It's kind of crazy to think that the home mortgage, as we know it, didn't exist until the 1930s. Before that, folks had to throw down a 50 percent down payment and the terms of the home loan were as short as five to seven years. How many of us could afford a home if we had to come up with a check for half of its value just to close? That's why amortization is such a powerful way to make a big, long-term purchase. The monthly payments stay low while you slowly chip away at the principal. Do yourself a favor, though, and never look at the "total interest paid" line on the amortization calculator. It will make you weep like a child.