Get Ramseyfied!

Dave Ramsey is my new hero. At the gentle prodding of my dear friend Cat (*smooch*) I picked up Dave Ramsey's books Financial Peace and The Total Money Makeover from the library. The first one was an easy read with it's large font and not-so-subtle accusations. (haha) The second was the get 'er done book with it's easy plan-of-attack.

Bryce and I have never been the type to put ourselves into much debt. I think the biggest debt we've ever had is our van, which we borrowed $5200 on. We've always paid our credit cards off each month, up to a few months ago (because of not-so-sage advice from a stupid mortgage broker that we needed to keep a balance in order to build already-outstanding credit...I could kill you MICHAEL LEASH) Ha. Etc, etc, we've been good with our credit, and thus our credit is good.

But why have credit in the first place? As Dave asks us, why fall prey to the belief system that we must have credit cards and other debts in order to survive in this modern age? Why feel pressure to apply for three million credit cards, have two big car loans, a big mortgage that we can't pay? We've become a society so in debt that it will be a miracle if we leave this earth without leaving behind huge bills for our children to pay. (as if leaving them a broken and torn earth wasn't enough...) That's not the way I want to live. And I certainly don't want that for my girls!

I could go into detail as to what the books are about, but I encourage you to read them yourself. I presume you'll fall into two categories, you either don't bother, or you do and your life is changed.

Bryce and I have figured that our debts (minus the house payment coming up) will be payed off in the next 18 months. And our savings will be stocked with at least six months of fall-back money a year after that. And hopefully we can pay off the house in the next ten years.

If you are willing to live like no one else now, you WILL live like no one else later.

Wish us luck!