We did it! We are now done with Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover. I think it is a great reference book to keep on hand and reference as you move through the stages. But since most of us are stuck back on chapter 7, reading about everyone’s success stories while you are trying to pinch a penny really just makes you want to throw recycled Christmas cards at the debt-free jerks. How dare they rub their lifestyles in our face????
Clearly, I’ll be here for a while.
Dave believes that the real danger in having great wealth is materialism. If you want some further references, Affluenza is a great book that was written back in the ‘90s – but they were dead right as to how it will all go down. Kind of eery to read it now and a little remorseful to have not listened way back when. There is supposedly a film to go with it, which I would love to see.
Another paradox to wealth is that it makes you more of what you are. If you are a jerk now, when you are wealthy you will be king of the jerks. If you are generous now, you will become most generous. So ask yourself what you want to be. If you aren’t there yet, work on your character while you get out of debt. Money is not the root of all evil. The LOVE of money is. I think we all know that though, right? Obviously money is a huge responsibility or there would not be so many people failing at controlling it. (Myself included)
I will need to come back to this. To cheer, yell or be encouraged. You haven’t heard the last of Dave Ramsey here. We are still on this journey and will be for some time.
I have a hard copy of the book for anyone who leaves a response as to why the Total Money Makeover has helped them or not helped them. I’ll pick one at random and mail the copy free of charge! Just my way of thanking you for patiently waiting for me to wrap this baby UP.
Leave me a comment if you would like to be included in the drawing.
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June 12, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Jenn
I’m so very proud of you! And you have inspired me to take steps here. They’re baby steps, but steps nonetheless. We’re going out less, eating in more, and taking advantage of all the free and cheap things I can. Track season meant a lot more planning, but left a lot more money in my pocket thanks to taking food and drinks with us to every meet. We could eat well and healthier for much less than fast food. And many times because we arrived early, we didn’t have to pay to get in! 🙂
We’re still trying to build our Emergency Fund, but that will come with time. By taking time to prioritize, we’re not blowing money for no reason as much as we used to. Again, for us it’s all baby steps.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for inspiring me to begin facing our money issues… and to begin working on them. Without your inspiration, we’d still have credit cards and mounting debt and a life of teetering on the edge. Now we’re solid (if tight on money) and have been blessed to weather the storms we’ve had to face. Thank you.
June 14, 2010 at 3:37 am
simplyspent
Wow – thanks Jenn! Back at you – because really it was YOU who made all of those changes but I loved being able to go through those first steps with you. We can keep checking on each other – I know I’ll need extra encouragement 🙂
Do you have the book yet? If not, I will be happy to send you the extra copy I have.
June 14, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Jenn
Thanks, Karri. I love having the extra encouragement. Dear hubby may be getting a bonus. When we talked about what to do with it, my first two “requirements” were an emergency fund and Christmas fund and maybe just a general savings for what we wanted that we can build or spend. He agreed those were definitely things he wanted to do as well. Ahhh, how far we’ve come!! And we may even be able to take a small vacation with it too – but that’s LAST priority, not the first (as it would have been in times past!!!).
I have the book on Kindle, but thanks for the offer. More than anything I wanted to thank you and Keith for helping to kick start me financially. Please share the book with someone else who could use it.