Just saying that word makes you feel so warm and cozy. However, the definition of home is different for everyone. It seems that in America, we get so stuck in the “American Dream” mentality…more and more people are buying homes that they cannot afford and sometimes homes that they didn’t “need” in the first place. It’s common in other countries to save up until you can buy a house outright…taking whatever measures necessary to reach that goal (living with parents, etc). There is an article on the history of mortgages And another interesting little fact: the word mortgage is from the Old French language and translates roughly to “death pledge.”While it’s true that real estate can be a wonderful way to create personal wealth, owning a home is not essential to a happy life. In fact, I would argue that being free from a mortgage makes life VERY happy While it’s not always possible to be completely free of a mortgage or a payment for housing of some sort, there are housing options that cost much less than a traditional home AND are more earth-friendly. Here are some of those options: