Why this goal? It is probably more of a personal thing, but it was a loan for $22,869.00 back in August 2004. (It was for our new house so that we wouldn’t have mortgage insurance.) The loan was for a term of 15 years at 7% interest. How do I know how much to pay each month to achieve this goal? I have a Google spreadsheet that breaks out the interest and payment for each month out through 2019. So, it’s a no-brainer that if I pay it off sooner, I save a bunch of money on interest. But there are a lot of things vying for my money, so it is a balancing act. But the spreadsheet lets me track my progress. And, I have my Google Goal Chart gadget to provide a visual representation of my progress. It helps keep me motivated.