Tag Archives: Dave Ramsey

Dumping Debt Really Does Matter

My husband and I have led Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University in our community for 11 years.  I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’ve taken FPU more than 20 times.  We joke that we “drank Dave’s kool-aid” long ago and we thank Dave for teaching us much about personal finances.

Many in our hometown know we lead FPU and as a result, I’ve been asked on several occasions to sit down and visit with friends and acquaintances about finances.  Many men and women who’ve shared their struggles come to mind.

The majority were deep in debt (and we were too when we began this journey in 2004).  Some of those we’ve counseled were ready to change.  Debt was no longer going to control them and they attacked the debt (and their behavior) with ferocity!  Those are the ones who’ve scaled the wall and have, as a result, been able to declare, “I’m debt free”!  It wasn’t easy, not for a single person who’s clawed his/her way out of debt, but for those who’ve done it,  Dumping Debt Really Does Matter.

dumping debt

The others are the ones I think about most often.  Their situations break my heart and I continue to pray for them.  They heard the lessons and many received 1 on 1 support but they weren’t ready to battle.

Choosing to attack debt is a difficult decision.

If you choose to attack your debt, your friends (and possibly your family) will think you’re weird.  You’ll choose to drive a vehicle that is 10 years old and sell the “toys”.  You’ll choose to wear clothes from consignment shops and eat out very rarely.  You’ll choose staycations and Netflix.  You’ll choose hamburgers to steaks and fixer-uppers to granite.  You’ll choose extra, part-time jobs to television marathons.

The beautiful thing about this difficult decision is that the tough choices I mention above will only last for a season.  When you’re out of debt, which typically takes 18 months to 4 years with “gazelle intensity,” you can readjust your standard of living, based on your income, and enjoy a freedom you can’t experience when you’re deep in debt.

Without the $500-$1500+ a month you might be paying in “debt payments” you’ll have some freedom to change careers, open a business, institute “steak Sunday” or “whatever Wednesday”, work for a non-profit, participate in missions around the world, step back to part-time, quit working to home school, etc.  Get rid of your debt and the list is as long as your passions and income can imagine.

The Bible has a lot to say about money.  In fact, if you were to search for the words money, gold, silver, finances, borrow, debt, lend, buy, sell, tithe, wage, wealth, riches, greed, poor, and talent more than 1,300 verses would be found.   The most significant to me when we began this journey was Proverbs 22:7.  The NIV reads, “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.”

We can apply this to our lives in a very concrete way by saying, “I owe money to … and until I no longer owe them a penny I am freely relinquishing my authority over my finances to them.”  Are you willing to relinquish authority over your finances to CapitalOne, Discover, Bank Americard, JC Penny, Bealls, Sears, Lowes, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Citi, or Chase?  Do they “care” about your family, your walk with God, your children’s college fund, your grandchildren, your health, or your retirement?  I’m sure they would say they do… to each of their 5,000,000 customers.

Dare to do it, my friend!  Dare to be weird!  Make those tough decisions today so your tomorrows are filled with freedom!  I might as well quote Dave one more time; “Live like no one else, so later you can live like no one else!”

Before you leave the site, follow my blog (top, right of this post).  It’s quick and easy! 

For more from Marea, check out Me and Thee Studios’ faith based leveled readers for 1st-2nd graders at http://www.meandtheestudios.com/early-reader-collection.html

Budgeting Really Does Matter

I know.  I know.  Budgets and money management is really not what you want to think about today.  In fact, a root canal might be preferable because money is often frustrating.  There might be more on your “I’d like to purchase” than your income will allow, you’d rather not think about the debt you’ve accumulated, and planning for the future is another headache altogether.

I get it.  But you will never make headway without a plan.  Ultimately, a budget is simply a tool that you design to direct your dollars to specific categories.  It really can be one of your very best friends.

A budget doesn’t have to be a straight jacket.  If you want to spend $200 on shoes this month, knock yourself out!  But be honest about it.  Whether you like it or not and regardless of your income, Budgets Really Do Matter.

budget

Franklin and I married 14 years ago.  Neither of us knew how to budget and we managed our money paycheck to paycheck.  Our bills went into a pile and when our paycheck came, we paid the bills.  Any surplus was quickly spent and we began the bills in a pile, wait until payday, and put it on 90-days-same-as-cash or a card if we want or need it badly enough cycle over again.

All that changed when Franklin and I signed up for Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University and had some support in learning to create, tweak, and stick to a budget.

I confess.  I am the nerd and I’m not ashamed to tell you that I have, in our files, a written budget for each month of the last decade.  I’m unapologetic because it’s helped us meet some important goals we established 10 years ago.

We are debt free except for our house.  We do not have a credit card.  We have an emergency fund that will sustain us for several months should we suddenly become unemployed.  We have traveled to Alaska, Mexico, and extensively in the continental USA in recent years with cash and our debit card.

We have saved for significant purchases and have saved for a home-based business start-up.  As of this week, we have, in-hand, the first run of our self-published early readers without having incurred debt.

We know, ultimately, that this was possible through financial wisdom and discernment that is available to those who ask for it from our Heavenly Father.  We also know that His answer to prayer for financial wisdom is rarely a windfall.  It will often require diligence in the day-to-day of money management and our day-to-day diligence is dependent on a well planned budget.

One of the greatest blessings in learning to budget has been, in turn, teaching our children about managing their finances.  We put Bailey, our 18 year old, on a budget when he turned 13.  He was given $200 at the beginning of every month (what we figured we spent on his lunches, piano, clothing, toiletries, and spending every month).  He knew that we would not bail him out when he ran out of money and we taught him to plan and save for bigger purchases.  He supplemented his “income” with lawn jobs and was financially literate to manage a larger monthly income when he began to work at McDonald’s this year.

If you are struggling and would like to learn the ins and outs of budgeting I would strongly recommend checking out Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.  Dave’s team has no clue who I am nor am I receiving any compensation of any kind for steering you in that direction.  I know there are infinitely many options out there.  I wish I could say, “Research them and choose the one that best meets your needs,” but I’m not willing to say that.  So many of the options will steer you to debt products.  RUN from these!

There really are no quick fix, money-for-nothing, pyramid scheme, or “microwave” options for managing money.  Dave calls a monthly written budget a crock-pot.  Successful money management requires thought and proactive diligence day in and day for months (years) on end.

How has budgeting brought financial peace and security to your life?    If you aren’t yet in love with budgeting, what’s keeping you from a monthly written budget?  Share your ideas!  Join the conversation by replying at the top of this post.

Before you leave the site, follow my blog (top, right of this post).  It’s quick and easy 

For more from Marea, check out Me and Thee Studios’ faith based leveled readers for 1st-2nd graders at http://www.meandtheestudios.com/early-reader-collection.html.