Be G.O.O.D.

We have a new saying around here. We've gotta "Be G.O.O.D." (which stands for Getting Out Of Debt). Nothing like having a little national credit crisis to make you whip your own household in order. I mean, how can I complain about the government when I'm living with my own deficit, right?

A couple of months ago we had the perfect storm. National financial crisis + job change for Jimmy + Women's Ministry newsletter topic of stewardship = serious look in the financial mirror.

[If you sent in something for Overflow, thanks! I'm a little unclear myself as to whether we will publish it. I sorta doubt we will. Cost-cutting measures at church have led us to take a year's hiatus in the mail out, but I'm not 100% certain when we were planning to start that hiatus. So, sorry if we don't get to publish your contribution, but thanks for submitting it because it made a difference in my life personally.]

My sweet friend, Tina, wrote a brilliant article for Overflow about how to handle family finances. It was written from a personal perspective, using examples from her own household. It's really good. [Hey Tina, you need to put that on your blog. It's very helpful!] In the process of writing, Tina mentioned Dave Ramsey to me. Ironically, I had started listening to Dave Ramsey on our local talk radio station. He just happens to be on when I'm driving home from my little teaching job. I had also seen his name on the e-mealz site that revolutionized our food budget. So one night I decided to check out Dave's website. There I discovered his Total Money Makeover. And life changed.

Dave's main idea is that if you get out of debt, you have plenty of income to have fun, invest and give away. Can you imagine what your personal finances would be if you had no debt at all... not even a house payment? His catch phrase is "If you live like no one else, later you can live like no one else." We decided to take him up on that challenge.

I'll keep you posted on how it goes. So far, we have discovered where our money is, what it is doing, and we've even made a budget. I know! That is so NOT us. We've had them before but never actually used them. :-) But we're using this one... really! We're following Dave's baby steps and are on the "Debt Snowballing" step now.

It's exciting and we're having so much fun. I am blown away by how our spending habits have changed already. Our combined food bill (groceries + eating out) is down $400 since we began e-mealz. I think it's not so much because of the savings at the grocery store, although that's there, but mainly because we have a plan. No more eating fast food 3-4 times a week because I failed to plan. What a relief!

Dave's got a nationwide "Town Hall for Hope" program going on this Thursday night. Check out his website for details. I have a feeling it's going to rock!