When getting a mortgage on a home, people are asked if they would like to obtain “discount points” on their mortgage. Mortgage points are money paid from the customer upfront at closing to get the interest payments on a mortgage lowered. However, many customers, especially first-time buyers, do not know whether mortgage discounts will benefit them or not in the long run. The way to decide if you should invest in discount points is to determine how long you will keep a mortgage. If you keep a mortgage past the “break even point” (the time in which your accumulated monthly savings exceed the amount in discount points) then discount points are a smart buy. But if you plan to keep a mortgage for only a few years, mortgage points are probably not in your best interest.