Furniture was bought cash even though it took almost 2 years.

My friends however, Bought refrigerators, big screen TV with a Sears credit cards, took out home equity loans to put in hardwood floors and could not pay the $300 a year HOA fees. No savings and a pile of debt.

It all depends on how you attach homeownership. Some take it slow, others go full speed ahead.

BTW… You don’t need a gas grill. If you use a “chimney” device to light charcoal, an ordinary charcoal grill works great, cooks better-tasting food, and is a LOT cheaper. Esp. if you get the charcoal at WalMart.

Xeriscapic landscaping can be surprisingly lush and costs a tiny fraction of water-wasting, back-breaking lawns. I don’t water grass and I don’t mow: I blower, maybe once a month. The rest of the time: bask in the shade of paloverdes, palo breas, and acacias while enjoying the oranges, lemons, and limes that grow in the backyard.

Having lived in many apartments, I will say I dislike apartment living a heckuva lot more than I dislike the work entailed in keeping up my house. Because I paid for the hovel in cash, it actually IS cheaper than renting ($550 a month? Gasp! Where do you live after you’re laid off your job or forced to retire?) BUT…IMHO, while you’re young enough to work, you’re smart to rent low and set aside the amount a mortgage would cost you each month, so you can buy a place outright when you reach retirement age. If you have to go the mortgage route, get a 15-year mortgage and pay down extra principal each month.

The unit that I rent has a very nice stackable washer/drier and a nicely done kitchenette, and heat is included in the rent. For $550/month, I think that I found a good deal, especially for the area I live in.

The way I see it, home ownership is not for everyone, and I am one of those. I gave it an honest try and found I hated it. In the end, I am glad to be “free” again rather than being tied down to a house.