My love/hate relationship with Dave Ramsey

I have been mentioning Dave Ramsey a lot lately, both on Facebook and in real life, so I thought I needed a blog post to explain it all. We went to see Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover Live Event" in Salt Lake on May 16th. For people who don't know him, Dave Ramsey is a financial guru who writes bestselling books, has a talk radio call-in show, and is broadcast on the Fox Business network. His whole premise is called "Baby steps to financial freedom." He has 7 steps that, if followed dilligently, will ultimately lead to wealth and freedom.

Okay, so, we've been trying all year to be more conscious of our finances and Mike has decided to actually get involved for the first time in years. But, now after going to Dave Ramsey, we have a concrete plan and some very tangible financial goals. We also bought a 13 week course called "Financial Peace University" which is giving us all the tools and motivation we need to finally do this right. For those of you who are interested the baby steps are:
1-Get $1000 into an emergency fund
2-Pay off all debt (except your house)
3-Get 3-6 months of expenses into a "fully funded" emergency fund.
4-Invest 15% into retirement accounts
5-Save your children's college tuition
6-Pay off your house
7-Build wealth and give

You focus exclusively on each step until you get to #4, then 4, 5, & 6 can all be worked on at the same time. How quickly you move through the steps depends pretty much on one thing--DISCIPLINE.

So, we have a very strict budget (something we haven't done in years) and we are literally watching every dollar! I am cracking down! Me and Mike are both super motivated and excited about the whole process. (It's hard to get excited about budgeting, so when you do, you have to ride that momentum as much as you can.) My brain is thinking constantly about "Where can I save more?" and "How can I make more?" I have been selling stuff like crazy. But, I'm still not sure what I can do to bring in more money. My motivation right now is that I really want a bigger house--either cash to remodel this one, or a big down payment for a bigger one.

Right now it feels like a money "diet." I'm feeling the deprivation (especially because I really want some new clothes for summer.) But, we haven't been at it that long, so I'm really hoping that it can become a lifestyle change that starts to come a little more naturally after a few months.

I'm also open to any brilliant ideas or tips anyone has on how I could bring in some money or how I can save more? Please share.

On a lighter note. . .

Thank you everyone for your support on my last post. I probably should have just completely ignored the situation and not even acknowledged it. But, I'm over it now. So, here's some positivity instead--the cuteness of my children (particularly Ruby.)

Gavin had his preschool graduation this week. It was pretty cute, but I am not at all ready for school to be done. How many days until kindergarten starts? And for that matter, how many years until ALL of my children are in school?

"Blogstabbing"

Blog-stab-bing--verb; play on the word "back-stabbing"
1. Using information and/or commentary on someone's blog (usually out of context or in a misconstrued way) as fodder for gossip and backbiting about them. 2. Reading a blog for the purpose of fueling your own dislike of that person. (I just made this term up, and the definition, but it gets the point across.)

Perhaps I am naive, but I was under the mistaken impression that most people read the blogs of people they consider friends--that when you read someone's blog it is because you care about that person and want to stay in touch with what is going on in their life. I have LOVED blogging--it has helped me make new friends as well as reconnect with old friends. But, I have heard rumors of the possible down side of blogging. I have learned the hard way that there are people, and these people are considered ADULTS (at least legally, anyway) who "blogstab." These types of petty people have most likely been like this since, oh I would guess, JUNIOR HIGH, but now they just have better technology than note passing.

Despite my initial protective instinct, I have decided NOT to take my blog private. I have loved keeping it open so that people can find me easily. I have always been open and honest on this blog about my own imperfections and insecurities, operating under the assumption that I was among friends. And while I have received so much love and support, I will definitely be more mindful in the future and possibly protect myself a little more.

It has not been my intent to show off how "awesome" I am on my blog. If you read my blog and you leave thinking I am awesome, that is okay with me. But, if you read my blog and you don't like what you read. . .feel free to stop reading at anytime and return to the blogs of your friends (that is, if you have any left after talking so much crap about them.) So, the bottom line of this post is: take me for what I am, or leave me--no, seriously, please leave me!

The Nicest Person in the World

I have to publicly thank my amazing friend Kacey, who just did the nicest thing anyone has done for me in a long while. Kacey just came from Florida with her two babies (19 mos. and 4 mos.) She had to fly here by herself and I'm sure she was so excited to finally have her family to help give her a much needed break. But, she, in an act of selfless service that I'm not sure I would ever be capable of, decided to leave her kids with her Mom on Friday night and come over to my house to stay with MY kids so that me and my husband could go on a date for the first time in I can't remember when. It was wonderful! I'm just so floored by how much she was willing to go out of her way (she called me and set the whole thing up), and give up her precious alone time, and stay up way too late, just for me. She could tell that I was struggling when I went out with her and my other girlfriends the night before. And she saw my need, and didn't hesitate. What an amazing person! Her one act of service taught me so much about friendship and service, and that I need to inconvenience myself a little more in order to help others. Kacey, when you read this, I want you to know that I think you have a heart of gold. You are such an example to me. It just came so naturally to you to offer help. I hope I can become more like that, where service just comes so naturally that I don't even have to think twice about it. Thank you, Kace, I love you. If there's ever anything I can do for anyone reading this, please ask me. Sometimes I just think I am so maxed out with my 3 kids and piles of laundry, but I really do WANT to serve in any way I can.

Finally feeling like Spring!

It seemed to take forever. . .but, it finally feels like Spring. Actually, outside right now it's still too cold for me, but at least it's raining instead of snowing. It's MAY and we're only just now starting to get 3-4 warm days in a row. But, on the good days. . .we are really taking advantage of SPRING. I'm so excited that Ruby gets to start wearing her warm weather clothes. It better finally warm up once and for all, because she's growing out of everything with long sleeves! So, here she is in a cute "Springy" dress.

My kids love the warm weather and are outside every chance they get. But, I have to get a big sandbox ASAP, because they and all their friends will find somewhere to dig at any cost! It makes me a little crazy, because they will dig up my yard, and I am desperately trying to make the grass grow in better. I actually really hate the dirt, I know I have little boys so I need to get used to it, but dirt and mud tracked all around my house makes me nuts. So, here is Nick having a blast in the mud--Dad was in charge during this time--because I don't think I could have just calmly sat by and allowed this to happen. He sat there singing a song that went something like this, "I love nasty mud, I love nasty dirt, Mud is awesome, I love mud." (He got the "nasty dirt" part from me.) Aaaaah, such is Springtime, I guess.