Dec

11

Home Ownership is for the Wealthy

December 11, 2008 | 1 Comment

Now that America is trying to sleep off the housing bubble hangover, people like me can say I told you so.  Houses are for the rich.  Always have been, and for the foreseeable future, always will be.
By definition, poor people can afford little.  So putting a poor person in a house is a fundamentally bad [...]

Jul

30

The Real Reason I Paid Off My Mortgage

July 30, 2008 | 17 Comments

I paid off my mortgage last year.  Why did I do it?  The time was right for me and it still might be the right time for you to do the same thing.  I'll explain why.
I've been on a rampage against the mortgage lately.  In my last article (more reasons to pay off your mortgage), [...]

Jul

29

More Reasons to Pay Off Your Mortgage

July 29, 2008 | 5 Comments

What is it about the mortgage that makes so many people rally to its defense?  You would think it's a member of the family.  I'd really like to change my mind on the mortgage just to be a contrarian.  However there is just too much evidence that paying off your mortgage is the best move [...]

Jun

25

Should I Pay Off My Mortgage? The Easiest Test Ever

June 25, 2008 | 17 Comments

Should you pay off your mortgage early?  It's a difficult question to answer.  There are many factors to consider.  However, there is one easy way to make the decision.  I've created a simple test to answer the question "should I pay off my mortgage early?".
Why Is It Such A Hard Question?
Vested Interest in the Mortgage [...]

Apr

23

Why Debt is Risky

April 23, 2008 | 2 Comments

Debt is bad because with debt comes risk. Debt is risky for businesses and people. Debt, if used correctly, can be powerful tool. However, in too many cases, debt is used improperly and the consequences are unhappiness, stress, bankruptcy and divorce.
Attitudes About Debt Have Changed
I’ve already talked about how our attitudes about [...]

Feb

25

Subprime Mortgage Fiasco: An Explanation

February 25, 2008 | 2 Comments

You hear it every time a new scandal erupts. People think that Wall Street is becoming more evil, corrupt, etc. Well if you've read Benjamin Graham's Intelligent Investor, you know financial scandals are nothing new.
If you've had a hard time following the financial drama known as The Subprime Mortgage Crisis (you know it's [...]