Broke and in debt is normal. Be Wierd!
Brenton has a good salary, I do not have to work, and we still have a budget surplus (Praise the Lord). I was still always up tight about money and finances until we started taking Financial Peace University. He let me take care of the bills and making the budget because I like working with numbers. Let me tell you, that is a lot of weight for these small shoulders. When I would bring the budget to him to look at, he would say, “Looks good to me, whatever you want to do.” ARGH 
After listening to Dave Ramsey’s program on the radio and taking some of the classes, I feel like I am actually capable of making GOOD financial decisions rather than stumbling around in the dark. That knot of worry that was always in my stomach when we decided to make a big purchase is gone. I just look at the budget and figure out how it fits in. We are getting OUT of debt instead of signing our lives into slavery.
If you had told me 2 months ago that Brenton and I could be millionaires when we retire I would have thought you were crazy. I have been running the numbers and it looks like if we follow the plan (get out of debt and then invest 15% of our income into retirement) we are not just going to be millionaires, we are going to be 16millionaires (I won’t mind if I’m 1/2 wrong either)! And that will be quite a legacy to leave to our children (If God blesses us with them). I am really looking forward to getting out of debt and being able to start GIVING!!!
The idea of being millionaires when we retire makes me a little giddy, but even if that possibility wasn’t before me, the feeling of peace that I have in having a plan, knowing how to make good financial decisions, and doing it TOGETHER with Brenton–that’s priceless.
Tags: Dave Ramsey, Personal finance
September 9th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
I wish more people were like you. It takes plenty of dedication and focused effort to live “like no one else” in this society.
September 9th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
I like this post, for I am a Dave Ramsey fan to. As soon as I saw the title, I knew you were too. I agree that when you run the numbers, it’s sometimes staggering to believe the benifits of living on a plan. Thanks for the motivation.
September 9th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
As soon as we started working together, I felt peace. Before he was so confident in my ability to make good finanical decisions that he left it all up to me. The scary thing about that is that if I make the wrong decision and we fail financially then the blame is all on me (not really because he chose to let me do it that way). I still pay all the bills, but now that means writing the checks and making sure they get to the post office on time, not making ALL the financial decisions.
September 9th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
I notice with most couples that have one person paying bills and making decisions it almost never worked. The key word as you said is: Together Most couples are NOT on the same page making and causing more financial worries. It never work, you will always be broke. Be weired and be on the same page financially. Good post
September 18th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Love this!! I feel exactly the same way! I was the girl that posted a comment a while ago saying that I too struggle with low energy and that I live a simple life because of it… one of the benefits of that simple life is that I save a lot of money!! I did the calculations, and because I invest a certain amount of my income every month, I will be a millionaire by the age of 46! Wow!! I was amazed! Really motivated me to put that money away each month!
I’m 30, single, and so picky and different that I may never find that right guy, so it’s nice to know I’ll at least be able to support myself! This is so important!! 
For anyone interested, below are some online money calculators that can help you figure out how much you should be setting aside each month to reach your financial goals.
CNN and Money Magazine Retirement Calculator
http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/
Smart Money IRA Calculator
http://www.smartmoney.com/retirement/roth/index.cfm?story=whichira
Smart Money 401K Planner
http://www.smartmoney.com/retirement/401K/index.cfm?story=planner
September 19th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
The hard part is that making financially smart decisions on a consistent basis is a real challenge. Then there are those things that sort of hit you blind sided (like me getting pregnant). We really can’t rely on someone else (the government) to take care of us in our old age. If we want a good retirement, we have to plan now.