This guy and his fiancee are doing things right so far but I would caution against the second piece of property. Mr. Collis, learn just a tiny bit about equities and then direct your savings there. You are 24 years old, a great time to start investing in equities. With the prospects of a secure high income career ahead of you and the benefit of 40-50 years of compounding in the stock markets your pile of dough at retirement will be monstrous.

A defined benefit pension for a diesel mechanic?.........who knew? I spent 45 years in the oil patch trades (diesel being one of them) with nary a nickel in a defined benefit pension package for me but stock markets have provided me with  a huge pot of dough to enjoy in my retirement. That pot of dough would have been even bigger if I had not messed around with rental houses in the 1980s and early 1990s.........very stupid moves on my part.

Good luck to you and your fiancee, Mr. Collis.

Diesel mechanics rule !!