Comments on: Monthly Financial Check-up (and some thoughts on financial stewardship)

By: Ms. Green

Ms. Green — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:52:44 +0000

Congrats for getting one step closer! I’m also a fan of Dave Ramsey’s debt-free strategy, but unfortunately didn’t read the book until after both of us graduated law school with a lot of debt. Our April went well — I started a 2008 IRA for myself and contributed the maximum amount to it! We also put aside our emergency fund into a dedicated, “do not touch” fund and plunked in our monthly savings goal into our student loan payoff / home buying fund (we haven’t decided yet what to do with it, as it’s not enough to do much with right now — just 10% towards the housing goal, but only 6% towards the student loan payoff. Eeek!)
Keep up the good work!

By: Blakely

Blakely — Thu, 07 May 2009 10:41:28 +0000

Thanks for the link to the Dave Ramsey video. Keep up the good work on your goal. It makes it so much easier when you can see it grow. Thanks for a great blog.

By: melissa @ the inspired room

melissa @ the inspired room — Thu, 07 May 2009 10:35:05 +0000

Great inspiration, Crystal! I sure wish Dave Ramsey had been teaching all this when I was a newlywed, 22 years ago! But, it is not too late, even for me. It takes awhile to turn things around, but it is worth the effort. We’ve been working towards our goals for a few years and I am still hopeful we will find financial freedom! It is great to be able to teach our children how to BEGIN their adult life on the right track so they don’t have to dig their way out later!

blessings and congrats on your progress!

By: jan

jan — Thu, 07 May 2009 09:17:27 +0000

well, we certainly didn’t save anything, but it was nice to be able to write checks for IRS and the unexpected letter from same. Wiped out my savings account for the most part but still, nice knowing that I had the money instead of scrambling around trying to find a way to pay without incurring interest and/or penalties.

Crystal and all others, it’s always inspiring to read what you are doing …

By: Liz

Liz — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:05:39 +0000

Thank you for sharing your finances with us. It will be a great accomplishment for all your readers when you finally get that house!

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:33:19 +0000

Congratulations on a great month, Crystal! I just want you to know that I read out-loud your monthy progress reports to our family. We have a 16, 13 and 12 year old. I think your goal to save 100% of your house payment is amazing! I also hope that it inspires our children! We are debt-free except for our house and it is a very manageable mortgage payment BUT, I did squander so much of what the Lord gave us in the early years. I am just now learning how to be frugal! I will echo that giving generously does change your perspective on “things”. We have been giving generously for about 8 years and it has changed what I value and God is continually giving me the grace to live within our means.

We are about to enter the college years. We don’t have it all saved up and that concerns me but I am watching to see how the Lord provides. Sometime, if you have time, I’d like to hear about your college / law school years. How can we give our children a good education without them going into debt or going into debt ourselves?

Thanks for all your help with the deals, coupon links and encouragement!

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Thu, 07 May 2009 06:50:36 +0000

your progress is amazing. It’s very impressive…and I know how hard you’re working!!
We are on a 12 month path to NO DEBT. I use a lot of what Dave Ramsey tells us. My heart wants to give more and I can’t wait until I am in a position to give MORE. One of the things I am so looking forward to is adopting a child through Compassion. I just can’t do it right now, but as soon as we get from underneath the debt, I’ll be able to.

By: Eden C.

Eden C. — Thu, 07 May 2009 06:10:31 +0000

you know. that is 5% in a month. if you keep up that rate, you have less than a year to go! congrats again.

By: Melissa S.

Melissa S. — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:22:49 +0000

Awesome job with the finances! We are debt free except for the house, and we’re working on our 3-6 months of living expenses. Dave is a great guy! I love listening to his radio show.

By: Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:18:16 +0000

We had a good April that has turned into an exciting early May! Our goals right now including finishing our 6 months living expenses, car savings (we don’t need a car right now, but just for when we do need one), business savings (for a business that my husband is planning to start) and then down payment savings for a house (saving 100% down is simply not a reality in the expensive housing market where we live, sadly).

We were so thrilled to do our taxes and finances this afternoon and realize that with what we are getting back on our taxes this year (much higher than we anticipated) and our regular monthly savings, we will be able to finish off all of our other savings and start our down payment savings, by the end of this month! Whohoo!

Thanks for the video link! We love Dave Ramsey and I’m excited to watch it with my hubby later tonight! Congrats on your house savings, too- that’s incredible!

By: mistyG

mistyG — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:58:43 +0000

thanks so much for sharing this today. i am teaching the follow up classes for the Town Hall for Hope study written by Dave. i started the class tonight by sharing an excerpt from this blog. we have a lot of people that have not taken FPU & don’t quite “get” dave yet. i wanted them to see that it is possible to live debt free. it was very inspiring to all of us who read it. thanks again!
i have also shared your site as one of my faves for deals.
mistyG

By: misty newsome

misty newsome — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:31:42 +0000

you are inspiring with your house goal! And a great reminder (and kick in the rear) when I needed it! Thanks again! http://ericandmistynewsome.blogspot.com/2009/05/baby-sitting-and-straight-up-debt-talk.html

By: Brianna @ Heart(h) Management

Brianna @ Heart(h) Management — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:28:09 +0000

I love reading your updates, Crystal! It completely inspires me to reach to new levels. We are working on refinancing our house this month which is exciting. We’re approved for the loan (yay!), but I’m not counting my chickens yet.

I watched the Dave Ramsey video and enjoyed what he had to say. I’m trying to remember that even the small amount God has entrusted to us now still belongs to Him. Even though it is hard to give now, giving out of our little honors Him so much as well!

I’m not a naturally generous person, but I want to be like the Macedonians who gave out of their poverty. May He make me able!

By: Christina @ Northern Cheapskate

Christina @ Northern Cheapskate — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:25:24 +0000

That is an amazing accomplishment! We are debt-free except for the house and are hoping to be totally debt-free. We try to give as much as we can in non-monetary ways… volunteering, donating things we no longer need, etc. It’s not a lot, but it’s something.

By: Kacie

Kacie — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:19:12 +0000

Hooray, Crystal! You are making such inspiring progress.

For a few weeks, my husband and I were considering buying a house. After running the numbers in a variety of ways, we saw that we simply weren’t ready. We needed too much money upfront, and we’d be living too tight for comfort.

I’m pretty sure you and Jesse have considered this, but don’t forget to save a few thousand for closing costs! You’ll save maybe a grand or so since you won’t be financing your house, but at least over here, there’s still costs as far as inspections, title work, etc. that quickly adds up.

I don’t know if you’ll have to pay your first year of property taxes upfront or if you’ll be able to pay them monthly, but that’s one other thing to research.

Again, you’ve probably already figured that one out too, but just tossing that out there anyway!

Best wishes with your last hours/days of your pregnancy!

By: Kristi

Kristi — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:33:38 +0000

As a fellow Dave Ramsey fan, God bless you for the information and encouragement that you are sharing with others through this blog. I have only stumbled upon your blog in the past month and have really enjoyed it. To learn that you are encouraging others to live a debt free lifestyle is AWESOME! I will pray for continued success in your goal. We paid off our house in Sept. 07 and we are committed to never borrowing money again. Thanks for what you are doing!

By: The Happy Housewife

The Happy Housewife — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:08:31 +0000

Wow Crystal! I huge congrats to you and Jesse! You all are doing awesome. Thanks for being a great example to so many.
Toni

By: Jen

Jen — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:56:07 +0000

that’s amazing! congrats!

By: Andrea @ Mommy Snacks

Andrea @ Mommy Snacks — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:51:51 +0000

Congrats on your progress! That is a lofty goal of paying 100% down and I am very excited for you to achieve it!

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:46:24 +0000

Of course you do not have to answer but what is a roundpark number to save for a house? 200,000+? We recently looked at a four bedroom that was 250,000-I can’t imagine paying a house down like that. For now we are happy with our much smaller house and don’t want to buy something we can’t afford. Congrats in your success!