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So a few weeks ago, the topic of Dave Ramsey came up, and you guys all swore by him. So naturally, when my wife and I were discussing various financial topics over the weekend, I recalled the discussion, particularly how many of you reported positive experiences, so we stopped into our local book store and picked up Dave's "Total Money Makeover" book.
All I can say is...wow. I am so impressed by this guy, and how he's able to articulate his principles. We're both eager to go ahead and live debt free, just after having read 2/3 of the book.
For those of you who have gone at it Dave's way, I've got to ask...care to elaborate on your experiences?
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It's just a matter of discipline zester. You have to snowball your debt and cut out all the non-essential expenditures in your life. You have to make a budget and stick with it. It's really nothing we shouldn't all know how to do, it's whether or not we choose to do it. The "I work hard and should be able to do what I want and buy what I want" attitude has to be the first thing to be done away with. Good luck to you!
Hey doc, do you know the address of that place?
Oh, you know, I do know the address. It's at the corner of go fuck yourself and buy a map!
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It's hard at first but with any discipline it becomes lifestyle.
I didn't totally follow it because I still have a backup credit card but I can tell you that only owing money to the mortgage company is a great feeling.
We paid off two credit cards and a vehicle in less than a year.
Go fuck yourself. Hard.
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I didn't buy the book but am working on the debt snowball and I have my budget sitting in my envelopes as we speak. I've listened to his radio show quite a bit so I have a decent idea on how to go about it. It's incredible how much money goes to waste when you track it and cut out all the day to day crap you buy. I found an extra $400 in 2 weeks!
Quote of the Day:
"I'm here working for the people. I'm causing dissent, stirring the pot, getting people to question the whole rotten system." - George Costanza
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dino Wrote:It's incredible how much money goes to waste when you track it and cut out all the day to day crap you buy. I found an extra $400 in 2 weeks!
True dat!
Hey doc, do you know the address of that place?
Oh, you know, I do know the address. It's at the corner of go fuck yourself and buy a map!
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My wife and I took the classes years ago but have only within the last 6-12 months started actually applying what we learned. When you first start out it feels like it will take forever then one day you look and you actually see an end in sight. My wife and I will be debt free in 3 weeks except for her school bill and it's such a relief. You should go to his website: http://www.daveramsey.com/ they have a bunch of free forms there you can print out, plus he has a list of endorsed local providers that he suggests doing business with.
Well, I guess that we all learned a lesson today. That it's what's inside a person that counts. And that on the inside, midgets are thieving little bastards.
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Agreed, Queenie. He said it's all "common sense" in the beginning of the book, and he's right. It's stuff we all know, but at the same time, as a society we've all just been indoctrinated to believe that credit card debt, car loans, and even mortgages are just the way you live. Seeing the economy completely crash because credit dried up really opened my eyes to the danger of "normal credit", so I'm intrigued by the concept of completely eliminating it!
We're personally not doing his plan because we're wondering where our next meal is coming from. We read "zero debt" and the light bulb went off, and we thought "Well DUH!" It's a fascinating principle!
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I've been a fan for years. It is unfortunate it takes someone like Dave to forcefeed us common sense, but that is what it really is. If you ever get the chance to see him live, it's worth the $ to do it. He is spot on!
btw, Biff- You should teach the class. Your story is A1! Nice job.
I'm so goth, I shit bats.
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One thing my wife and I have noticed now that we're living on a tighter budget is that it really makes you appreciate it a whole lot more when you do go out and spend some extra money for something nice.
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Well we couldn't have found this particular plan at a better time. Baby Step One is to set up your $1,000 emergency fund. While we could have been able to find $1,000 in a few weeks time, our tax refund is due any day now so what we're going to do is just start from scratch, and put $1,000 of that money into a new account, then use the rest to get the snowball rolling.
I've read a lot of various finance books, "get rich" books/plans, etc. Not because I necessarily want to do them. I just enjoy reading them. But Dave's book was just one of those epiphany moments when the light bulb goes off and it makes sense, but at the same time he motivates the S out of you to get started.
Budget for March is already done, and we're eagerly looking to get the snowball rolling. In just one book he completely changed how I look at everything. My credit cards are now out of service. My wife hasn't read the book yet so she's still a little reluctant, but she'll get there!
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