Day 361

Submit your budget to Dave Ramsey's team for a chance to see how it stacks up.
Is your budget broken? Or maybe you just need a little extra cash each month? Are you on track for the retirement you've dreamed of or have you given up on the idea of retiring at all? Whether you're a financial rock star or one small crisis from bankruptcy, you'll want to enter The 2010 Budget Fitness Challenge

I just entered!

Day 220

The Love Drawer

Click here to see what we would like to accomplish this weekend.

The Love Drawer is a series of forms that in an event of a tragedy or accident would help your loved ones take care of business or any issues. Where to find your will, financial accounts, funeral instructions, insurance policies, legacy letters, safes, budget, tax returns, password log.

Do you have a will, sufficent life insurance?

We have both in place and it gives us both great peace knowing that our children will be taken care of.

and my Love Drawer will give me more peace!

Day 200

Yea!!!!! Day 200 GiveAway!!

The Dave Ramsey Envelope System.

If you would like a chance to win The Dave Ramsey Envelope System (the envelope system...money not included ;) ), leave a comment or email me. I will randomly draw one winner 7 days from today.

I tell you it's amazing!

Once a month we take out all the money we have budgeted for groceries, gas, dining and gifts.

I have tried to beat the system by using our check card and keeping track in my head, taking money out once a week...(the only problem with the once a week was when I forget to to go back to the bank the next Friday....it is easy to forget and use that check card once. Just using my check card when I forgot added up to hundreds of dollars overspent every month.) For us taking out money once a month is fool proof and the fancy envelope system makes it simple.

When the money is gone it is gone. We do not even carry our check cards in our wallet. Cash Only!!!

Day 186

Click here to check out all Dave Ramsey's material. It is all on sale for $9.99 with free shipping on orders of $65

The book we read that completely transformed our lives was The Total Money Make Over

That book is 60% off.

Day 133

Wanted to share a video about car payments. This video really hit home when we watched it and at the time were paying $1000 a month in car payments.

Today we have no car payments. Yea!

Watch the video here and change the way you look at car payments.

Day 103

Here is a great question with tips on what to do when you are laid off......thanks Tina

QUESTION: Listener asks Dave to list things they should do when they are laid off. Dave doesn’t have a list, but is happy to give recommendations.

ANSWER: I’d say the first thing you do when you are laid off is you take your severance and put it in a pile and call that your emergency fund. Don’t pay any extra on any debts and stop adding to retirement and college accounts. Do a detailed budget of your household and cut your lifestyle to nothing, so your emergency money will last as long as possible. A lot of people don’t cut their lifestyle because they are already hurting, and don’t want the pain of a cut budget to go with the pain of losing their job.
As far as insurance goes, be on the hunt for life insurance if you had your insurance at the company. For health insurance, get a high deductible health savings account with a low premium.
For a 401k, roll them out directly into an IRA with a direct transfer rollover. If you have them send you a 401k check, they will withhold 20% on you. You only have 60 days to put in 100% of the money, but you only have 80%. Don’t cash out a 401k except to avoid bankruptcy.
Also, don’t be afraid to take part-time gigs to keep money coming in while you are looking for the permanent career change that this represents

Today June 6th, 2009

9 am - noon

Todays Project is a Hardware Sorter

The Home Depot's Kids Workshops offer useful projects including the creation of toolboxes, fire trucks and mail organizers, as well as more educational projects, such as a window birdhouse, bughouse or Declaration of Independence frame kit.The workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills and tool safety, while at the same time helping to instill a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, this fun time allows for quality one-on-one time between adults and children.In addition to the newly constructed project kit, each child receives a kid-sized orange apron, similar to The Home Depot associates' aprons, and an achievement pin.


Bryan is going to take the kids for the first time this morning :)

Day 102

National Doughnut Day:

Free doughnuts from Lamar's, Krispy Kreme and Dunkin' Donuts

Today June 5th, 2009

Be sure to contact your local store to confirm store participation

Click here for more info....thanks MoneySavingMom

and

I was listening to Dave Ramsey on my ipod while I was running jogging and he had a great call. The question was about what order to pay your debt off when you have bad, old debt that is in the hand of collectors

Answer:

Be sure to keep current with your current debtors and pay off from lowest to highest and then when your current debt is paid off.... you then tackle your old, bad debt. And you should be able to settle for pennies on the dollar on your bad debt.

So don't worry about old debt until you tackle your current debt.....thanks Dave

Day 95

Click here to watch Dave Ramsey's Town Hall for Hope for free on hulu. I can't wait to watch it :).....thanks Bryan

Day 71

We were not able to make it for the Live Town Hall for Hope.

But we will be buying it for $1.99 to watch online

In this 87-minute town hall presentation, Dave reveals:
A short history of capitalism in America
The necessity of personal responsibility
Three action steps you can take today to restore hope
The truth behind real estate, market fluctuations, Great Depression comparisons, the job market and much more!
Refuse to participate in the fear and hysteria that’s gripping the nation! Instead, share this important message with everyone you know. Use the information and resources here to help others get informed, get connected, and take action!

Day 64

My husband was laid off on Feb. 3rd 2009 and this is his first day back to work......(he is working for Edward Jones.) Praise God!!!! We were prepared and did pretty good. We spent 25% of our savings. Now we will bring our 3-6 month savings back up to $20,000 and then start investing 15% for retirement.

I know I have typed this before, but when saving for your 3-6 months...don't forget to take in consideration that you will have to pay your own insurance. Our Cobra was $1100 a month. We opted to buy our own insurance from Blue Cross and that costs a little over $500 a month.

Be Intense, Work Hard, Be Prepared

and

My husband and I facilitated Financial Peace University and last night was the last class. It was 13 amazing classes with incredible people.

We had a group of 20 families.

Here are the totals as of now from the final class.

$46,879 of debt paid off~ 20% of class reporting

$51,132 saved~ 40% of class reporting

$9,000 of items not purchased because we are all gazelle intense.

Wow! I will update totals as they change.

Day 31

Oh no! I went to 2 different Dillons last night and they no longer carry Cottonelle 4 packs of toilet paper. If anyone spots them, leave a comment :(

Pace $4.00 off coupon on any Pace product including Salsa, Picante and specialty variety. This could even be a money making coupon toward your other groceries! It can be printed multiple times. Give it time when you press print. It takes awhile to print ;)

Join me in watching this series with Dave Ramsey and learn how to break free from debt.

Trying to make sense of the economy? Leading financial expert Dave Ramsey shares timeless advice on money matters right under your own roof.

Day 12 Prince of Peace

I listen to Dave Ramsey every chance I get. It has been one month since my husband was laid off from his job. Some days I find myself in a funk but after listening to one of his shows I am reminded of how grateful I am that we follow his advice. It is only because we followed his plan that we are in the position of having money saved and no debt. Click here and listen.

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 6:24

Free yourself of debt and let your only master be the Prince of Peace. Debt is a burden to heavy to carry. Today is the day!

Looking for a deal? Check out these great places online for good prices and peer reviews!
http://www.froogle.com/ - Google’s search engine for hot deals!

http://www.pricegrabber.com/ - Comparison shopping from all over the web!

http://www.epinions.com/ - Great real-world product reviews and opinions.

http://www.ebay.com/ - You can find just what you need—in someone else’s attic!

from Dave Ramsey lesson 8 Financial Peace University

Day 9 Free Samples and "The Great Credit Card Debate"

Did you know that Wal-Mart offers free samples? Check them out here.

and now for the "great debate"......

I can't count the number of "we pay our credit cards off every month or we get a percent back or earn points" discussions I have had. Read this link and cut up those credit cards. You will spend 12-18% less when you pay with cash! That equals money in your pocket!

My husband I are facilitating Dave Ramsey's Finacial Peace Class and it is so awesome to watch members of the class cut up their plastic! You guys rock!!!!!

Day 1

I am so excited for my first post! Follow me on my journey of 365 days of tips, deals, hope and inspiration on how you too can live a debt free life. Both my husband I know that we have been called by our Prince of Peace~Jesus to share what we have learned.

We are huge Dave Ramsey fans. So tip #1 become a Dave Ramsey fan! Read his The Total Money Makeover Book.

IHOP National Pancake Day 2-24-09 from 7am to 10pm

Get a free plate of short-stack pancakes and consider making a donation to the Childrens Miracle Network.

Don't forget to stop by tomorrow!