Financial Quest

So you know that free trial I was telling you about? The one I signed up for through the Total Money Makeover Website? Well, guess what – I forgot to cancel after my free trial was up. Sooo, now I’m a member of the website for a whole year. I received a book and money organizer in the mail yesterday. At first I was so angry with myself for forgetting about it and then being charged for it (when we really didn’t want to spend the money right now), but now I’m trying to look at it as a blessing in disguise. I wanted to do this money makeover, right? So why not have all the tools available to help me with this quest.

I’ve been going over our budget (and over it, and over it, and over it) and I keep making a few little changes here and there. Mainly because I remember things that I forgot to account for. I’m already finding out how cool it is to SEE how much money we really have and where it’s all going. It makes me feel like I’m not as broke as I thought I was. Don’t get me wrong – we are definitely poorer than we’d like to be – but there is no reason why we need to live paycheck to paycheck like we’ve been doing for almost 3 years now.

November 1st is the day we (mainly I) have chosen to turn our lives around financially. I really need to get with Shelby and make sure he’s fully on board with this. We’ve tried different things soooo many times in the past, but we’ve never been on the same page. No wonder it’s never worked! It’s hard for him to stay disciplined – I’m really starting to see that now. I’m honestly kind of nervous about everything – I know for myself I can do this and I can stay disciplined. But, I worry that I’m going to give into things because Shelby usually has a way of making me feel guilty – and it’s not because he means to, he just does. It’s time for me to put my foot down and be serious about it. I just hope that he’s willing to step up to the plate as well, because it’s gonna be really hard trying to do this all by myself.

We have a lot of sacrifices to make – financially. We have to tell our money where to go, not the other way around. We have to realize that right now things aren’t going to be as much “FUN” since we can’t spend money like we’d like to.. but as David Ramsey says “If you will live like no one else, later you can LIVE like no one else”.

Financial Quest

I was able to get on the Dave Ramsey site for a little bit last night.  I signed up for a FREE TRIAL which is a week long, so I'm trying to get as much information as I can just incase I don't want to continue with it after the trial period is up.  A friend I work with let Shelby and I borrow the CD's (She and her husband took the class at their church, so they have all the materials) and we were able to burn them to our computer.  We haven't listened to them yet, but we're planning on doing that soon.  You should visit his website and at least do the FREE TRIAL - it's worth it, it's FREE!

One of the first things he talks about is "Baby Steps".  The way the website is designed, you can't move on to the next step until you have completed the first one, so I see that I probably won't get a chance to dig into ALL the information in just a weeks time - but anyways, the first Baby Step is fairly simple.  It's FULL of common sense, which I LOVE. 

Baby Step 1: The Main Goal - Save $1,000 as quickly as you can! (Emergency Fund)

1. Get up to date with all your creditors (if you're behind on payments get up to date with that first - to where you only owe the minimum payment - before you really get into the first step)
2. Pay ONLY the minimum payments, putting eveything else towards your $1,000 goal, until you reach your goal.
3. In the meantime, NO NEW DEBT!

I love his envelope system!  He mentions putting your Emergency Fund money into an envelope.  When you have your $1,000 put that money into a Money Market Account. (you could probably do the BEFORE you reach your goal, and just add to it along the way)

Pretty easy, huh?  That's basically the first step! It's easy - it's very do-able. 

He also has you make up a budget, which I had already done, so I was one little step ahead. ;-) 

I honestly don't think I can come up with $1,000 in 1 month, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna try to get it done as soon as I can!  My main plan for November is to:

• Follow our Budget
• Save our Change (because we are ONLY using CASH)
• Cut our Expenses (Buy Nothing Month ????)
• TRY to have a Yard Sale

Any extra money that we can get our hands on is going to go towards our $1,000 goal.  The purpose behind this wonderful little Emergency Fund, it to keep you from creating any NEW debt while you're in the process of eliminating your old debt - in the event something happens to your car, your pet gets sick, etc. 

Starting in November I'm also going to try and cut back on our utility expenses.  I have been looking up ways to cut electricity expenses and things like that.  Every little bit helps!

***
I have just thought of something ....

November 1 we are going to a Marshall Game in Orlando.  How am I going to stick to my budget while I'm there?  It's RIGHT at the beginning too? It kinda depresses me - not that I'm going to the game - but because I'm going against my plan on the first day.  What do I do?! We still have to get our Pugs shots up to date and pay for them to be boarded while we're gone .. more added expenses.  I don't know what to do!!!!  :o(

Can There Really Be FINANCIAL PEACE?

"A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it." ~Bob Hope

Isn't that the truth?!

So - Shelby and I are trying to come up with a way to organize our finances. I guess in this economy - who isn't?! Shelby and I aren't really affected by the falling economy... we were already poor to start with! ha! But anyways, we're wanting to come up with an organized way to keep our bills paid on time, save money, AND have a little money to spend on ourselves.

We've recently been blessed with the opportunity to experience that which is, Dave Ramsey. A friend I work with has been on his program and she SWEARS by it. "It's all common sense", she said. Isn't it funny how we need someone to tell us HOW to have common sense? By the money he's racking in from his program, I'd say I'm not alone! We haven't started it yet, but hopefully we will be able to start this weekend. We're going to implement our new "program" on September 1st. I'm really looking forward to this - I LOVE being organized.. when I'm not, I'm cranky :(

If you're willing to share - what has worked for you in keeping your finances organized? What's your "secret" or tips to having an organized financial LIFE!?