Hi guys. Been gone for a while, and probably will be gone for a while after this post... life just doesn't draw me to HNI much anymore...
Just thought I'd share that my wife and I have started Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. Dave is a Christian financial advisor. Many churches teach his classes. He markets A LOT of stuff, but I just got his book from the library, and go to his web site from time to time. I've not spent a dime on hisproducts -- you can, but you don't have to.
Anyway, we are on track to be completely debt free but for our house, and have :
At least 10% gross to tithing and charitable giving (Dave is pro-tithing, but understands that not all folks are.To avoid denominational arguments,he encourages tithing and charitible giving.)
$10000 emergency fund
15% income to retirement
$2000 per child per year to save for college
All this in 2.5 years!
In about 10 years or less after that, the house should be paid off too. Without starting this program, my wife and I probably would have strung out our debts for a life time.
Dave's program is easy, and Biblically, it seems so very right. You take responsibility for your debt, pay it off, and live humbly in order todo so as quickly as possible.Then you turn your back on debt for the rest of your life. You will no longer be a slave to debt, and your money will be freed up to giving abundantly!
This may seem like a SPAM, but I'm just writing this because it is such a positive and blessing experience. I can't recommend it enough.
You can surf daveramsey.com, or find his radio show in your area or on xm (I'm too cheap to pay for xm!!!)
NEat Jim,
Nice hearing from ya partner..I am debt free including my house. I do not beleive in tithing as the law states. I beleive in New Testament giving. I don't think it's my giving that has helped me to be debt free. ..maybe it has but just common sense and a very simple life style. WE live on very little,Fact, we save my wife's entire check monthly.
"Godliness with contentment is GREAT gain."
God bless,
C7
eto, me and the misses started dave's program about 7 years ago, we are debt free with the exception of our home, i feel we have too much house for just me and her, but it's what she likes, (happy wife, happy life), the one thing i can tell you about dave's plan is it will afford you the abilility to give like you have never given before, being debt free is one of the greatest feelings in the world, and i know first hand cause i have paid stupid tax over and over again[&o][:@]X10, good luck man, make a budget and follow it, it works, its simple, and the feeling is unreal
remember, "normal is broke"
Proverbs 22:7
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender.
__________________
John 3:16
things are more like right now than they've ever been
It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.
William James
One thing for sure Jim,
I would never boast about being dept free. People down here love to sue and in any day one could lose it all. I thank God daily for what I have. My son helped my wife and me out. I used ot go to Wally and scrape that darn Master Card all the time. He suggested we be given a monthy allowance of 250.
What comes out of that 250. are my clothes, classrrom materials, and all my toys including eatting out convinent store sodas etc. We quickly found ourselves spending much less when it came from our allowance. Any side jobs also go into our pockets like cutting grass etc.
As far as giving...we give unto the Lord right off the bat. We write those checks first...BUT not under pressure but out of joy and gladness.
Also , in my area the banks pay 5% intersest if you have at least 10,000 in the bank.That's a very good incentive to save your money.
Doing the TOtal Money Makeover
), the one thing i can tell you about dave's plan is it will afford you the abilility to give like you have never given before, being debt free is one of the greatest feelings in the world, and i know first hand cause i have paid stupid tax over and over again[&o][:@]X10, good luck man, make a budget and follow it, it works, its simple, and the feeling is unreal
