Fabulous Find Friday!

I'm a shopper....I'm a spender. In my defense, I come by it very honestly. Have you met my mother? And have you met HER mother? It's definitely hereditary. I don't know where I got my red hair, I don't know where I got my skin tone, but I do know where I got my Macy's card!

I know that we are trained to not talk about money. It's rude to ask someone how much money they make. It's rude to ask someone how much they paid for something. There are just certain things you don't talk about at the water cooler. But today, I'm going to talk about it just a bit.

It's Friday and I usually share with y'all some of my favorite ways to spend money...by buying items to decorate your home, decorate your closet, and make you feel good. I even picked out several things on my current wish list that are just too cute. And I promise that one of these days I will share them with you, because someone should be walking around in this cover up! But today I'm actually going to share with you a few things God has been doing in our lives and our marriage dealing with money. I'll give you a little glimpse into our journey to financial peace...It's a marathon not a sprint.

At the beginning of December Dave and I were talking about Christmas gifts. He said he wanted Dave Ramsey's book Total Money Makeover. Wow. How exciting! I expressed my desire (in case he hadn't heard me the first 1,000 times) for an SLR camera. I figured with his gift only costing $15 we could just pool our resources for my gift. I'm so generous like that. :) It wasn't long after receiving the book that he read it, asked me to read it, and then proposed that we begin Financial Peace University.

Unexcited and underwhelmed would be the words you're looking for. I was not thrilled with the idea of talking about saving (not spending) money for 13 weeks. I already hear enough of that from Dave! I didn't need someone else on HIS side. To be fair to myself, I really don't spend a ton of frivolous money! I shop for you guys...I put things on my blog that are darling, but I seldom go and buy it all for myself. I do however, enjoy a vacation, a girls' night out to dinner and drinks, things for my home, gifts for friends....I spend when I want to spend and I don't think much about it. I work hard! I've assumed that was my right to spend. So to go and hear about how I won't have a vacation for the next 5 years because I need X amount in my savings account was not my idea of a great Monday night. (Which was an immature misconception on my part in the first place. To automatically begin thinking of what I would begin to lose and how I might be inconvenienced if we started to save.)

BUT, I prayed about it. And because it was something Dave really wanted to do, I decided to give it a try. I know most of you have already checked out, but for those that might be looking for financial peace, hang with me. There were about 22 couples in our class. We were the youngest! It was literally like AA but instead of AA it was $$. There were people in our class in bad shape. I'm talking hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. There were many couples in $20K-40K in debt. That was probably the average. And it hit me....this is a HUGE problem in our society.

As Americans, we live in the "Right here, right now" mentality. We have drive through dry cleaners so we don't even have to get out of the car. We have "fast food" because we need to feed our families in 5 minutes flat. We have DVRs so we can watch our TV shows, commercial free, whenever we want to. And I like it! I HATE going to the post office. Why? Because I ALWAYS have to wait at least 10 minutes. We're an ADD, all about me society. If I want a new shirt I buy it. Whether or not I have the money in my wallet is obsolete because I have a little plastic card in my wallet. And the truth is, the shirt is the tip of the iceberg. It's the new cars, the bigger house with more square footage and those gorgeous hardwood floors, it's the dream vacation that we are entitled to because it's our 3 year anniversary....3 years since a honeymoon...we deserve it! We've waited forever!!! (Sarcasm because sometimes I get in the trap of thinking this way)

And I promise....I am NOT pointing fingers. Y'all, that is me! I want nice things. I like them. They look great on other people and I know they would look great on me too!! Which is why I praise God that he joined me with someone so much more humble and unconcerned with the "things" than me. It is ONLY because of David that we weren't sitting in that class fitting right in with the average debt. Because of Dave being responsible and caring about our future and our financial well-being, he had the foresight to want us to learn while we're young and can set ourselves up to be financially responsible. I didn't say wealthy....I said responsible. Living with the money we have not what we WISH we had.

In 13 weeks (1 night a week) Dave Ramsey gives you 13 great principles to living your life debt free and in total financial peace. He goes through saving, giving, retirement plans, life insurance, mortgages, credit card companies, etc, and gives you answers to questions and debunks myths you may be living by. He changed my mindset about spending, saving, and giving. I've heard my whole life that "My money is not mine, but God's. And I'm just to be a steward of it..." I'd heard it and I believed it, but I didn't live it because I didn't completely buy into it. But God spoke to me through Dave Ramsey's words and principles and He showed me that He really does want to bless my life if I'll let Him. He really does want me to have things that I need and also have things that I want, but to let go of it. To not let it make me who I am.

This class truly changed our life. It changed how we view money, it changed how we spend, it changed how we save. It brought Dave and I together in our goals and made us in line with our views of our finances. It truly does bring peace. I would be more than happy to personally answer any questions you have about this. Specific examples of changes we have made or anything you might be dying to know about. Below are the 13 topics Dave covers in the class. He is funny and engaging and it wasn't boring at all! Dave teaches you to "Live like no one else so that later, you can live like no one else."

This info taken from Dave Ramsey's Website

Lesson 1
Super Saving
Dave explains the Seven Baby Steps that will guide you throughout Financial Peace University. You will also learn the three key reasons why you should save money—and why you must start now!

Lesson 2
Relating With Money
Learn why it's important for spouses to communicate and work together toward success. Also, singles will learn the importance of teamwork, and parents will find out how to teach their kids about money.

Lesson 3
Cash Flow Planning
Unlock the secret of developing a monthly spending plan that really works.

Lesson 4
Dumping Debt
It's time to debunk some common debt myths! Dave reveals the truth about credit lies and gives you a plan to walk out of debt with confidence.

Lesson 5
Credit Sharks In Suits
What is a credit score, anyway? Join Dave as he unpacks your credit rating and shows you how to handle collectors when they call.

Lesson 6
Buyer Beware
Dave Ramsey draws on decades of experience to reveal the power and influence that marketing has on your everyday buying decisions. Let the buyer beware!

Lesson 7
Clause and Effect
In this lesson, Dave walks you through the world of insurance, carefully explaining what you need—and what you need to avoid.

Lesson 8
That's Not Good Enough!
Discover the seldom-used secrets of buying only big, big bargains—every time! Before you know it, you’ll be saying, "That’s not good enough!"

Lesson 9
Of Mice and Mutual Funds
Dave breaks through the jargon surrounding long-term investing and empowers you to make your own decisions about your investments!

Lesson 10
From Fruition To Tuition
Dave walks you through the maze of retirement options and helps you figure out the right path for you. You will also learn how to plan for college so your kids can graduate debt free!

Lesson 11
Working In Your Strengths
This lesson will show you how to avoid dead-end or mind-numbing jobs and provide tips for job hunting, writing a resume, and acing an interview. Plus, you’ll learn tips for finding extra jobs if you need cash to attack your debt snowball.

Lesson 12
Real Estate and Mortgages
Dave draws on over 20 years of real estate experience to teach you how to win when buying or selling your home. Plus, he’ll dissect all of the common mortgage options available today, showing you what to choose—and what to avoid.

Lesson 13
The Great Misunderstanding
Warning! This lesson will challenge the way you think about money. Dave will show you how generous giving can completely revolutionize your attitude and improve your finances, business and relationships.

If you have any interest at all, with 100% of my endorsement I would say go for it. And by all means, ask me anything you'd like. Click here to enter your zip code and find a class near you. Good luck!!