Analyzing My Minimum Budget

I'm in the mood to retire now, right now. I was hacking my budget down to the bare minimum again trying to see if I can quit my job any time soon. It didn't work. No matter how I look at it, I can't get my budget small enough. The least I can live on is $680/month with a high deductible health insurance policy. I could make that much with a part time $10/hour job but there aren't a lot of those jobs available and any unplanned purchase would sink my budget. Plus I still have the big elephant around my neck...my house.

I had better stick to my 5 year plan to pay off my mortgage before I down-grade to a part time job even though 5 years seems like an eternity right now. It is so tempting to just quit and hope the house stays rented. But when the mortgage is paid off the rent will provide an extra income cushion that will make switching jobs so much easier. It would be even better if I could sell the house and invest the money but I don't see that happening any time soon.

Oh well. The next small victory to look forward to is my next rent check and my additional mortgage payment for May. I must stay motivated or 5 years will turn in to 7 or 9 or 14!