Living debt free!? What is that!? Yeah, that’s what I said 2 years ago. That is until I found the man with the plan, Dave Ramsey. Dave teaches you three basic principles:
- Give
- Save your Money
- Pay off your debt
You can sum it up in one of his famous quotes, “Live like no one else so you can live like no one else!”.
What does that mean? If you want to keep up with the Johnson’s you’ll need to stop impulsively buying stuff you can’t afford, stop charging your life to a credit card, and start acting your own wage. Don’t go out and buy an iPad because your overly in-debt friend is waving his illustrious gadget in front of your face. Save the money up and buy it cash. A year later you’ll be the person going to all the happy hours and getting the good cocktails while your friend sips a Rob Roy.
I am thankful for life without debt (almost without debt i’m almost debt free!). I have less stress, security, and I know that I will retire comfortably. Every time I look at my savings account I feel AWESOME! Statistics show that over 90% of all successful people have no debt. Look at companies like Google and Apple, they are debt Free! Why can Apple spend a ton on R&D and release quality products the way THEY want to? Easy, they don’t have investors telling them what to do. They have FINANCIAL FREEDOM! Remember that you are a slave to your debt.
It’s an easy concept. Spend less and save more. So why is it so hard to do? It takes blood, sweat, and tears. It takes discipline to live like no one else but the rewards are life changing. Imagine your financials looking like this:
- Checking account: $10,000+
- Savings account: $50,000+
- Investments: $150,000+
Next time your house air conditioner takes a dive off the Grand Canyon the $5,000 dollar bill won’t haunt you like the poltergeist. You will stand up on your high chair and yell GOT IT while wiping the chip right off your shoulders. Impromptu vacation anyone? Why not!
I highly recommend taking Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. It will change your life. If you need any convincing I dare you to save up a $1000 emergency fund. This is Dave’s Baby Step 1. Trust me, it will feel awesome to know that you have a $1000 security buffer. Your mate will love it too (See step 7). I just wish that High School and College would have taught me how to handle my finances correctly. It would have been much easier to start at 18 😉
Have a blessed thanksgiving!
Not easy, but not impossible. Fingers crossed for me!!!!