverado Truck Tires are Not Cheap! Best Price on New Tires Online

It is time to buy new tires for my 2005 Chevy Silverado and I am finding that they are pretty expensive.  This is the first set of tires I will replace for the Silverado (92,000 miles) and did not realize that it will probably cost around $700-$800 for a mid-level set of four tires.  I guess I was used to the small car that I could always find a great deal on tires for $50 a tire. 
I looked online at quite a few different tire stores and nothing really jumps out a clear favorite except DiscountTire.com.  They had the best prices on tires but I really would rather buy them local at a tire store (chain-store) and have them installed right then.  Walmart did not really have too good of prices for the Cheverolet Silverado either.  I guess I should be thankful that my original set of tires has lasted this many miles.  I didn't rotate them very often but they do have some uneven wear. 

Vitamin B12 shots for weight loss, healthy skin, reducing stress, and energy boosters might be the Future of Health.

Is the B12 shot the next great thing in health? There are possibly many great advantages to the b12 shot. Some will say that the B12 will be very beneficial with weight loss, healthy skin, reducing stress, and an energy booster. I am currently doing my own research and will decide if it is right for me.
A vitamin and dietary supplement is more important as you get older but you need to consider if it is an expensive waste or if it really helps your health. Ask your doctor if it is a good idea to get the shot. It may play a role in the maintenance of normal homocysteine levels and is required for proper red blood cell formation. The long lasting energy without all the caffeine is a plus.  I don't currently take any vitamins but I am starting to think I should make sure I take better care of my body.  Maybe the vitamins are nothing more than expensive pee.

Panama City Beach Florida Gulf Vacation. Get a Great Deal on Hotels, Condo, House, Rentals for Spring Break


A few years ago we took a vacation in Panama City Beach. It was Spring Break. The College kids were having fun and so were we! We stayed at a nice hotel/resort right on the beach but it was a bit farther west of all the college kids. The sun was warm, beer was cold and the water was a bit chilly.
There was a nice new outdoor mall with lots of outlet type stores and good restaurants close by. Two or three night in Panama Beach is enough to see it all then head on over to Disney World. The Florida Gulf-Coast is nice, but you can't beat the Magic Kingdom!

Taco Bell Lawsuit Over Beef. Fast Food Meat is Really Healthy...Not


Who really eats at Taco Bell if they are concerned about the quality of their beef? Come on, Taco bell has served mystery taco meat for many years. 65% mystery and 35% beef, what would you expect? What about White Castle, McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King, etc...the meat tastes like chicken.
Grade A beef or Grade A bull? Fast food is not healthy...is that a headline? The filler may be healthier than the beef. California residents needs to understand that 39 cent tacos are gonna be questionable. Among the ingredients in Taco Bell's taco meat filling are soybean oil (an anti-dusting agent), silicon dioxide (an anti-caking agent) and the common food additives maltodextrin and soy lecithin. Taco Bell is fighting the lawsuit by creating youtube videos. I guess the same peple who eat the cheap burritos also watch youtube quite often. Where else would the next generation of fat kids come from?

CSL Plama Donate. Donating Plasma for Money is a Cash Blood


The economy falls, joblessness rises, and CSL plasma donating (selling) is the hottest trend to make money. Sad state of affairs. Is this any different than being a prostitute? Selling your body (plasma) for money is a low blow. How about selling a few spare organs? How much money do the places pay for plasma?
Is it safe to give very often? I would feel like a real loser if I started selling CSL plasma because it is like the last resort (except maybe selling sperm).

Canada Visa to Enter the Country. Travel, Live, Work Permit Application. No Disney World/Epcot There.


If you want to travel to Canada to work or just visit, you must have a passport/Visa. I read where Canada was looking for Thousands of Filipino workers. Why all the hiring and low unemployment in Canada? Alberta is the main province that needs the workers in the oil and gas industry. Why Filipino?
Americans are pretty close by, you know. If you want to live or work in Canada, have at it. This reminds me of Epcot at Disney World. I believe that each "country" at Epcot hires in thousands of people from that country. Does Disney pay them minimum wage & housing? What would it take to make you leave your country to work at an amusement park (many in not very glamorous positions)? Just Rambling here....

NFL Lockout Talk is Insane. Football is King in America. The Fan is Held Hostage.


I love NFL football. America loves football. Owners of NFL teams have become billionaires and the players have become multi-millionaires. Most games come down to the final minutes and any team can win. The only person who will lose if there is a lockout is the FAN. Greed is a powerful and destructive force that ultimately destroys everything that it controls. Will the NFL Draft be held?
The College players may have to wait to become rich. Since the NFL falls under a protective anti-trust law, I am hoping that congress will step in and tell the owners & players that they must continue under the current structure (16 real games) unless the two sides can agree to a revised schedule. Otherwise, no lockout allowed. Take that and shove it (do you realize the the NFL is actually tax-exempt??).

Transforming Debt to Wealth System by John Commuta. Why Many Misunderstand it as a Scam.


I get a lot of inquiries about the John Cummuta debt system where people assume it is a scam. The Transforming Debt into Wealth title is a large contributor to the scam assumption. People can't understand how their debt magically changes into wealth. Another reason for the scam thoughts is because of the radio commercial where a guy says that he paid off his 30 year mortgage in two and a half years.
That doesn't pass the sniff test. The "magically changing debt into wealth" and the pay off a 30 year mortgage in two and a half years are NOT really what Cummuta is saying, but that is what most listeners think they are hearing. The transforming debt into wealth is nothing more than the gradual process of ..being in debt...paying off the debt...spending less than you earn...now starting to build wealth. It doesn't mean you can make your $30,000 of debt work FOR you to make you rich. I agree that it is a rather confusing title. Next, the pay off the mortgage statement is misleading as well. I am almost certain that the guy in the commercial is saying he paid of his (originally 30yr) mortgage just 2 and a half years after he started Cummuta's program. What he doesn't say is that he was over 10 years into his mortgage (or 12...or 15). As I have said before in this blog, the system does work (because it has to). It is a complex way of telling you to stop wasting money and save it. Pay off your old debt, acquire no new debt, and spend less than you earn (therefore you have no choice but to gain wealth).