DH and I went and spent Saturday night at the casino. Had a nice relaxing time and even came home $40 ahead. Stuck the $40 in the mortgage checking account for March's principle. Also had a lot of change that I put in the piggy bank...probably about $10 worth.

Now time to get ready for the Super Bowl! (and by that I mean time to get ready to eat!)

$5.00 Balance
+$40.00 Casino Win
=$45.00 New Balance

February 2014 Mortgage Payment

Balance $96,945.00
+$222.17 Interest
-$1218.88 Regular Payment
-$318.29 Principle Payment
-$30.00 Mortgage Checking Principle Payment
New Balance $95,600.00

Escrow Savings Account
=$2470.00

It's snowing again....what better time to update the mortgage snowflakes!!
Added some change (not as much as usual since we have cut back on going to the casino = win!) and I also earned another $5.00 from a debit card promotion at my bank.

$5.00 Balance
+$5.00 Debit Card Promo
+$25.00 Coin
=$35.00 New Balance

$35.00 Balance
-$30.00 February 2014 Mortgage Principle
=$5.00 New Balance

Counted my change today and added it to the mortgage checking account. Then paid the mortgage for January!

$10.00 Balance
+$50.00 Change
=$60.00 New Balance

$60.00 Balance
-$55.00 January 2014 Mortgage Principle
=$5.00 New Balance

January 2014 Mortgage Payment

Balance $98,300.00
+$225.27 Interest
-$1218.88 Regular Payment
-$306.39 Principle Payment
-$55.00 Mortgage Checking Principle Payment
New Balance $96,945.00

Escrow Savings Account
=$2470.00

I got my $5 giftcard from Discover for calling them about their mortgage program. I will probably use this at the grocery store or gas station. Transferred $5 to the mortgage checking for this bonus.

$60.00 Balance
-$55.00 December 2013 Principle
=$5.00 New Balance

$5.00 Balance
+$5.00 Discover Incentive
=$10.00 New Balance

December 2013 Mortgage Payment

Balance $99,600.00
+$228.25 Interest
-$1218.88 Regular Payment
-$254.37 Principle Payment
-$55.00 Mortgage Checking Principle Payment
New Balance $98,300.00

Escrow Savings Account
$2110.00
+$350.00 November Deposit
+$5.00 Even Out Interest Amount
=$2465.00

Counted the piggy bank today...another $55.00 to go towards the mortgage principle for December!

$80.00 Balance
-$75.00 November 2013 Principle
=$5.00 New Balance

$5.00 Balance
+$55.00 Coin
=$60.00 New Balance

UNDER $100K!!!! YEAH!!!!!

So, so excited to be hitting this milestone!! This also met our yearly goal for the mortgage to get under $100K, and we are one month early on our goal! Will be working on goals for next year very soon and hope to have some awesome progress again for next year!

November 2013 Mortgage Payment

Balance $100,900.00
+$231.23 Interest
-$1218.88 Regular Payment
-$237.35 Principle Payment
-$75.00 Mortgage Checking Principle Payment
New Balance $99,600.00

Escrow Savings Account
$3655.00
+$350.00 November Deposit
-$1900.00 Yearly Payment
+$5.00 Even Out Interest Amount
=$2110.00

$5.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
+$75.00 School Check
=$80.00 New Balance


Got a random school check from DH. Not really sure what it's for....but tossing it in the ole mortgage checking for November's fabulous under $100K payment!

$820.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
+$30.00 Coin
=$850.00 New Balance


$850.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
-$845.00 October Principle Payment
=$5.00 New Balance

OUR LAST PAYMENT EVER IN THE 6 DIGIT DEBT!!!

October 2013 Mortgage Payment

Balance $102,900.00
+$235.81 Interest
-$1218.88 Regular Payment
-$171.93 Principle Payment
-$845.00 Mortgage Checking Principle Payment
New Balance $100,900.00


Escrow Savings Account
$3305.00
+$350.00 August Deposit
=$3655.00

Last weekend was the BIG rummage sale weekend of the year, DH and I made $916 (would have been more, but got rained out on Saturday). Kept $100.00 and the rest to the mortgage checking for Octobers Principle Payment. Rummage sale breakdown to come soon!

$5.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
+$815.00 Rummage Sale
=$820.00 New Balance

September 2013 Mortgage Payment

Balance $104,900.00
+$240.40 Interest
-$1218.88 Regular Payment
-$451.52 Principle Payment
-$570.00 Mortgage Checking Principle Payment
New Balance $102,900.00

We also got the Escrow account up to date.

Escrow Savings Account
$2570.00
+$350.00 August Deposit
+$350.00 September Deposit
+$35.00 Last few months interest/even out amounts
=$3305.00

We had a rummage sale last weekend and made $478! I will try to post the breakdown today. Very nice mortgage checking balance this month!

--Mortgage Checking--
$40.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
+$60.00 Coin
+$475.00 August Rummage Sale
=$575.00 New Balance

$575.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
-$570.00 September Principle Payment
=$5.00 New Balance

It's getting to that time where we need to use the money in our "Sept 2013" savings account. This account is specifically to cover the time frame from DH's summer job till the school year, when he misses one paycheck, thus does not get paid for a month. After a few years of not planning for this I finally wised up a few years ago and started a seperate account so when that time comes each year we have the funds to cover the gap. This year I have $1830 in that account. I anticipate taking out the $1800 and putting it in checking (we will see how the numbers pan out, if we don't have to use all of it then we won't), but I shouldn't need the extra $30 that the account has made in interest/even out deposits. So I took $25 out of the account and put it in the Mortgage Checking to go towards Septembers Principle Payment, and left the other $5.00 as I don't want to have a $0 balance. Hoping we can have a large chunk left from the $1800 and then will decide if we want to leave it in savings for next years paycheck gap, or apply it to the mortgage.

--$20K Update --
Current Balance $28,100.00
-$25.00 ING Sept 2013 Interest Balance
New Balance $28,075.00

ING $25,020.00 ($5620.00 Bingo Money)
Home Improvements(cash)$680.00
HSBC $2375.00
Total = $28,075.00

--Mortgage Checking--
$15.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
+$25.00 Sept 2013 Savings Interest
=$40.00 New Balance

$5.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
+$8.00 Sold Contact Solution to Co-worker
+$2.00 Even Out Amount
=$15.00 New Balance

August 2013 Mortgage Payment

Balance $106,200.00
+$243.38 Interest
-$1218.88 Regular Payment
-$224.51 Principle Payment
-$100.00 Mortgage Checking Principle Payment
New Balance $104,900.00

We just don't have the money to put in the Escrow Savings account this month. I could transfer it from a different savings account into there...but it's all a horse a piece, so I am just leaving it the same for now.

Escrow Savings Account
$2220.00
+$350.00 July Deposit
=$2570.00

Counted the change we brought back from Vegas, ended up with $30.00. Added that to the mortgage checking before we took out the balance for the August Payment.

$75.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
+$30.00 Coin
=$105.00 New Balance
-$100.00 August Principle Payment
=$5.00 New Balance

Taking in the change now because we will have a lot when we get back from our trip. Another $60 drop in the bucket towards mortgage freedom!

$15.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
+$60.00 Coin
=$75.00 New Balance

I mentioned a little while ago that my bank was running a promotion where if you use your debit card 5 times in the month of May you got a free $5 in your checking account. I checked our balance today and see the $5.00 was deposited, so I transferred it into the mortgage checking account! Love chipping away!

$470.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
+$5.00 Bank Promo
-$460.00 July Principle Payment
=$15.00 New Balance

July 2013 Mortgage Payment

Balance $107,880.00
+$247.22 Interest
-$1218.88 Regular Payment
-$248.34 Principle Payment
-$460.00 Mortgage Checking Principle Payment
New Balance $106,200.00

Escrow Savings Account
$2220.00
+$350.00 July Deposit
=$2570.00

Added $410.00 from the rummage sale to the mortgage checking account. I will post the rummage sale breakdown this week!

$60.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
+$410.00 Rummage Sale Money
=$470.00 New Balance

DH and I each received a settlement check from American Express for $8.23. To be honest I can't even remember what this was for...I do vaguely remember signing us up for something a long, long time ago. It was some huge lawsuit thingy...if I remember something about foreign fees..hmm. Well anyways, it is bonus money for us, so sending it to the Mortgage Checking!

$40.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
+$8.23 My Amex Check
+$8.23 DH Amex Check
+$3.54 Even Out Amount
=$60.00 New Balance

We took our pop cans in yesterday, 53 lbs at .45 per pound = $23.85. I took the $23.85 and added $6.15 of my own and put that in the mortgage checking account for Julys payment.

$10.00 Mortgage Checking Balance
+$23.85 Recycling
+$6.15 Even Out Amount
=$40.00 New Balance

June 2013 Mortgage Payment

Balance $109,400.00
+$250.71 Interest
-$1218.88 Regular Payment
-$431.83 Principle Payment
-$120.00 Mortgage Checking Principle Payment
New Balance $107,880.00

Escrow Savings Account
$1855.00
+$350.00 June Deposit
+$15.00 Interest/Even Out Amounts from last few months
=$2220.00

The mortgage checking account is working great for me so far. We had an extra $130 in there this month to add to the mortgage principle payment! I used $120 of it, and left $10 in there. I just don't want the balance to go to $0, that makes me uncomfortable. In June we should have a lot to put in there too, with a rummage sale in a few weeks, and also taking the pop cans in for recycling this week.

One of the reasons I think I am so good at savings, is because I can "nickel and dime" my savings and all those little bits really, really add up. If I have $5 bucks to put in there, I can transfer it to savings right away and it's out of sight out of mind. With paying down the mortgage, I only make payments once a month. If I have $5, or $30 or whatever I want to put towards it, it can seem to disappear in checking, at the bar or wherever before its time to put it on the loan.
So I came up with a new strategy that works with my savings style. I opened up a new, free checking account at the same bank as our mortgage, and now I can "nickle and dime" that account for the month, then withdrawl the balance each month and add it to our normal principle payment. I think this will really help me with dropping that balance more and more each month.
I opened the account yesterday with $70 that I had planned on adding to the mortgage principle, and then today I took in our change, $60, and added that to the account. So already $130 extra to add to the principle payment for June! This way if I have $5 or whatever I want to add it will be kept seperate and go to the right place, plus I can easily transfer from my regular checking to the mortgage checking with my internet banking.
Also just for opening the account I got to pick a free gift, I was excited/surprised by that, because I already have an account there, so I didn't think I would qualify for the free gift. I chose a Sunebeam Baking Pan, it also came with a lid.

May 2013 Mortgage Payment

Balance $110,700.00
+$253.69 Interest
-$1218.88 Regular Payment
-$334.81 Principle Payment
New Balance $109,400.00


Escrow Savings Account
$1505.00
+$350.00 April Deposit
=$1855.00

YEAH! Under $110K! Now on to the big milestone of getting under $100K!

April 2013 Mortgage Payment

Balance $112,300.00
+$257.35 Interest
-$1218.88 Regular Payment
-$638.47 Principle Payment
New Balance $110,700.00

Had $75 in change that I added to this months principle payment.

Escrow Savings Account
$1155.00
+$350.00 April Deposit
=$1505.00

March 2013 Mortgage Payment

Balance $114,300.00
+$261.94 Interest
-$1218.88 Regular Payment
-$1043.06 Principle Payment
New Balance $112,300.00

Yeah no more Escrow!

Happy with the extra payment for the month, though I will say it should have been more. I was pretty irresponsible on our weekend away. Every once in awhile I get tired of being responsible and go a little crazy..lol. Well anyways it is still a good chunk gone and down $2K for the month. Getting closer and closer to breaking the $100K mark!