Total Money Makeover

We've had a lot of changes the last few months.  For a month it felt like our life was up in the air and we didn't know how the cards were going to fall.  Michael quit his job the same week we found out we were pregnant.  Talk about scary.  What was his next career move?  Were we staying in New Sharon? How can we live on one income, even if it was short-term? 

It was that chain of events that changed my mindset.  For years Michael has listened to Dave Ramsey on the radio.  He'd tell me about Dave's beliefs about money and how it should be spent.  I wasn't overly keen on doing it that way.  I'm an instant gratification person.  When I want it, I want it NOW!  No waiting and saving or thinking of other ways the money could be better spent. We make a decent living and couldn't fathom ever going without or not having enough money for the necessities of life. 

Michael bought "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey in December.  Within days we had it read and were completely committed.  For the first time ever, we had a written budget.  I had no idea how much money we spent each month on unnecessary things, or how much we could have been saving, putting towards retirement, or making bigger house payments. 

We started out way ahead of some of the people in the book or that you hear on his radio show.  Our only debt was Michael's student loan and our house.  Every year around tax time Michael toyed with the idea of paying off the student loan.  Just to have a good starting point, he paid it the same day we did our first budget.  Done.  Only our house to focus on. 

It's been four months that we've sat down together, gone through the previous month's budget, and planned out the next month's budget.  No fighting or arguing.  We are working towards the same goal for the first time in our marriage.  We now tithe, have fully funded retirements funds, and and make triple house payments.  Our pinnacle is paying off our house in less than 4 years.  How freakin' cool will that be to own our house?!?!?!?!? 

I'm excited to continue this journey together.  We've definitely had to make changes.  We actually think twice about where our money goes.  We're planning for our future, not just the present.  It's exciting to think about our retirement years when I know we'll have money to do as we wish, not be greeters at Wal-mart. 

I highly recommend "The Total Money Makeover" to everyone.  It'll change your marriage and your life!