The Petersen Herd

The Petersen Herd

Monday, August 19, 2013

Dave Ramsey - Baby Step #1

This summer we took Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class.  It was eye-opening and we were excited to get started.  I don't blog to brag but to journal our life's events and this is an important one, it's also something I don't want to forget because I'm extremely grateful.  

Tyler and I were raised in the debt culture.  Not like anyone I know wasn't - you borrowed when you "had to" and when we got married we had a very warped sense of needs and wants and "have to's".  Needless to say, we've borrowed our fair share and have been enslaved by debt since before we were married.  Not smart, but that's how it's been.  

When we talked in the class about having "gazelle intensity" about getting out of debt it was a little bit of an eye opener for me.  I felt like we'd been living tight, making sacrifices and trying to get out of debt, but the image of a gazelle running from a lion, screaming "LION!" (debt) really hit home for me and we decided to put our shoulder to the wheel in a way we never have before.

Tyler is amazing.  I just have to write that down because I think it over and over every day.  Baby step #1 towards getting out of debt is having an emergency fund.  I had forgotten we had one of those once, a long time ago and it feels so good!  Knowing that if something terrible happens (like a broken nose or a popped tire) it won't shatter us financially is an incredible measure of peace.  

Tyler has always liked motorcycles and finally talked me into getting one about a year ago.  Then he got a different one - a bigger, better one.  This is his bike.  He loves this bike!  He rides it almost every day.  We ride it together.  It's fun and exciting and freeing. 


And it's gone.
He sold his bike as baby step #1 toward Financial Peace.  I'm so thankful I married this good man and we're making great strides toward financial freedom.  We've got a ways to go, but we're finally on the right road with a plan and that is a great feeling.  

I'm not affiliated with Dave Ramsey - but recommend his class to anyone and everyone and fully intend to have each of my kids take it before they get a job or leave my roof!  

1 comment:

Sarah Ball said...

love this post!! so true we felt our eyes open wide after his classes! we were told all the wrong things about debt our whole lives and it is so good to have a different view on it! definitely agree about passing it on to the kiddos, wish someone would have made me take his class before we got married!!