Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover

[DebbieJ]

I am giving the TMMO book as (part of) two wedding gifts this fall. I would give it to her along with something else.

 

[DebbieJ]

To anyone considering FPU--the kits are on sale for only $69 right now!!!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

If I gave it as a gift, I would include a note about how much the book had helped me......something to make it personal, and not just a "Here - you need this", but more of a "This changed my life, and I want to share it with people I love."

 

[missydivine]

You might bring it up in passing and see how she responds to it. If you have talked about these things, I think it would be a good gift.

 

[missydivine]

To anyone considering FPU--the kits are on sale for only $69 right now!!!!

I need to talk to dh about it, maybe I will get it for us for Christmas. Thanks, I'd gone to look, but forgotten the sale.

 

[chefann]

Thanks, ladies! I was thinking along those lines, but started to second-guess myself. Problem is that I haven't used this program (although I probably should), so I can't include a note about how it's worked for me. But I think I can come up with something. The other thing I was thinking of for her was actually a gift card from Meijer, so she can use it for a treat for herself or for groceries.

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

I'd give it to her privately (I'm sure you were already going to do that ). Since you have already discussed financial stuff with her, and if you haven't read the book/or needed to do this, you can just tell her about how you have heard so many great things about it on CS and thought of her.

 

[chefann]

Perfect! Maybe I'll run downstairs to the bookstore and pick up a copy this morning.

 

[finley1991]

I agree with Lisa... and I love the idea of the gift card too. You might say something like, "I've heard great things about this..." She'll know that you mean well. And with your comment that you "should" be doing something like this you could say, "New Year's can bring new beginnings and maybe this is something we can work on together..." You can read it too and you can cheer each other on. Instead of a gift, it's a project that will end up being a bigger gift in the end! (Just a thought...) By the way, I LOVE the idea!

One thing I will note here is that I have read other books and am currently working Dave's program to build my savings (what else can I sell?) And why I decided in the end to go with Dave's is that with all of the things I read and I spent a day online researching it (and I did read Suze Orman & David Bach's as well in the last year) is that DR's program was THE ONLY ONE that people said got them out of debt. Not one review said that about Suze or David's programs. Not that they don't have great ideas because they do and I'm sure it worked for others but there were not testimonials that I read online that said so (this doesn't include the book back-covers... these were online reviews that didn't come from the publishers). Anyway, DR's got them out of debt. That was the strongest for me.

Good luck Ann! Let us know what happens!

 

[finley1991]

On another note... DR is on FoxBusiness every week day now at 8pm eastern time. Tonight at 6pm eastern time is a special about Warren Buffet.

 

[ahammons]

Is there a way to find out what channel DR will be on? I'd really like to check it out. DH and I actually came up with our own "get out of debt" plan, and will have all of our credit card debt paid off by March 1st. (Can't wait!) Then we'll just be left with cars and student loans (why did I get a degree and not use it?! lol). I'd like to learn more about DR's program though. I guess I'll check out his website when my kids decide to nap!

 

[finley1991]

Now I have a question on FPU... can you do this on your own or do you have to attend the classes?

I checked into the class here and it's only on Friday nights and I course I have every Friday booked through Christmas! woo-hoo!

Can I get this and do it on my own or does it have to be done with the class?

 

[DebbieJ]

You can do FPU online or buy a home study course, I think.

 

[finley1991]

Thanks Deb!

 

[sfdavis918]

You can do FPU online or buy a home study course, I think.

You're right Deb!

 

[krzymomof4]

Well, this will be our first month following Dave's plan. The envelope system is getting really hard to get used to. I seem to loose track if I am getting gas, going to the store and taking a kid to the doctor in the same errand run. LOL
I am hoping it will get better. At least with us getting paid once a month it does make the initial dividing easier.

 

[LibrarianChef]

My hubby and I graduated from FPU last year. We did the in-person class and it was amazing. There's just something about getting together with others. The discussion time generates so much more to love about the course.

I learned SO much about retirement, insurance, home buying (wish I had experienced this part before we bought our house), credit collector practices, and a ton more. Our debt snowball is rolling very slowly after undergrad and graduate school at a private university (ALL on student loans), but it's at least moving, right? I highly recommend the course. You bring your homework to each meeting, discuss questions, support one another, and see just how many of us are hurting or confused over our financial mistakes. By the time we reached the last session, I'm sure I wasn't the only one in tears. It's such a moving experience.

Once you've graduated from FPU, you can take it as many times as you need to for FREE in the future. :thumbup:

 

[Denarella]

I've spent the last half hour reading EVERY post on this thread. I really need to do this. I have a boyfriend who has EXCELLENT credit and I'm too embarassed to tell him mine's in the crapper. I was married to a man to took everything from me and when we divorced 5 years ago I went nuts and some very bad habits are still sticking with me. I live in HIS house and I contribute by paying most utilities and he pays mortgage (I make about 1/3 of what he does). I want to do this! This sounds wonderful by reading all of your posts. It keeps me up at night. Problem? PC, working full time, taking full time classes online and single mom of an 8 yr old. What is the most effective way for me? I dont have time for classes (none are even in a 25 mile radius for me anyway). I would prefer to read the book, but which one?

This means the world to me. I would LOVE to pay off debt (no credit cards, just other crap) and be able to have a nest egg, college for my son. Please help me.....

Thank you,
Dena

 

[sfdavis918]

Go get The Total Money Makeover from the library. It will change your life!

 

[Denarella]

Go get The Total Money Makeover from the library. It will change your life!

Im there tomorrow, Sarah. Mark My Words.

Thank you for your inciteful words...you've opened doors for me...thank you so much. I'm so excited....

 

[sfdavis918]

Im there tomorrow, Sarah. Mark My Words.

Thank you for your inciteful words...you've opened doors for me...thank you so much. I'm so excited....

I would be very interested to see how you like the book. Keep us posted.

 

[Denarella]

I would be very interested to see how you like the book. Keep us posted.

I'm sure if I get it tomorrow, I'll be done soon! I'm inbetween classes right now and I start again next Wednesday so I will definitely have it done before then....I hope its at the library. If not, it will be worth the purchase at B&N!

 

[Denarella]

Suze Orman is on Oprah tomorrow, btw.....

 

[LibrarianChef]

I'm sure if I get it tomorrow, I'll be done soon! I'm inbetween classes right now and I start again next Wednesday so I will definitely have it done before then....I hope its at the library. If not, it will be worth the purchase at B&N!

Don't forget you can ILL the book if your library doesn't have it. Just ask what form you need to fill out (Interlibrary Loan) and they'll usually have it within a week.

 

[J.Corley]

I have read DR Total Money Makeover four times now. I love the book and each time I read it I get more inspired and learn a new tip to help us where we are in our baby steps.
Anyone who says "I'll always have a car payment" needs to read this book. We downsized our SUV to an older one and it will be paid off this month. NO MORE CAR PAYMENTS!!!!!!!
We are doing the FPU online. For military it's free when you buy the kit which was $69. Go to Real Debt Help - Get out of debt with Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover Plan. and click on FPU

I can tell you that having freedom to use the money we make our own way and not have chains of debt sounds SOOOOOO good to me!

 

[LibrarianChef]

We learned so much during this class, but one thing that BLEW my mind when we went through the 14-week course was discovering that we could put our kids through ANY college of their choice for LESS than what our car payment was $190/month. If we set that aside each month into an interest bearing account and it began to snowball through the years, by the time they were 18 years old they would have it made (probably even for graduate school, which is becoming necessary for most professional careers). We discovered that we didn't need the materialistic stuff--the fancy cars, big homes, lavish extras. We now have a goal in mind and a date/time to shoot for and it will be here before we know it. We don't want our children to have the pain we've suffered from our lack of knowledge and now we know we can begin equipping them with financial education from the age of 3. Amazing!

When we finished school we had a 6-figured student loan debt (no kidding). Yes, we're very well educated, but we're very much in debt and can't do even half of what our friends do for fun. It's been killing us to begin paying for our past mistakes, but Dave Ramsey's class inspired and liberated us. We saw what it looks like on the other side. There IS a way out with diligence and persistence. It may take 20 years for us to become debt-free, but we CAN do it and we CAN put our kids through college at the same time and we CAN have a very nice retirement fund. It's all based on his saying, Live like no one else NOW so that you can live like no one else LATER. In other words, live within your means NOW (by paying off debt, setting aside $$ for retirement, getting the best insurance, budgeting the RIGHT way, etc.) so that you can have all the financial peace in the world LATER.

We lo-o-o-o-oved this semester-long class. I can't say enough!

 

[sfdavis918]

We learned so much during this class, but one thing that BLEW my mind when we went through the 14-week course was discovering that we could put our kids through ANY college of their choice for LESS than what our car payment was $190/month. If we set that aside each month into an interest bearing account and it began to snowball through the years, by the time they were 18 years old they would have it made (probably even for graduate school, which is becoming necessary for most professional careers). We discovered that we didn't need the materialistic stuff--the fancy cars, big homes, lavish extras. We now have a goal in mind and a date/time to shoot for and it will be here before we know it. We don't want our children to have the pain we've suffered from our lack of knowledge and now we know we can begin equipping them with financial education from the age of 3. Amazing!

When we finished school we had a 6-figured student loan debt (no kidding). Yes, we're very well educated, but we're very much in debt and can't do even half of what our friends do for fun. It's been killing us to begin paying for our past mistakes, but Dave Ramsey's class inspired and liberated us. We saw what it looks like on the other side. There IS a way out with diligence and persistence. It may take 20 years for us to become debt-free, but we CAN do it and we CAN put our kids through college at the same time and we CAN have a very nice retirement fund. It's all based on his saying, Live like no one else NOW so that you can live like no one else LATER. In other words, live within your means NOW (by paying off debt, setting aside $$ for retirement, getting the best insurance, budgeting the RIGHT way, etc.) so that you can have all the financial peace in the world LATER.

We lo-o-o-o-oved this semester-long class. I can't say enough!

Congratulations on changing your family tree! Now your kids won't be burdened with the student loans like you have been. Teach them all the benefits of being debt free and they will end up living like kings!!!

 

[finley1991]

If you do the class online, do you still get the books and cd's or is it all downloads?

 

[LibrarianChef]

If you do the class online, do you still get the books and cd's or is it all downloads?

I'm not sure since I haven't taken the online version, but surely someone here has. I can say that we bought the books/CDs set and then attended the class. In other words, the $85 we paid for FPU was NOT for the actual class--it was just for the books and supplies. The class is always free once you've bought the necessary supplies which include all of the forms and reading/listening materials.

 

[finley1991]

thanks!

I looked online but can't tell when I look at the info.

 

[jcwarr]

big thumbs up!!i haven't done the dave ramsey class myself - but my in-laws are and they swear by it!! they have changed their financial situation and mindset so much in just a short time. it is really inspiring!!! i think everyone needs this kind of 'training' for life!!

 

[Denarella]

I just bought the book this afternoon at Barnes and Noble! I can't wait to read it! Of course, with trick or treating tonight, I don't see it happening....