had failed terribly by spending money I hadn’t budgeted for on things I really
didn’t need. I thought to myself: Man, I wish I had more money. And then
Dave Ramsey’s voice chimed in my ear: Wake up, Megan! You have enough money; you
just aren’t handling it wisely. As Mr. Ramsey would say: Why
would God bless you with more money, if you can’t even handle the money he has
already put you in charge of???
For anyone who has not heard of Dave
Ramsey’s Financial Peace University Class… you have got to hear about this! Last
month I “graduated” from a 9-week course facilitated at my local church, where
we gathered to watch the series of lessons and engaged in group discussions
about the material. Pastor Will introduced this opportunity at church one Sunday
and encouraged everyone, stating that almost everyone who has taken this class
says that their only regret is that they didn’t have the information sooner in
life. So naturally, the nerd in me, thought Wow, I need to do this. I’m
already behind the game.
Now, I did have a few reservations at
first: 1) the time commitment, 2) knowing that I would probably be one of the
only people to attend alone, and 3) $90 seemed like a lot of money for a class
at the time. Looking back here’s my evaluation: 1) Yes, it’s a commitment. But I
met some amazing people through taking the class in-person (versus online) and
got to hear some valuable real life experience. 2) While I didn’t have a built
in accountability partner like many of my classmates (their spouses), I also
didn’t have additional financial stressors (mortgages, child care, etc.) . I got
to hear how they handle money for their family, some struggle and success
stories throughout the journey, and I think that I have a better foundation for
the future with that knowledge. Major lesson: KIDS ARE EXPENSIVE! 3) In
retrospect, $90 is well worth the value of the class. Trust me: if you are still
thinking it’s a little much…. save up a mini fund for a few months. I guarantee
you are most likely already blowing $90.00/month without realizing it. Put the
money aside, and invest in some financial peace.
The course covered so much information,
ranging from basic relations with money, budgeting, dumping debt, all types of
insurance (some that you probably haven’t even considered), retirement, college
planning and giving generously. The heart of the material is that it is centered
on helping us to understand how God wants us to handle money. You see, Dave
explains that we are simply asset managers, we don’t own anything! The money
that God has put us in charge of is not ours (despite how entitled to it you
might feel after working week after week), and we need to handle that money in a
way that honors Him. The course teaches you how to rethink and restructure your
relationship with money and your priorities when it comes to spending. And when
you incorporate biblical principles into your relationship with money,
everything changes, and it changes for the better.
Tomorrow night my small group is meeting
for a barbeque to catch up on life since FPU, which prompted this blog and
reminded me that I have put off sharing this information for far too long! We
are encouraged to bless others with the knowledge we have been blessed with, and
I thought my little blog was a great way for me to spread the word to any
friends/family who are looking for some financial peace in their lives
Here’s the link if you’re interested: http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu
“A wise man leaves an inheritance to his
children’s children…” –Proverbs 13:22