Owning your own home

Im interested in your tithe arrangements, is that for religious purposes?

Yes and no, I'm not religious but I learned of religions doing tithes and wondered what the secular equivalent is and figured there was nothing really... but why not?

So back when I was earning nothing at all I agreed with myself to give 10% of everything I took home to charity. I didn't really tell anyone, this thread is the only time I think I've shared it on here but I've done it all the time any of you have known me.

I give to generic things like Medicins Sans Frontier, Air Ambulance, Mountain Rescue, Greenpeace, etc, and some charities close to me like Mermaids or Survivors UK, and to lots of things just because and randomly, one-offs, but I also help with lots of mutual aid to random people on the internet so that's entirely unpredictable. Occasionally it's LFGSS too, I don't stick to registered charities, just things where I think it makes a difference or I empathise deeply.

I've virtually never given less than 10% of what I earn, and never felt it because I always did it. Recently (last 4 years) I've been earning more, and so it's been closer to 30% of take home some months.

It's just entirely random, I don't seek any attention for it, I share that I do it in response to things but without ever pushing it down people's throats... it's something I do, I feel a part of society and the World even if I also feel isolated and lonely, and so I feel I need to act as a part of the whole and not be too individualistic about things.

It's both a big thing I do (I've not really heard of others doing this if religion didn't compel them), and also a nothing thing to do. I just feel, for me, that this is what being part of a whole is.

Also have you done the sums of chucking a lot of the windfall into pensions, tax relief on the way in, then, using tax relief on the way out use that to pay off what's left?

No, I saw the video linked earlier, watched it... but truly, just to be able to be mortgage free in a few years is a huge deal and similar to the client in that video I wouldn't want to be on the emotional rollercoaster. I'll pay the mortgage, continue to live simply, won't hoard money, and when the mortgage is paid I'll be able to feel less of a financial burden in life.