Attn: Dave Ramsey Fans- Please Help!

I would start with the Total Money Makeover. It is only like $10 and walks you through the basics. You can always take the classes after that if needed. I would also recommend YNAB (youneedabudget.com). They have some great budgeting software that uses $0 budgeting. It is amazing the money that you can find.

YES, GO PURCHASE: Total Money Makeover! It will change your life. If you have a local church, Spend the $100 (or something like that) and enroll your husband and yourself in the 13 week Financial Peace University. It will additionally change your life. The book would be a good first step. If you want, you can google Dave ramsey budget worksheets. Honestly, it will help you get on track.

B.

You don't *need* to do the FPU if you can read O. (either) of the books and apply to your life and finances. WE used Financial Peace.

I think the best answer is to do the Financial Peace University, but if you can't or don't want to do that, then get the Total Money Makeover book. Like some of the other posters have said, go to the website and download a budget form to help you start working out a budget. There are things on there that I would never have thought about, like budgeting for vet bills for our cats. Inevitably, you have to take them once per year and it is expensive when you do, so you might as well stash away for it at every paycheck so that you have the money when you need it! Duh, right? LOL! I think once you get yourself in the mindset, you can tailor this plan to fit your lifestyle and circumstances and you'll be in a lot better financial shape. My husband and I have a ton of money in savings, no debt, bought a minivan with cash a year ago and have paid off more than 25% of our home....and I am a SAHM! You just have to commit yourself to living within your means. Good luck! It's such a great feeling not having to really worry about money.

My husband and I did Financial Peace University, and it was well worth $100 for the class. Once you go through the first class, you have a lifetime membership and can go to any class for free! As far as buying books, I would get the book and the workbook.

You can read the Total Money Makeover book and do the rest on your own. However, if you sign up for a class, you can learn valuable tips (and get lots of encouragement and a place to vent with others) to help you along. One of the things I got from the classes we went to was TONS of info about couponing that I was unaware of. I did use coupons before... but didn't know about "stacking" them and websites you can go to, etc. Plus there are websites and programs that will set up meal planning for you so that you need to spend less on groceries to start with.

There are other angles and tips that you can pick up from the other class members that are not in the books, depending of course on who your classmates are. But I can't imagine there wouldn't be at least ONE thing you would pick up from another classmate that you would otherwise not get from the book.

But to get started, you really only need to read the book. The basics are that you write out your budget, divide your $ into labeled envelopes and only spend cash (from the envelopes). That way you CANNOT overspend, because if there is no $ in the envelope you can't spend it.

The hard part is that there ARE areas where it is hard to go to using cash (swiping your card at the gas station instead of going in to prepay in cash??). BUT, the "blow" $ is fairly easy to use an envelope for, and that is where I think most people tend to spend more than they realize... that newspaper, magazine, cup of coffee, fast food meal, the tip at the restaurant, the kids' birthday gift for the party they are attending... all those little incidentals that you don't plan add up.

I agree with the total money makeover- the great thing about it is you only have to purchase it once- it's a life time membership for you and your spouse so anytime you get off track- you can go back to the classes and take it over again! also- check out his web-site, he has some great tools available there also.
Good luck!
~C.

Total Money Makeover it really is GREAT!!!!

My husband and I started this about two months ago. I picked up his book The Total Money Makeover at my local library for free -I think they had the workbook too but of course its not yours to write in but you could always copy it. Plus you can go to Dave's website and download the "budget" forms for free. So far we have paid $350.00 in medical bills and the first baby step is to save $1000.00 for an emergency fund. We have $140.00 to go then we are working on our highest credit card debt next, then once that one is done the second credit card, then the cars. Dave tells you to rid of the car payments by selling them but it just didn't make sense for uour situation because we both owe more than the cars are worth and my hubby's will be paid for in another 2 years anyways....he has a Honda Civic and its VERY dependable. We are die-hard Honda owners now and plan to keep these cars for quite some time. With no car payments eventually when they do die we will have saved enough to pay for another out-right. I love Dave and his concepts but you don't have to do everything to a "t" because not everyone's situation is the same.

I also recommend going to FPU. There you will have a support group.

We did The Total Money Makeover as well, it was awesome. We are debt free and live on a budget, it makes such a difference! So that is what I suggest. You can also use his website for a small amount and create a budget online based on your income. So I think both of those things would be helpful to you. Good luck!