Review all of your financial decisions and see if you have passed over something that is necessary, important, desirable, and not just a luxury that you could go back to now and begin the program with a smaller contribution.

This can also be true with your mortgage. Many of you simply have a mortgage and no other debt. It generally is a 30 year fixed and hard as you try you can't find a way to get to a 20 year or a 15 year. I understand that and suggest that perhaps you go 60% of the way with a new 15 year loan for 60% of what you owe and the rest in a HELOC or second trust deed.

It is unusual to do it this way, but it is a start. Comparing the 30 you are in to a 15 year and a Heloc, the 30 will amortize 12-15% over the next 10 years. The 15 will pay off half of the loan in the same time frame. Even though you aren't paying down on the Heloc, assuming that it is interest only, you will owe at the end of 10 year 40% of the original loan that is in the Heloc and 30% that is in the 15 year fixed. (Half is paid off) Another 5 years and you will only owe 40% of the original loan as the 15 year loan will be paid off.