Yes, we paid cash for our home, but we don’t think most people should follow in our exact footsteps. While we hope to encourage and inspire you through our story to think outside the box and set big goals, we want you to adopt goals which are right for your own family — even if they are much different from our family’s. Every family is in a different situation with different needs, different circumstances and different longterm goals.
We think being debt-free and owning a home outright can be a wonderful thing, but there are many ways to get there and it’s going to look different for everyone. We chose to do something pretty counter-cultural and save up and pay cash upfront, but this was because we were in a unique position to do what we did. And it started way back when we were young…
A Wise Financial Upbringing
My grandpa had raised my dad that the only debt which he should ever have would be a mortgage on his house. My dad took this to heart and when I was very young, my parents, who had never had consumer debt, began working towards paying off their mortgage early. After they paid off their mortgage, they began saving to build a house debt-free.
When I was 10 years old, they sold our current paid-for residence and our family moved to a rundown trailer (which didn’t have heat, air conditioning or a stove!) while they built a house debt-free using the money from the sale of our paid-for house and the money they had saved. My dad was the general contractor and did a lot of the manual labor in order to save money. I recall going with my parents to store after store while they negotiated prices on everything from the trusses to the light fixtures to the toilets.
Within seven months, our home was finished enough for us to move out of the dilapidated trailer. And they had paid for everything in cash! Observing their commitment to live a debt-free life and the sacrifices and creativity they employed in order to accomplish it had a profound impact upon me.
When my husband was 11, his mom died after a long struggle with cancer. After her death, Jesse received a small sum of money and his dad wisely invested most of this money for him to use for college — which we are so grateful for! His foresight to do this is one of the main reasons our family is in the financial position we are today as that money, combined with what Jesse was able to save while working part-time through high school and college, added up to almost the exact amount needed to pay cash for law school ($35,000).
Jesse’s dad and stepmom also modeled careful financial stewardship: they always lived within their means, didn’t buy things they couldn’t afford and worked hard to pay off their house early. Jesse was inspired by this from an early age and started to hope he could follow in their footsteps when it came to finances.
Paying Cash for College
In his last year of high school, Jesse started applying for scholarships in earnest and he was able to get a full ride for the first two years of his undergrad. He also lived at home and worked part-time, so his expenses were very low and he was able to continue to save money.
He transferred to a private Christian college in Virginia in his third year. While he learned a lot from his year there, it cost an arm and a leg and he also wasn’t able to work much while going there. When he ran the numbers, he realized that if he were going to stay at the private college for his last year of undergrad, it would significantly cut into his law school savings. So he decided to move back home and finish out his final year at the state university he’d started at.
There was also another strong reason he chose to move back home: he was anxious to marry me! 🙂
Getting On the Same Page About Finances
When Jesse finalized his plans to move back home and finish his final year of undergrad at the state university, he started applying for scholarships there. We were thrilled when he was able to get an almost full scholarship again for his last year. He once again lived at home and worked part-time, enabling him to keep his expenses very low and allowing him to save money.
Soon after he moved back, we got engaged and started planning for our future. One of the things we spent a lot of time discussing and praying about was finances.
Since we had both had such an excellent financial upbringing and wise examples in our parents, neither of us had any debt, and we were very committed to living beneath our means. However, in crunching the numbers, we knew it was going to take some extreme creativity and frugality if we were going stay out of debt through law school.
Jesse had researched the costs of law school and determined it would likely be a little over $10,000 per year if he were to go to an in-state school and get a scholarship. He also had to add on the cost of books, which would be somewhere in the vicinity of $4,000 total.
All told we were looking at it costing right around $35,000 for three years of law school — which was almost the exact amount he had in savings thanks to the money his father invested for him plus the money the money he saved while working.
So we could pay cash for law school, but we also had to find a way to survive and pay our bills during those three years. We figured that we could live on right around $1,000 per month if we basically only spent money on the bare necessities. I had saved up $5,000 from working some part-time jobs before marriage, but we were hoping to keep that set aside as an Emergency Fund to use in case we had some crisis (and we did indeed end up using it a few months into law school when Jesse totaled his car!).
We were looking at having to find a way to come up with at least $36,000 extra in cash to pay for our basic living expenses for the next three years. That probably doesn’t seem like much to some of you, except we were hoping to start a family soon after we were married and we were committed to me being a stay-at-home mom once children came along. In addition, Jesse was limited to working only 20 hours per week per the law school rules (they limit students to only working part-time since the class load is so heavy in law school. And, in retrospect, I think anyone would be pretty out of their mind to try and work much more than that!)
We made a very barebones budget and we talked about every way possible we could come up with to cut expenses and bring in extra income. In addition, we discussed what sacrifices we’d be willing to make if it came down to it.
After much prayer, we knew this was the path God was calling us to; but it didn’t mean we weren’t scared or stressed sometimes, wondering how it was all going to work out. At the same time, though, we were excited to make a leap of faith and see God do miracles on our behalf.
Practicing Frugality From the Get-Go
We got married right before Jesse’s last semester of undergrad and we started practicing frugality from the get-go: we honeymooned in an old and inexpensive hotel in a small town in a neighboring state and splurged once to go out to eat at Subway. The rest of our honeymoon we ate food we’d brought from home or which we picked up at Dollar General while we were there!
Back from our honeymoon, we rented the cheapest apartment we could find and we outfitted it with furniture hand-me-downs we got from friends and family, plus a used couch we bought for $100. We both worked as many hours we could at our part-time jobs, we saved everything we possibly could and we learned that a strong marriage is not dependent upon how much money you spend, but on the depth of your love and commitment to one another.
Jesse graduated from the state university in May and we started making plans for our move to Topeka, Kansas, for him to go to law school. The real test of our faith and frugality was about to begin.
I love Dave Ramsey and I don’t feel that we have been poor with our finances but I love Dave’s enthusiasm
Don’t know much about Dave Ramsey but my hubby and I have been married for 10 years and the only debt we have is our house bought 5 years ago. We both have a college degree that we paid for plus 4 kids and I stay home with them so of course only one income. Wonder if we are doing what this Dave guy says without even knowing it?! Can’t wait to read part 2 of your story to find out if you actually paid 100% down.
WOW. It took a lot of discpline for you both. It has paid off. I can’t wait to read the rest of the story. I wish we would have done this when we were justr starting out. God bless you both.
I’m so glad you’re going in to such detail here, Crystal. The stories you tell about your upbringing and early marriage days always give me the shivers. 🙂
I think the part I love most about this post was your not growing up with a sense of entitlement. That is HUGE in this era. Your parents are to be called blessed by you guys. We so want this for our kids.
What an amazing story.
We all love reading about this particular part of your money-saving journey – Thanks!
And here’s to Dave Ramsey;)
Crystal,
This is an exceptional story. If you don’t mind how did you ever decide you had 100% for a down payment? Based on about what cost in a home ( I mean since homes start at $25K in some parts of the country and go upwards of millions and millions) What brackets made 100% down payment for an average family ?
Wow, that is an amazing goal!! My husband and I found Dave Ramsey a couple of years back. We were way in over our heads at that time and just couldn’t breath. We have since paid down over $60,000 in debt and are $4500 from being DEBT FREE except the house. I am so proud of you guys…no matter how many people call you crazy, no matter how many people think your goal is crazy, just stop and look at the mess this country is in and remember YOU are not the one who is crazy!!! Keep us that gazel intensity!!!
Crystal, you are such an inspiration. I just love coming here and reading your successes. Best wishes to you and your family for 2010 – stay safe and healthy!
Crystal-
I have been following your blog for at least two years now…my husband and I are followers of Dave Ramsey. I think I stumbled upon your blog by searching something about living on a tight budget. I found your site and it totally inspired me and our family. We are a debt free family living in Northern Indiana…actually the home of the Irish…if you are a fan. 🙂 I just want you and Jesse and the kids to know what an inspiration you have been to our family, even if you don’t know it. I make comments daily about Money Saving Mom you are a household name here. Thank You.
Crystal, thank you for sharing. My husband and I are in a big financial hole right now, and Dave Ramsey’s name keeps coming up, most recently here in your post. We’re taking that as a sign we should check out what he’s got to say. I hope it’s not too little, too late for our present situation, but even so, I think it may help us going forward.
I really cannot wait to hear more about your savings adventure! This is my first real attempt at living more frugally and you are such an inspiration! Thank you so much for sharing your story with us! I will be reading your blog from now on. I’m glad I found you!
I love all of your series!
You have a very inspiring story and I love your website. However, I am wondering exactly HOW you could save enough for ungrad AND law school while in high school. I also was a big saver at a young age but no jobs you can get at that age provided anywhere near enough to finish college debt free!
Congratulations! Hope you can find a place quickly and take advantage of the 8k tax credit from first time home buyers……good luck!
I’m so glad you’re sharing this story. It is such an audacious goal to be debt-free and save for your first home – I’m excited to learn more about your experience.
We are living the opposite of you and it’s horribly hard. Neither one of us received much financial training in our homes growing up. I have now learned many lessons and so has my dh. But it will be a very long time before we can even hope to be debt free. The one thing I am doing though is teaching our children about the blessing of paying tithing and not accumulating any more debt. Many people complain about their credit card debt. We have none of that thankfully! We have business debt and a home mortgage. I am constantly reminded by people like you that how we train our children is VITAL! Your parents were so wise to teach you these basics that our parents left to the wind.
Oh – don’t stop now. I’m on the edge of my seat just waiting for more!
Great job! I am currently saving for a duplex, not paid in full sadly. Right now I am debt free but I will have the mortgage to pay for when I get the house, but that’s why I’m planing to rent out half the house.
Its great what you did so far and can’t wait to read the rest!
– Matt
Don’t forget the first time home buyer credit of up to $8,000.00.Check irs.gov for the cut off date.I am very glad for you!God Bless.
I am amazed! Congrats to you and your entire family. We just had triplets in 2009; and we are ending the year with not adding more debt, current on everything, and owing ZERO to credit cards (first time since I was 18 and now 31)! 2010 will be such a good adventure for us. By the way, we began Dave’s plan in September 2006. Oh, I cannot wait to finish reading your story. The suspense is there.
Just out of curiosity, how much are homes where you are looking? I know homes cost different amounts in different parts of the country probably from bt 50k-500k for a starter home. Give us some idea of what 100% down on a home means to you? How many bedrooms, how much property, amenities, town house, single family house, trailer? We need more details please! It gives us something more concrete of a goal to focus on also! Thanks!
Sounds great so far, can’t wait for part two.
That is so inspiring because I am in debt upto my eyeballs!!!
Not law school, but I paid my way through school as well on what I made at Burger King. Everyone around me complained about the expense, the burden of student loans, how long it was going to take to pay for the education they were getting. But all I did is start saving from the time I got my first job at sixteen and work and study during college.
We didn’t make buying a home with cash our goal, but our current goal includes paying it off in a few years. 🙂
WOW! I am so excited you are sharing this. We have 9 children so far and our oldest one is courting a girl. I am going to give them both a copy of this series of posts as it is so inspiring. They are both going to college and are trying to do it debt free. She wants to be a stay at home mom. They plan on getting married after college so they are both living at home so not to have that expense during college. With her degree she can work from home.
I am also going to give a copy to several moms at our church with teens and would like as well to send a copy out to our homeschool community. I would post your site as to where they can learn more of your info. I have shared your site so many times when people ask me about saving money.
Thank you so much for all your work you put into this site. You bless so many.
Congratulations! How exciting to start looking for a house and what a time to be doing it. May the Lord bless you with an awesome house.
First, congrats on your accomplishment! We bought our first house in October and were thrilled to put 20% down. I can’t even imagine the incredible discipline to pay 100%.
I haven’t actually commented before, but I check your blog everyday. I just wanted to tell you what a blessing and source of encouragement it has been to me to read about how God has worked in your life! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I just found your website and I have enjoyed many of the deals. My friend just posted our “Dave Ramsey” story on her blog: comehaveapeace.blogspot.com
Dave Ramsey’s the best!!!
So happy for you. God is amazing! What a blessing!
I was wondering what others were saying before saying anything..I think the biggest thing is I am like many others who are impressed that Jesse was able to pay for college and law school.Many people pay cash for a house but that comes after paying off school loans.How neat that you started out debt free at a real young age and still debt free while young.Looks like when you are my age you’ll still be debt free!
I love this blog and think you are great! I want to make a comment about having a mortgage, though. A mortgage can be a good thing, especially if you live somewhere where rent is high. We bought our house five years ago. It was a really great deal (fixer upper in a great neighborhood, interest rates were good, etc.) and our mortgage payment ended up being cheaper than our rent. Where we live, a small apartment rents for $500-$800, and our mortgage is around $600. Fast forward to now, when I’m home with the kids and we don’t have much money (we live on around $35,000 a year – though people are shocked to learn that since we have a great life thanks to being frugal!). Thank goodness we bought our house when we did! Now we have $50,000 or so equity in our house, where as if we would have kept renting we would have nothing. It’s nice to know we can always sell our house and have a nice chunk of change in our pocket. And that’s not including the tax credits we get. The problem comes when people buy houses outside of their means. If you can find a modest home in a good neighborhood, it can be a really really smart financial decision. We are in “debt”, but you have to live somewhere, so why not use the money as an investment instead of just giving it to a landlord? I really think in some cases, depending on where you live, buying is the right choice.
Thanks for sharing your amazing story. I am so happy for you and your sweet family. I can’t wait to read Part 2!
Are you planning to tell us how much you saved? I just wondered how much in comparison to home prices everywhere. What a time to buy a house for 100% down! It is a perfect market for it. How wonderful for your family!!!
I’m a new reader to your blog (I found your blog yesterday!) and when I read that you and your husband were getting ready to put 100% down on your home I thought, they must be following the Dave Ramsey plan! My husband and I started our Total Money Makeover a few months ago and it’s been going great. Your story is very inspiring! Congratulations!
Wow! What an inspiring testimony! I really wish my husband would be more supportive of my efforts to stay out of debt. That is an on going battle. You are so blessed!
I was instilled the same great work ethic as a child and plan on passing it down. I did not learn the wise finance knowledge though, and discovered Dave 4 years ago in Jan., wow where has the time gone? VERY close to being debt free except the house in a few more months, just discovered couponing and I am LOVING it, puts my old coupon cutting ways to shame. Oh the knowledge I can pass on to my girls=)
Wow…I wish we had been raised that way! 2009 brought us to Baby Step #3 finally…after being married 8 years! I have surgery in 5 weeks, and it’s nice to know we’ll be able to pay the hospital in cash with what the insurance doesn’t cover!
We still have 90% of this house to pay off, but with Dave’s help we’ll get it done in a few years!
I’m a new reader to your site–but what a day to find it! What a great start to an awesome story! Can’t wait to read the rest! Staying faithful to God and watching Him provide all sorts of various needs is so encouraging to the body of Christ! Looking forward to many more money saving deals, too!
Crystal,
I have been reading your site for about a year now and I now check it every day! I never make comments, but really wanted to this time. I am so happy for you and your husband. I am more impressed with how you praise and acknowledge God for your success in meeting your goals. Yes, you did your part, but boy, so did He- and you write about it publically for all to hear and to be encouraged! I am a mom of 4 doing my best to do it right and honor God with my money, time, kids, marriage and life. You help me do that- thanks Crystal. I’d love to personally know you- you are an inspiration to me and so many others! Congrats on the house money. Way to do it right! Thanks : )
Congratulations to both of you!! What an incredible journey. I do have a question/comment, however. You mentioned how you were committed to not expressing your needs to anyone. I hope you were not encouraging people to not ask for help if truly needed. God provides through the blessings of giving people as well. Wouldn’t you agree? I mean, it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
I hate when I make errors…I meant “encouraged BY your story”, “my husband AND I” and “HOPE” not home.
Oops…
I am so incredibly encouraged your story. My husband are a long way off from being as financially fit as you two are, but we are not giving up home. We, too, recently found Dave Ramsey and we are taking baby steps to turn our lives around. I KNOW there is absolutely no way we are going to be able to do this with God being a part of it. I just love reading how God brought you through and that there is hope for me, too!
Your story is always very inspiring to hear, but is also a reminder of how much it helps to have a plan so early on that you stick to, and to have a partner early on that shares that plan. Two people working together for a common goal tend to tackle things much more quickly than one person with an unknown future plan (common to many at 18). I love that it worked for you, though. 🙂
I just adore your blog!! You inspire me every single day, and I thank you for all of your hard work and effort that you put into it!!
you’re killing me…i’ve been waiting ALL day to read your story and got a to be continued – ha! can’t wait to read the rest.
Crystal, your story is very inspiring to me and from a very different perspective: in two years, our only son will be going to college. Even though we have saved a lot during his lifetime and are typically very frugal, it looks as if school is going to be very pricey (we are not eligible for many loans and scholarships). However, reading your blog has inspired me to do all we can to get him through school debt-free. He just doesn’t need to start out his life with that chain around his neck!
I can’t wait for your story to unfold, I’m so excited! We’ve been doing the Dave Ramsey thing for the past 6 mos. or so, and unfortunately read his book 3 yrs. into our marriage, but are grateful to have started when we did. Our goal is to be debt free by the end of 2010 and I’m so glad to have couponing and everything to make it that much more possible, thanks to people like you who provide example along with your helpful blog. I got emotional when I read that you achieved your goal. The Lord will provide, that’s becoming more and more obvious to us. Way to go!
Thanks so much for sharing, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your story and look forward to the continuation! I have been a big fan of your blog and you have truly been an inspiration to me! 🙂
I am excited to read the rest of your story. my husband and I didn’t take this route, but we are striving to go this way now. We won’t be able to pay cash for a house, but we are hoping to do it with our next car!
Congratulations, Crystal. I have been reading your blog for about a year now, and I am so excited to see you reach this big goal!
I am also very excited to see this. My husband and I have set our goal to have all our credit cards paid off so that all we own will be our mortgage. Baby Steps! I also enjoy reading the site http://www.josephsangl.com he also has great web tools you can download to help with financial freedom. Thanks for sharing!
Way to go! I would have loved to have had the same start in married life that you had.
We both started desperately in debt which multiplied when we married. We have been fighting an uphill battle, but we keep fighting! Thanks for the heads up on Dave Ramsey. I’m a fan of Crown Financial Ministries, but will look for Mr. Ramsey as well.
I love your story and my husband has always lived like this, although I have not. Tough to be so different in that way in a marriage. This year, 2010, I have committed to join him in this quest to live debt free, be accountable for every cent, and to work together towards this goal. I love your story!
I am so impressed. And it sounds like you already were doing much of what Dave Ramsey already says (I just finished reading his total money makeover). My husband graduated from law school this year and I WISH we could say we were debt-free…but we are inspired by your saving 100% for your house and though we may not reach that amount, I really think we are starting to turn a corner with our finances and perspectives and hopefully can pay off our student loans as quick as we can and move forward in our finance debt-free from then on. Very inspiring (though I have to admit I am a bit envious! 🙂 though you both worked SO hard to do it the way you did, seriously, so much sacrifice and hard work–you both deserve all the blessings you’ve received for your diligence for year!)
That is AMAZING that you were able to save that much (I’m guessing at least $100k if not more?) for Jesse’s undergrad and law school in advance of him attending.
Did Jesse have a decent job before starting school? It’s just hard for me to wrap my mind around how yall were able to scrape together such a massive amount of money pre-degree.
I think you’re totally right about avoiding the entitlement attitude.
You’re such an inspiration!
SOO wonderful! I was telling my husband about you last night at dinner. We too have gone and read Dave Ramesy and are also debt free (all expect our house) we are expecting our 2nd and he has already been paid cash for. We are praying for me to stay home so that i can homeschool and raise our children, but i carry the insurance and make double my husband.. BUT I know God can work all things out.. so we are praying! thank you for your encouragement and i love to read about this.. our next home will be cash like yours:) thank you thank you for being a Outspoken woman of the Lord!
jessica
You’ve got my interest. I’ve never listened to Ramsey as I know plenty about finances, so I’ll have to read more and see what you learned from him.
Congrats on reaching your 100% goal!
You are really an inspiration – GOD BLESS YOU and your family!!!! I can’t wait to read part 2 and I am going to check out DAVE Ramsey. Happy new year and thanks for all the money saving tips you share with us in 2009 looking forward to more of the same for 2010.
Thank you for sharing your story Crystal. I can’t wait to read the rest.
Both my husband and I graduated from college debt-free. My parents were not financially able to contribute to my college, but God blessed me with a full scholarship. My husband’s parents were more than able to pay his way. But my husband started working full-time in high school and pretty much saved all his earnings and any monetary gifts from his parents and grandparents. He also became a Resident Advisor once in college, which provided him with free room and board, free meal plan and a small stipend. We feel very fortunate to not have Sallie Mae taking residence in our spare bedroom – to borrow a phrase from Dave Ramsey!
Hi Crystal,
Thanks for sharing this, and just wondering if you are planning on continuing this:
Becoming a Work-At-Home Mom: Learning Through Failure
But maybe I missed the Part 4?
Take care and have a blessed New Year!
How wonderful! God is good! My husband is a medical resident and we resolved to be debt free through medical school and did it! 4 years! We are still in the battle with now 2 small children, and I just resigned from my part-time job (I worked full time until our first son was born and went part-time). We have put our finances in our “God box,” (huge Francine Rivers fan) and trust for His provisions especially while my husband finished his training! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much for sharing your story–it is incredibly encouraging and inspiring. For the first time, I am really thinking that this is something that maybe we could do too. Thanks!
Hey Crystal! You’re always such an encouragement! Thanks for sharing your story… We have also become big Dave Ramsey fans. We started out about 18 mos ago with $6,000 in debt–we thought that wasn’t “bad”. For most Americans, it wouldn’t be, but we were determined to live debt-free! Now here we are, 18 mos later, not only debt-free (except for the house), but with $24,000 in the bank!! Now our main “problem” is figuring out the best ways to invest it, etc. This is not to brag at all, but to say that God is good!! And also, if we can do it–anyone can! …Oh, and I wish we had saved up to pay cash for our first house. Too lat now, but hopefully we can pay it off in the next 5 years.
I love reading these posts the most! We are Dave Ramsey fans as well but started on the other side (with debt). God has always provided for us too and one of his tools was me finding your posts back in November and now being clicked in to this whole network of money saving moms!
Crystal – you two are such an inspiration. Congratulations, and can’t wait to hear more.
I just found you through Southern Savers. This is an inspiring story so far and I look forward to reading the rest of it. We are also in the Dave Ramsey program and are working on getting out of the debt that we (stupidly) got into even before we were married.
Thanks for sharing your story! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of it.
Very inspirational story. What about your series of Making money at home that you started a while ago? Are you going to continiue it?
Thank you for sharing… can’t wait to hear the rest. My husband and I are learning a lot about the Lord in our current financial situation. We grew up with different attitudes toward money and I know the Lord is changing his ideas about money and my ideas about ideas. Your post was a good reminder that the Lord will continue to provide as I (we) continue to learn. Happy New Year!
Love reading your story, Crystal. Your parents raised you right! 🙂
AAAHH!! I can’t wait to read the rest!! =)
We are HUGE Dave Ramsey fans!! We just took the Financial Peace University class offered at our church and it was eye-opening to say the least! We started off debt free for the first few years of our marriage, but didn’t really know any better and being on a VERY low missionary’s income along with unexpected medical bills and such we got into some debt (nothing compared to the national average, but way too much for our means!). Our income/expenses just don’t match up on paper, but God is so incredible faithful and has always provided so much more than we even ask or want!!
Now after taking Dave’s class we’re committed to getting out of our debt (we calculate that we’ll be done except the house by June!!). We’ve had to make some hard decisions like selling a car and buying a much cheaper one with cash, me getting a part-time job when all I really wanted to do was stay home with our 2 boys, hubby getting an additional job taking him to between 55 and 60 hrs/week, and sticking to a budget, but it’s totally worth finally feeling like we can breathe again!
Once the debt is gone we’re going to work like mad to pay off the house ASAP!!!
Anyway, I just love your blog and have learned so much about couponing and saving money wherever I can and now I love it even more! Thanks for sharing your story!! =)
P.S. That 25% will be towards a 15 year fixed rate mortgage with a payment of no more than 25% of our take home pay. Yay for Dave Ramsey! =)
It is awesome you learned this so early and did not have to learn many hard lessons. Way to go!
Again, you are so inspirational! Can’t wait to read more!
It is so encouraging and inspiring to read your story Crystal!! My husband and I were married in November, and are currently renting. We have determined to pay at least half if not 100% down on a house someday! I am looking forward to your tips and budget advice.
I think I am more impressed that you did law school debt-free than anything else! Good job!
I can’t wait to read the rest of this. We are big fans of Dave Ramsey also. We’re digging our way out of $85,000 of debt right now. Your blog has helped us to cut our grocery budget down by $100 a month. We’re committed to paying off our debt and then saving for 25% of our first home. It will take us at least 5 years, but in the long run will be well worth it.
We an awesome testimony! I wish we had been so smart as newly weds!! We made a lot of stupid mistakes but only have one more debt to pay off- thanks to Dave Ramsey and our faithful Lord! Looking forward to read part 2.
Wow! This is just amazing.
Crystal, how did you manage to save for law school in high school? You guys were so young! I marvel at your maturity in finances at such a tender age.
Thanks for sharing, and being an encouragement to us all!
I’m on the edge of my seat…literally…keep it coming!
I’m truly inspired. I have had the same dream since I was a little girl, but was always told that to buy a home outright was financially impossible and not at all savvy. I can’t wait to hear how you have been able to get from a dream to reality!
In 2010, I hope to get myself out of debt (thankfully, I seem to have less debt than my friends) and begin modeling good financial habits for my young daughter. I know your story will be a true inspiration to me as I put my plans & goals together for the future.
I am so excited to read all this. My husband I just got married in June and have resolved to be debt free as well. We are fans of Dave Ramsey as well and working our way through the steps. We are also hoping to save enough for a house to pay cash or mostly cash anyway. It’s very encouraging to read your story. Keep up the great work!