The Total Money Makeover

I'm sure that no one has to be told to turn around and look at what's been happening in our economy these days! I honestly have to say that it is right now where I sit on our not so new couch, looking at the spotted carpet and think to myself "I am so thankful just for a house that we can come home to everyday and have food on the table".

As soon as Kaileigh was born last September, we had to make some MAJOR life adjustments as far as finances and lifestyle went. We went from having a 2 income household to a 1 income household much sooner than expected because of pregnancy complications causing me to resign my job 2 months before my due date. In the following months, we went from getting the bills paid and having a 'little' left over, to paying the mortgage and then deciding what bills we paid first and what ones we paid late. I've never been so depressed and angry with myself. Until I was able to get my freelance business up and running full time, we went to the "cash only"budget - if we couldn't pay cash, we didn't buy it. WOWZERS. Never had ever done this before!

Going through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University: The Total Money Makeover, as well as seeking counsel from our financial advisor at Freedom Financial Services, we buckled down and started to plan out an attack towards our debt and spending.

18 months later, we have paid off all 3 credit cards, re-tracked our student loans, and have only one other "payment" minus our mortgage. We follow Dave Ramsey's plan to a 'T' and we only spend cash and are still in the stage of "purging and selling" anything we don't need and/or use. Two years ago I would've told you there was no way that I would be able to stay home with our daughter and have our debt almost paid off - but it IS possible. In this entire process, we have never stopped our tithing and finally are back in a place where we can give what we consider "above and beyond".

I want to hear "Well done good and faithful servant; you were faithful with the little that I gave you and managed well." And I want my daughter to see that we were wise with what God has given us so that she can then grow up and apply the same principles.