It’s that special time of year when we’re all thinking about the things we’re thankful for, and for most of us coming up with a list of blessings usually calls up thoughts about family, friends, and maybe a few treasured possessions. It’s always valuable to spend time thinking about what makes our lives rich and full, so giving thanks is never a trivial exercise.

But the next time you’re thinking grateful thoughts, it might be worthwhile to widen your scope a bit. That is, consider giving thanks for things in your life that you might not have thought of as blessings – until now.

For example, do you think of your home mortgage as a blessing? Probably not. After all, for most people, their home loan is the biggest monthly expense they have to contend with every month. And when you think about all the hours you’ve spent at work in order to make enough money to pay the bill, you might not be feeling so thankful.

However, the truth is that if you have a mortgage, you should be grateful for it. Not quite sure why? Consider what your mortgage is giving back to you:

• A wealthier future – when you make your mortgage payments every month, you’re building equity in an asset that will appreciate over time. This means that, when you’re finally finished paying for your home, you’ll be sitting on several hundred thousand dollars in net worth. It may seem far-off, but paying your mortgage now represents an investment in your future.
• A back-up emergency fund – speaking of equity, the value you’re building in your home is a handy tool to have if you’re ever facing down a serious emergency that your savings can’t handle. Tapping the cash in your home shouldn’t be an everyday occurrence, but if you’re ever in dire straights, you’ll be happy you chose homeownership over renting.
• A storehouse for your family memories – Mortgages have lots of financial benefits, but it’s important to remember the buying a home is emotionally profitable, too. Being able to paint your daughter’s room her favorite color or build a tree house on your yard with your son are memories you can only make with a property you own. Renting might sometimes be cheaper, but being able to make a house a home is priceless.

Sometimes it’s tough to see that a mortgage is something to be thankful for, but don’t lose sight of the value your home loan is conferring on your life – financially and otherwise.