Money

Kind of hard to skip over a post that's all about money, isn't it? 

For the past 13 weeks, I've been taking a class called Financial Peace University.  It's "lead" by Dave Ramsey via videos that we watch every week.  Dave Ramsey has changed my family in so many ways just through the way he teaches about money and how to handle it. 

I would encourage ANYONE who has ever touched a dollar bill in their life, to go directly to his website, http://www.daveramsey.com/ and look up this class to find where you can take it near you.  When you sign up, you will pay for your materials (normally the kit costs $200 but because you are taking the class, it's less than $100).  And believe me, you'll make up that $100 you spent on materials before the first month is over in the class if you just put into practice the stuff that Dave teaches. 

When Craig and I started out, we did so in debt.  We went into debt to get engaged (the ring), went into debt to pay for the wedding.  It was not a good way to start our life together.  It caused a lot of problems for us that first year.  It was kind of like this hanging patch of doom over our heads.  We felt so overwhelmed with our finances that our relationship suffered.  It wasn't until we learned about Dave Ramsey that we realized that maybe we didn't have to file for Bankruptcy.  Maybe there was a way out afterall.

The Total Money Makeover is the book we were given by my father-in-law.  I told Craig that I really wanted to go through the Baby Steps in the book.  I think he thought I was kidding.  I wasn't always the first one to take our finances seriously.  I tended to sweep the problems under the rug and deal with them later.  And then, our church offered Financial Peace University.  When I told him I wanted to sign up for that, he seemed really pleased and I think he realized that I was serious about getting our finances under control.  Now, the class is almost over and it's been a wonderful experience. 

Let me recount the blessings we've received since we started. 

We now have over $1000 in the bank for emergencies only.  That money is in a savings account that is not attached to our checking account. 

We have put our children on a commission system, instead of offering them allowance.  They have to do chores around the house to earn money.  They earn a dollar a chore and they have a payday.  They have their own envelope system and are responsible for three envelopes:  Tithe, Savings and Spending.  Cassidy has a fourth envelope called Cell Phone.  She now has a cell phone that she has to earn enough extra money to pay half the bill for each month ($15).  We will pay the other half of the bill as long as her grades stay where they should be.  During the past few weeks, the kids have each earned over $50 in savings, have tithed 10% of their income, and Matthew has purchased his own bike.  Cassidy purchased look-alike Ugg boots. 

We have gotten current on most of our bills and we now use an envelope system for things like groceries, car repairs and car replacement. 

That's only part of the good stuff we've done.  We tell our money where to go.  Dave says if you don't tell money where to go, it leaves.  He's right!  We're in charge of our money now.  And it's a wonderful feeling!!!