Would agree on the mortgage stuff. It's the best debt to carry, especially if you have other high interest debt that cannot be deducted on your taxes. I have absolutely zero desire to pay my house off early, especially since I can make more than my mortgage interest rate in the market. As in, I'd actually be losing money if I paid into my principal more than required.
I don't think certifications are going to buy you much... but I've never been in a field that required them. It seems more likely your upward mobility is limited by job opportunities (and maybe your degree) - you're just not going to make as much in H'burg as a major metropolitan city. Cost of living is higher in those places and does offset it, but there are usually options for cheaper living (assuming you aren't hellbent on owning a house). I just don't perceive you have enough years post college to be able to afford both a house and expensive hobbies.
Cars have to be one of the most expensive hobbies that isn't boats or planes. It can be difficult to not do things that make you happy, but it seems like you're already not happy by not doing them because you can't afford it. I'd suggest figuring out what you really like about the scene and see if you can't find that somewhere that's far less expensive.
I don't think certifications are going to buy you much... but I've never been in a field that required them. It seems more likely your upward mobility is limited by job opportunities (and maybe your degree) - you're just not going to make as much in H'burg as a major metropolitan city. Cost of living is higher in those places and does offset it, but there are usually options for cheaper living (assuming you aren't hellbent on owning a house). I just don't perceive you have enough years post college to be able to afford both a house and expensive hobbies.
Cars have to be one of the most expensive hobbies that isn't boats or planes. It can be difficult to not do things that make you happy, but it seems like you're already not happy by not doing them because you can't afford it. I'd suggest figuring out what you really like about the scene and see if you can't find that somewhere that's far less expensive.
'76 911S | '14 328xi | '17 GTI | In memoriam: '08 848, '85 944
"Here, at last, is the cure for texting while driving. The millions of deaths which occur every year due to the iPhone’s ability to stream the Kim K/Ray-J video in 4G could all be avoided, every last one of them, if the government issued everyone a Seventies 911 and made sure they always left the house five minutes later than they’d wanted to. It would help if it could be made to rain as well. Full attention on the road. Guaranteed." -Jack Baruth
"Here, at last, is the cure for texting while driving. The millions of deaths which occur every year due to the iPhone’s ability to stream the Kim K/Ray-J video in 4G could all be avoided, every last one of them, if the government issued everyone a Seventies 911 and made sure they always left the house five minutes later than they’d wanted to. It would help if it could be made to rain as well. Full attention on the road. Guaranteed." -Jack Baruth