Our homes are emotionally-charged places.  We build and store our memories there, and they become part of who we are.

And if you really believe that, you’re out of your mind.

A home exists in our minds.  We store memories in our brains, and who we are goes with us.

A house is nothing more than bricks and sticks.  An investment of money and energy that will, we hope, increase in value so we’re able to live our lives happily and leave something to our children when we step off this mortal coil.

Same with any investment.  We buy stocks in the hope that they will rise in value and we’ll make a few bucks.  Some of us even buy lottery tickets – for the same reason.

Sometimes the investment pays off, sometimes we take a loss.  And the smart money always cuts the losses and moves on once it becomes clear that there’s not going to be a positive payoff.

Over at Consumer Ledger, we’ve put together a nifty calendar to give you an idea of whether it’s a good idea to try to save the house.  Plug in some numbers and you’ll find out how long it’s going to take for you to turn a profit.

Give it a whirl below.