My husband and I want to sign up with Dave Ramsey. I was looking on his website and it is so overwhelming. I don’t even know where to begin. If we want help with budget and saving (which at this time we have a big ZERO!), should we do the Financial Peace University, or just financial coaching? What do you recommend? How do we get started? We don’t have a lot of money. -Kellie
As you well know, I’m a huge fan of Dave Ramsey (read more about how he changed our lives here). The Dave Ramsey website does have a lot of stuff to offer and if you’re a newbie, it can feel overwhelming!
Much of what Dave stresses is common-sense money advice which you probably already know. He just does a great job of packaging it and “selling” it so that the lightbulb goes off and you actually are motivated enough to follow it!
He outlines a seven-step plan for financial success which he calls The Seven Baby Steps. While you don’t need to follow them completely to see financial success, using them as a guideline or road map, can be extremely helpful — especially if you’re really struggling financially.
Since you don’t have a budget and you’re not saving money, I definitely think that you could find some great help and hope from the principles Dave Ramsey teaches. And also just lots of plain encouragement and inspiration. In fact, it just might turn your life — and your finances — completely around!
I’d personally recommend two things if you are strapped for cash:
1. Get a copy of The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness. This book will give you a step-by-step plan for getting out of debt, budgeting and saving money, no matter your income level. You can probably check out a copy from your local library or borrow one from a friend. If not, it’s worth every penny of the approximately $15 it costs to purchase.
Read the book, let it sink in and follow the steps outlined. Just getting on a zero-based budget will significantly improve your current financial situation. In fact, it will more than likely feel as if you got a good pay raise. You telling your money where to go instead of the other way around is a powerful thing!
2. Listen to The Dave Ramsey Show. If you don’t have a local station which carries his show, you can listen online or download the one-hour podcast. Listen while you’re driving, exercising, folding laundry or doing dishes. It’s free, it’s engaging and you’ll pick up all sorts of motivation to keep on, keepin’ on when you don’t feel like sticking with your financial plan or eating beans and rice yet again.
You can also watch Dave’s TV show for free on HULU. Again, you can turn it on and listen while you work on another project. So it’s not taking any extra time out of your day, but it’s giving you lots of financial advice, ideas and inspiration — which I’m guessing is something you could really use right now!
After reading Dave’s book, listening to his show for a few months and implementing the principles gleaned, your finances will invariably be in better shape. Then, you might consider going through Financial Peace University or attending a live event. Neither of these are necessities and there will be some overlap in the materials, but they can serve as excellent continued motivation.
However, none of Dave’s advice or ideas will work if you’re not committed to make them work. But if you’re willing to make sacrifices, be self-disciplined and stick it out for the long-haul, it will make a major difference in your financial situation.
Have you followed any of Dave Ramsey’s advice? How has it impacted you?
— This story always captures the girls attention and keeps it the entire time. While it’s not a realistic story, it’s still a fun book to read — and the pictures are enjoyable, too. It’s also a great way to teach your children about the fact that, just as the fox in the story, some people can pretend to like you or have your best interests in mind, when really, they are out to hurt you. It’s important to teach your children to be cautious and discerning — otherwise, it could lead to great harm in their life.
— Hand’s down, Lois Lenski is one of our very favorite children’s authors and it’s impossible for me to narrow down our favorites to just one or two of her books. I grew up on her books and have been delighted to be able to share them with my children, as well. Most libraries have almost the entire collection of them and I’d highly recommend checking them out if you have youngsters in your home.
Did you snag any great deals or bargains this week or save money in other ways? If so, be sure to post about them on your blog and leave your link below. Please remember that this weekly round-up is to share deals you personally got and/or money you were able to save this week. In order to keep this weekly round-up focused on helping and inspiring others in their efforts to save money, links which have little-to-no content other than promoting affiliate links, etc. will be deleted. Also, to make it easy for everyone to navigate quickly through the links, your link must link directly to your Super Savings Saturday post.
