On 2010-01-06, chuckers <chuckersjp@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Up until November of last year, I WAS making 2 mortage payments or
> better a month.  Doing so, meant that I have been able shave about 7
> years off of a 20 year mortgage I have only had for just over a year
> or so.  WOOHOO!
>
> However, I have had to stop that now that the little one is
> approaching (international) school age.  Need to start saving up for
> that.  That, and  the loan has to remain valid for at least 10 years
> in order to get a tax break on it.  Then there is that retirement
> thing I need to think about.

If you're thinking about retirement, stop thinking and pay off your
mortgage.  Seriously. If you're smart enough to do something with
borrowed money that has better return than mortgage rate, year after year,
over the long term, then you should quit your current job and go
interview with a mutual fund. Yes, the yen interest rate is miniscule,
but the average return on shares denoted in yen is just as pathetic.

Your child is a different issue altogether, of course, and I can see
why you'd want to save cash for her.

Shimpei.