Life after debt looks different than most people imagine. After six years of documenting my journey toward becoming mortgage-free on YouTube and finally achieving that goal in May of this year, I can tell you that life after paying off my mortgage doesn’t suddenly transform you into a reckless spender. Instead, it creates opportunities to be more intentional with your money.
The journey wasn’t easy. For years, my family worked slowly but patiently toward this goal, and the feeling of freedom that comes with owning your home outright is indescribable. But what surprised me most is how little actually changed about our spending habits – and how much more purposeful our financial decisions became.
If you’re curious about what life looks like on the other side of mortgage payments, here are six categories where I now spend more money, along with the reasoning behind each decision.
1. Skincare: Investing in Quality That Works
Turning 40 brought unexpected changes, and my skin was no exception. For years, I relied on two trusty drugstore products: CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream and Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash. These inexpensive options worked well throughout my twenties and thirties.
But hormones change everything. As dermatologists at the American Academy of Dermatology
explain, skin chemistry shifts approximately every six to seven years, and major hormonal changes like pregnancy can accelerate these transitions.
My previously manageable skin suddenly developed painful acne, dullness, and texture issues that my trusty drugstore routine couldn’t handle. Around the time we paid off our mortgage, I decided to treat myself to a professional facial with an aesthetician friend. That single appointment changed everything.
She introduced me to a medical-grade skincare line sold exclusively at spas, and the transformation has been remarkable. Yes, it costs significantly more than drugstore alternatives, but the results are visibly superior. More importantly, the concentrated formulas mean I use less product, making the higher upfront cost more reasonable over time.
I’m intentionally not naming the specific brand because skincare is highly individual. What works for my 40-year-old combination skin might be completely wrong for yours. If you’re considering upgrading your skincare routine, I recommend consulting with a licensed aesthetician who can assess your specific needs and budget constraints.
The key lesson here isn’t about expensive products – it’s about recognizing when your needs change and having the financial flexibility to address them properly.
2. Makeup: Quality Over Quantity
My relationship with makeup has been a journey of extremes. In the early 2010s, I fell down the YouTube makeup rabbit hole, convinced I needed every product every influencer mentioned. None of it looked good on me, and I wasted significant money on products that gathered dust.
The pendulum swung completely in the other direction during our debt payoff years. I stripped down to absolute basics: random drugstore products that worked well enough. This minimalist approach served me well financially, but after paying off our mortgage, I decided to research how makeup quality affects skin health and longevity.
My current makeup collection fits in a small bag because I still believe in using very little makeup day-to-day. I wear the most makeup when filming videos due to lighting challenges, but otherwise keep things minimal.
Here’s what I’ve upgraded to:
NARS concealers have become my go-to for under-eye coverage. I use two shades – one in their cream pot format for daily use and another for video work. The pigmentation and staying power far exceed drugstore alternatives.
Clinique Quick Liner for Brows solved my biggest makeup challenge. Fellow ’90s kids will understand this struggle – we plucked our eyebrows into oblivion, and now they refuse to grow back properly. This thin, natural-looking pencil helps create the appearance of fuller brows without looking overdone.
Interestingly, I accidentally ordered Clinique’s Quick Liner for Eyes when trying to replace my eyebrow pencil, and it turned out to be an excellent eyeliner that I’ve continued using.
I still use some drugstore products where they perform just as well. CoverGirl’s clear eyebrow gel keeps my brows in place, and I love Stila’s Huge Extreme Lash mascara for its dramatic but natural-looking results.
The principle remains the same: spend money on things you value and use regularly, rather than accumulating products that don’t serve a purpose. These higher-quality items work better, last longer, and ultimately provide better value despite the higher upfront cost.
3. Experiences: Creating Memories Within Reason
During our mortgage payoff years, we limited ourselves to one vacation per year – typically a three to four-day beach trip about three hours from home. These short getaways worked perfectly for our budget and my homebody tendencies.
Now that we’re mortgage-free, we’ve expanded our experience budget slightly. This year, in addition to our usual beach trip, we’re planning a short mountain getaway to show our daughter a beautiful natural site we’ve wanted to visit. It’s still modest by most standards – just one night away – but it represents the kind of intentional spending that debt freedom enables.
The key word here is “slightly.” We didn’t pay off our mortgage and immediately booked a Caribbean cruise or European vacation. We still have financial goals and future expenses to consider. Instead, we’re thoughtfully adding experiences that create family memories without derailing our long-term plans.
According to research from Cornell University experiential purchases provide more lasting satisfaction than material purchases, making them excellent uses of discretionary income when finances allow.
4. Food: Prioritizing Health and Dealing with Reality
Our food budget has increased for two distinct reasons: one intentional, one unavoidable.
The intentional increase stems from health concerns that emerged around age 39. Kidney stones and high cholesterol were wake-up calls that prompted serious research into nutrition and food quality. I’ve spent considerable time learning about ultra-processed foods, seed oils, and cooking methods that affect both short-term and long-term health.
The unfortunate reality is that many of the cheapest foods in grocery stores are highly processed options that aren’t optimal for health. While whole foods can certainly be affordable – especially frozen vegetables, seasonal produce, and certain proteins – choosing higher-quality options like cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil does cost more upfront.
I now focus primarily on the perimeter of the grocery store where whole foods are located, trying to minimize processed ingredients. When I do purchase items like olive oil, I research the production methods and choose higher-quality options that provide better flavor and health benefits, even though they cost more initially.
The unwilling increase is inflation. Regardless of dietary changes, our food budget would have increased significantly due to rising grocery costs. Every weekly shopping trip reinforces how much food prices have escalated, and there’s limited control over this external factor.
I continue researching and sharing money-saving grocery strategies because I understand how challenging current food costs are for many families. The goal is finding the balance between health-conscious choices and budget realities.
5. Quality Items: Thinking Long-term Value
I’ve always believed in prioritizing cost-per-wear over initial purchase price, but having financial margin changes how you can implement this philosophy. During tight budget years, immediate need trumps long-term value – you buy what works right now at the lowest possible cost.
Now I have the luxury of thinking strategically about purchases. Instead of buying the cheapest option available, I can invest more upfront in items that will provide better long-term value through durability and performance.
This applies to everything from tools and electronics to shoes and vehicles. The goal isn’t buying expensive items for the sake of expense – it’s identifying where higher initial investment creates better long-term value.
For example, spending more on a quality computer that lasts six years instead of a budget model that needs replacement in two years ultimately saves money and frustration. The same principle applies to shoes that maintain their shape and comfort through years of wear versus cheaper alternatives that quickly deteriorate.
Quality doesn’t always correlate directly with price, which is why research remains crucial. The key is having enough financial breathing room to make decisions based on long-term value rather than immediate budget constraints.
6. Giving: The Most Rewarding Category
This is the most meaningful change since becoming debt-free. Having lived through a period where I had more debt than annual income and dealt with collection calls that left me afraid to turn my phone ringer on, I understand financial desperation intimately.
The opportunity to give back is incredibly powerful. As financial experts Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze often say, the most fun thing you can do with money is giving. Without recurring debt payments consuming our income, we now have margin to help others in meaningful ways.
This isn’t about grand gestures or public recognition. It’s about having the financial flexibility to respond when community members need assistance, supporting our church’s outreach programs, and knowing we can make a difference during difficult seasons like winter holidays when many families struggle.
The peace that comes from knowing you can help rather than needing help is transformative. It represents the ultimate goal of financial responsibility – not just personal security, but the ability to positively impact others’ lives.
According to studies from the National Philanthropic Trust individuals who give regularly report higher levels of personal satisfaction and community connection, creating positive feedback loops that benefit both giver and receiver.
What Hasn’t Changed: The Foundation Remains
Perhaps more important than what we spend more money on is what hasn’t changed. Our core frugal habits remain intact because these habits create lasting financial stability. We simply shifted our savings goal from mortgage payoff to our next priority: replacement vehicle fund.
The budgeting discipline, comparison shopping, and intentional spending patterns that enabled mortgage payoff continue guiding our decisions. We still exercise patience rather than taking on debt for immediate wants. We still research purchases thoroughly and avoid impulse spending.
The difference is psychological freedom. Knowing we could weather a major financial emergency without losing our home provides incredible peace of mind. This security enables more confident decision-making across all spending categories.
The One Word That Sums It All Up: Peace
If I had to choose one word to describe life after paying off our mortgage, it would be “peace.” Not the peace of endless spending or abandoning financial discipline, but the deep exhale that comes from knowing you’re not dependent on future income for current security.
This peace manifests in better sleep, reduced stress about unexpected expenses, and confidence in long-term financial planning. It’s the knowledge that if health issues, job loss, or other major life changes occur, you have a solid foundation to weather the storm.
The journey took 15 years of consistent effort, patient sacrificing, and maintaining focus on long-term goals despite short-term temptations. But the peace that comes from financial freedom is worth every sacrifice made along the way.
For anyone currently working toward debt freedom, remember that frugal living isn’t about deprivation – it’s about enjoying life as it is while building toward something better. Focus on doing the best you can with what you have right now, and trust that consistent effort creates transformative results over time.
The goal isn’t to eliminate all financial challenges, but to create enough margin that challenges become manageable rather than devastating. That margin – that peace – makes every frugal choice worthwhile.