2012 was an expensive year for our family. Shane made too much money to qualify for Pell the year before, so we ended up having to take out loans for school, we had some major medical bills come up, new transmission for my poor car and now medical bills that continue. Our debt began to increase at a rapid rate. We both knew how bad debt was, but we felt as if we had no choice or a way around it. Shane has to continue his degree, we have to drive the car, etc.
Now that 2012 is behind us one of our New Year's resolutions for 2013 is to get a better handle on our finances and to feel more in control of our circumstances. So when my dad offered for us to take Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class we jumped on it. Many people around us have raved about him, so we knew this could be a starting point for us. Fast forward a few short months, we can now say we have paid off all credit cards (yippee!) which we don't use anymore. Our debt has begun to disappear! :) We also have a WORKABLE budget.
Our budgets now consists of a zero balance approach where every penny has a place. This is such a freeing feeling. No, we haven't paid off all of our debt by any means, but we can see how we are going to achieve it- which helps us keep working on it. So, what caused all of this? Two things: a different perspective on money, Dave helped us see, and God.
We meet at a local church once a week for the nine week course. We watch videos, which have Dave's plan outlined in manageable steps. It has been a good date night and Dave is hilarious. But one of the best parts about this course is how he references the Bible in living out God's principle in money. One of the most profound moments I have had was when Dave Ramsey explain that we need to redefine how we view "our" money. Technically it is not "our" money because all we have is given to us by our Heavenly Father. He has only asked us to be stewards over it. Meaning that if we use it wisely we can have money left over to help build His kingdom, help those less fortunate, and He will bless us for our stewardship. I love this outlook on money. It helps me realize the importance of managing "our" money better.
We are only half-way through the class now, but we both can feel the shift in our lives on so many levels. We have our emergency fund set in place which allows us not to feel like we are drowning each time an emergency comes up. We are tweaking our monthly budgets as we go throughout this year in hopes that next year we can be even more precise with our spending. Shane and I are loving the cash money envelopes, which allow us to feel money again. And surprisingly enough, we have found it fun, exciting and freeing!!! I love how the Gospel teaches about being a slave unto no one even our money. Heavenly Father wants us to be free and not bound by anything. We should never be paying for the past, we should always be paying for the future!!
We feel so blessed to have learned these principles early in life so that we can make them habits and teach our children the importance of them as well. Dave's statement sums it up best: "if you will live like no one else now, later you can live like no one else." It is as we are taught in the scriptures about learning to control the natural man; the one whom the world so freely indulges. We can take control of our future by living below our means. Wow!! The Prophets have great counsel!!
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