Cost?

Anonymous said...

how much does Dave Ramsey charge?

I don't mean for my blog to sound like an advertisement for Dave's program but the question was asked. So I answer.

His book is for sale on his website for $10.00. I went to the library and got it for FREE.

His radio show is nationally syndicated or you can go to his website and listen to the show in real audio or media player. Again FREE.

I subscribe to a forum on his website (personal choice for me) that allows me to chat and interact with others in the same program. These folks are in the same boat as I, some are way ahead and some are counselors. They give great advice and motivation. That costs me $8.95 a month or you can prepay for a year for $89.95. There is a FREE trial period on the site. However, there is also a FREE forum for TMMO and it is www.LLNOE.com. FREE is good.

He is leading a ministry against credit abuse. He does NOT take credit cards on his site for you to purchase his products. Only a debit card. He says the ideas aren't his it's the same stuff your grandma would tell you.

You can buy his software, but there's lots of FREE spreadsheets on the web you can download.

He has a program called Financial Peace University. There is NO CHARGE for the classes, but you do have to buy the materials for this 13 week program. Right now it is on sale for $139.00. I have not done the FPU, I want to. These are usually sponsored by local churches.

He's not really teaching us a lot at the beginning of the program that we already didn't know -- he's just a great motivator. The investing information and advice is where I will need the help.

Just plain old common sense. Sometimes I don't tend to have a lot of that. Guess I'm smarter than I am savvy.

Want to know what sucks? I think I have actually lost my debit card. Aaaarrrrrggggghhhh!

What Lifestyle Change?

OK -- So ya'll know that we are doing the Dave Ramsey Total Money Make Over thing...

So here's how it is going so far...

Arrears Caught Up & we have a Budget
DONE - $1761.86 - 2/9/2007
Baby Step 1 (Emergency Fund)
DONE - $1000.00 - 2/15/2007
Baby Step 2 (14 SNOWBALLS to throw - totaling approx. $22,000)
Snowball 1 - $413.00 - Thrown 2/16/07
Snowball 2 - $167.04 - Thrown 2/23/07

Now for some things that I have learned about myself and our family heirarchy in this process.

1. This program tells you to live on what you make or on less than you make. We have been doing that all along, BUT for only 1/2 of the month when we ran out of money. If you've heard the old saying there's not enough paycheck left at the end of the month. Or as my Granny would ask "Is that money burning a hole in your pocket?" "Don't spend it all in one place." We'd spend it all up, because hey if there's a few bucks in there, we can use it. We lived for the moment. Now we are living on what we had to live on at the end of the month (why not we were already used to it) most of the time. In so doing, we have excess and we are able to put that towards our debt. Know what? It isn't miserable -- it is refreshing, it is great, because we know that the load will be off of us quicker.
2. We've had to sacrifice a few things, but it is probably for the best anyway. Seems that a lot of the things we are giving up are convenience items and vices. I quit smoking back in November, that saves a considerable amount of money. You wouldn't realize it but buying J**** cartons of cigarettes at a time versus by the pack saves $30.00 a month. We have stopped eating out except on Thursdays. J**** takes his lunch and the majority of the time, I don't eat out at lunch time. I am worst on this point than him. I've stopped buying sodas except for J**** to take in his lunch - this also saves us more than $50.00 per month. J**** has stopped playing poker every weekend - this saves another $45.00 per month. We have put off buying a new couch until we can find a good used one that we like. When I buy groceries -- I shop the flyer and the sale items, unless it is a necessity I WILL NOT pay full price - family of 5 and we are paying less than $100 a week for groceries and eating good.
3. I am having a hard time saying WE. It seems like I have trained myself to sole take ownership of the family finances. In part because of J****'s alcoholism (76 days clean and sober--hooray) and it is also my personality to be very independent. I actually started this post by saying I am doing the Dave Ramsey Total... and had to go back and change it to We are doing... J**** is getting more involved in the budgetary matters and he is taking an interest and getting more on board each day. I get a little territorial and try to make all of the decisions, but then I remember what Popaw J*** told me, marriage is 100/100, it is not 50/50. This not only goes for someone not pulling their weight but also for someone being too overbearing in an area. So the money is not all my responsibility it is OUR responsibility. Hard for me to let go SOLE ownership.
4. I am an ENABLER. Not just an enabler to the traditional types of addictions, but an enabler to poor money management. I have a hard time telling people NO when they ask for money. When the money is asked for and I know that the only reason they are in need is because of their OWN poor decision making and lack of planning I must say NO. I've listened to Dave's show and realize that this is enabling -- it is enabling to keep cosigning loans for a family member not able to pay their bills, it is enabling to keep lending them money when they do NOT have a budget or a job. One woman called in and had filed bankruptcy on $95,000. $80,000 of that was NOT her debt, but was debt that she had cosigned for a family member. I would feel SO betrayed. But, I have in the past enabled this sort of behavior.
5. I have regained hope and am optimistic. We can do this. I want to have the money to pay cash for my children to go to college. I want to be a millionaire when I am 65. I want to be debt free. I want to be a good steward of those things that the Lord has given me. I want to give freely to the church and to those around me in true NEED without it causing hardship for myself and/or my family. I want to raise my children to respect money and to understand how to use that money, not to love it but to use it as a tool.
   

I placed one of them little quizzy things that you take to tell you where you would be at 65 if you follow Dave's plans in my sidebar. It says that if I follow his plan I will have saved $3,054,000. WOW!!! Just to think it is possible is unfathomable. But, hey it is worth a try.

Growing up is hard to do.

"Just Ask", she said.

I made the comment to BHP the other day that when it comes around to things that need to be done, I shouldn't have to ask. She said "why not? He can't read your mind, he doesn't know what you may be expecting of him. " Yes, men are different than women, and yes, you have to ask. How many times have you heard a man say? If you had just asked I would have gotten that for you.

The topic was even mentioned in church this morning when this passage was read,

Mt 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

I guess if I have to ask God, then I shouldn't be so surprised that I have to ask J**** for things that I want or expect from him.

So it is Sunday morning, and we have been going as a family a lot here lately. So this morning no one really had the gumption to go, but my wonderful mother called and goaded us on our way. J**** says that he doesn't want to go, that he thinks he'll stay home and relax. So I ask. He grumbles, growls, hollers, stomps his feet, acts very immaturely, but he does end up going.

Here was my take on it. If he's not going to go and help me keep them in line in church, then he should do something productive and not get a mini-vacation. I don't get the alone time and have to do nothing. I demand (hehehe) equity. Please?

He says he just went so he wouldn't be expected to clean house. That sort of hurts my feelings. I regard church very highly as a way to mentally refuel myself. He also seems refreshed after being with other Christians. He throws this fit each time. Then, he ends up going with us each time. I wish there could be a little less drama each week.

So, back to the just ask...Why? when he huffs, stomps, pouts, makes snide remarks? I'd just as well do it myself.

On March 16 we begin Marriage Counseling with BHP. Oh, I've got plenty to say, but - what will I do when she tells me I need to adjust my ways too? Guess I'll just huff, stomp, pout, and make snide remarks.