Making extra payments on your mortgage puts you ahead of most Americans—but it’s still not the most efficient strategy. Why? Because every extra dollar you send to the bank is locked away in their vault, not working for you. That’s the difference between a payment strategy and a cash flow strategy. Extra payments may shave a few years off your mortgage, but a first-lien HELOC lets you use 100% of your income to crush principal while keeping your cash liquid and accessible. Good is paying extra.