Family and Money

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Dave Ramsey

I want to share with you about our experiences listening to and reading Dave Ramsey's information. If you don't know, he's a Christian-based financial guru. Don't let the Christian-based part turn you off. The religion's not a big part of his radio program or speeches, and the motivation he provides is great.

I stumbled onto Dave's show accidentally on my way home one night. He has a system for getting out of debt that allows you to focus on paying off debt. It's not the financial planning where you must calculate the interest of each bill versus the balance, etc., etc. Instead you're paying off quickly so that you can build wealth and have financial peace.

The first step in Dave's plan is to put away $1,000 for emergencies, but the plan begins with budgeting. You should create a budget, according to Dave, and tell your money where to go.

We are very serious about paying off our debt from college right now. We've never had the luxury of budgeting because every penny had to go for bills. We had $25 a week for groceries, and there's not much to budget in that.

Now we're in a position to decide how to spend our money. We sat down Sunday night and did our budget Dave's way. We estimated Brian's paycheck (it varies slightly) for this Friday, and we assigned it all a place to go. It's odd to know that our money is already gone, but in April we will be paying off one bill completely and making good progress on another. Seeing that on paper helps strengthen our resolve to get it done!

If your family has debt, I really encourage you to visit Dave's website. Listen to his show if it's available in your area. It's very encouraging to hear about other people who are committing themselves to a debt-free life.

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

A Quick Freebie

What family doesn't need something for free? Check out Degree's website and order two sticks of deodorant for free. Go to the men's side as there's a box to get a women's version, too. If you do the women's first, the man in your house isn't eligible. There's sexism for you.

Free Degree Deodorant

Monday, March 20, 2006

Welcome!

Welcome to the blog of family and money!