The 100 Day Challenge, Day 46:
I had the privilege of being able to attend the Dave Ramsey Live simulcast covering the principles in Total Money Makeover and more! Dave is so entertaining, and I loved the clips from the movie What About Bob sprinkled throughout, but all joking aside, Dave’s ideas really resonated with me.
I want to share a couple of the things that I think are important. If they sound like plain old common sense, they are. Dave says it’s all well and good to have common sense, but the actions we take are what count. Hearing and learning the ideas are essential, but taking the right actions and making the right choices are what matter.
Here are some thoughts:
Dave has HUGE scissors for cutting up credit cards and he knows how to use them! Dave says get a debit card and don’t worry about raising your FICO scores.
Conflict over money is STILL the leading cause of divorce.
Take responsibility- it’s your fault if you don’t get ahead. He lays out plenty of examples of how to do it, and backs it up with stories of those who have. YOU fix your life, no one else does or will.
Debt causes you to get stuck in situations that you do not want, that are not good for you and that do not allow you to be all you that you want to be in your life.
Dave says work on your debts to pay them off in order of the smallest to the biggest, to realize the feeling of success and build momentum and positive energy to keep going.
Spending cash “hurts” more so you will spend less when using cash than using a credit card.
People say that they pay off their credit cards each month, but over 100 million Americans do not, according to Dave Ramsey.
Don’t borrow on your house to buy more things. #1 Debt and money management tip: Don’t buy things unless you have the cash to buy them. Just don’t do it!
And on winning: Are you hanging around with winners? You become who you hang around with. You have to pay a price to win- it is not easy.
These are just a few of thoughts and ideas I heard today- I suggest anyone who wants the full picture on how to- as Dave says it- live the American Dream instead of the american nightmare, get his book Total Money Makeover and visit www.daveramsey.com for all kinds of tips, info, books, recordings and seminars.