the big one

We've had some strict financial goals the last two years. Ones that at times have made me cry. Other times made me happy for how far we've come.

Shea bought a condo before we were married, which was a great decision when the market was awesome, and he thought he'd live there for a long time. Then he got married, the market tanked, we moved to Kansas City and had the choice between selling and losing $40,000 or becoming landlords. We chose the latter.

If you want to be bored with the details: The mortgage is 80/20 with the 20 percent borrowed from a private group and the 80 percent from a major  bank. For the last two years, we've been paying more than five to seven times the minimum on the 20 percent loan. It's a significant chunk of change each month (actually, it's almost my entire paycheck. I find this moderately demoralizing.), and the rent we charge covers the 80 percent part of the loan plus condo association fees only.

So we sacrificed. A lot.

But today...

...we made the last payment.

Yay, budgeting!