In today’s world, it is very difficult to have true job security. Too often, homeowners lose their jobs and it becomes more difficult to make their mortgage payments. A paid house is not subject to foreclosure, unless of course the taxes remain unpaid. Therefore, it makes sense to pay off your mortgage as soon as possible to avoid foreclosure. Many families have, even during this period of foreclosure crisis, and another couple has offered their advice on how they plan to pay off their 30-year mortgage in half the time.

When you pay off your home, you free up a large portion of your budget and take some of the burden off your shoulders.

The couple bought a $350,000 home in 2000 in Seattle and have found several ways to spend extra money on their mortgage. In fact, hopefully their dedication to being mortgage-free will see them pay off their 30-year mortgage in 2015, half the time they agreed to.

Here are some of the ways these homeowners earned extra money and saved money to pay off their principal balance.

1) Work hard, play hard. Go out of your way to do what you can at work to show that you are invaluable to your boss and/or company. It is no longer a given that you will have the same job in 10, 20 or much less 5 years from now. Do what you can to make yourself invaluable at work and fight for a promotion or at least as much job security as possible. Paying off your mortgage early means more time to splurge later.

2) Make good use of your tax return. If you’re one of the many who gets a tax refund each year, include it in your mortgage payment before you’re tempted to spend it.

3) Sell a vehicle. Some families have more vehicles than they need and do not take advantage of public transportation. If you can get by with fewer vehicles than you currently have, sell one or two and put that money toward your mortgage.

4) Earn additional income. Craigslist is a great place to look for side jobs, like pet sitting/walking, house cleaning, etc. You can also sell items online, such as unused items, clothing, or even crafts/items you make.

These are just a few of the ways you can put more money toward your mortgage to pay it off faster than the term of your loan. A paid-off house is less likely to go into foreclosure than one with a large, unpaid mortgage.