All I want for Christmas is a little Financial Peace….
I am neck deep in final preparations for I_Blog Conference this weekend. Today’s post comes to you from my friend Kara at Complic8ted Journey. She just started on the road to financial peace… Hop over to her blog to see what happened with our beater after we bought the van – on the Dave plan: with cash!
If you are like me you are thinking where has the year gone. It is almost Christmas. Wasn’t that just last week? I know that I wrote the check for the last payment yesterday. So how is it Christmas time again?
I’ll let you in on a secret that I just learned this month……… Christmas is ALWAYS on Dec. 25th. It never moves. They put it on the calendar and everything. I know its crazy.
So, why do I panic every year? The answer is quite simple. We live paycheck to paycheck and when something happens we whip out the plastic to pay for it. Like Christmas…
It is an EMERGENCY. I have to get my kids all of the cool new stuff so we can be the cool parents. After about a month though those cool toys will sit in their closets the rest of the year untouched, and forgotten about. Until you want to sell it, to pay for the credit card debt that you are still paying off for buying it. Suddenly it is their favorite toy, how dare you try to sell it. Then you have all of the family that you have to buy for. Since there are 4 people in our family we need to buy double for people that only have 2 in theirs. That’s logical right? What about all of those miscellaneous gifts, grandparents, co-workers, friends, teachers. I am starting to panic writing about it!
I’ll tell you one thing……this EMERGENCY…..is making me BROKE!!
This year we wanted to have a plan. Not just for Christmas, but for everyday of the year. We were tired of having our money control us! In September we started taking Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. This is a great course that teaches you all of the ins and outs of your finances. It also helps you get on a budget. Now we don’t spend more than we make. When the money runs out we are done. NO PLASTIC!!! What a concept!
Some key things that I have learned to do:
- Make a budget and stick to it!! If you don’t you will be paying later.
- Pay with cash. NO PLASTIC! Spending cash hurts where as plastic is easy.
Now you might have to get smaller gifts. Some people that you buy for may not get gifts this year. Most people will understand. They are probably having the same feelings you are and in the same financial situation. Your kids might not get that super cool new thing that makes you look good. But one thing that you can give them is your TIME! That is one of the most valuable gifts of all.
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Good for you! I think Christmas is THE HARDEST TIME to follow Dave’s plan, and kudos to you for planning ahead! This will be our 4th Christmas following the Dave plan. While we are on Baby Step 5 now, we still use Dave’s zero-based budget and we still use a variation of the envelope system. It really does work, and its a shame more people don’t try it.
this year is the hardest for my family, my husband was let go from his job almost 6 mos ago because he was not cerft. and no G.E.D. ,so he went back to collage for both but now we can’t give are kid’s a christmas ,my ssi and his unempolyment cover the bill’s with no money left for anything.So how do mange money you don’t have?Everyone tell’s we did to mange better,but we have, had to pawn are wedding ring’s just to help cover rent,or just to get a full tank of gas to drive the kid’s to school everyday and for him to go to school and the extra thing’s the kid’s have after school,we were told we had to get the kid’s into doing thing’s so we did but, i hate it when the same people don’t what to help us.I hate it when christmas and birthday’s come and have no money and other parnet’s look at you and talk behind your back how low we are just because we can’t give are kid’s what they give there’s.But are kid’s know how to live with nothing as to those so call people not.If i could have only one wish it would be TO GIVE MY KID’S THE CHRISTMAS THEY WANT THE D.S. AND TOY’S AND CLOTHE’S,LET THEM LOOK JUST ONCE LIKE THE OTHER KID’S DO.AND TO HAVE ARE RENT ALEAST 1-2 MONTH’S AHEAD TO GIVE US CHANCE TO GET BACK ON ARE FEET.Is that to much to ask for?