Money talk.

Ok as you all are well aware I'm taking a Dave Ramsey class so money is going to be on my mind for another oh, 16 weeks or so.  So we will be talking about it.  It seems from my last few posts that most of you are experiencing similar situations to what me and my friends are.  Therefore, you have some interest in getting ahead financially as well.  So, hopefully you'll enjoy this journey with me and if not - well, bare with me because there will be other posts as well.

Here are the lies we're going to quit telling ourselves:

- 'if I just made more money...'  This lie has gotten the best of all of us at some point in our young adult lives.  If we just made more money we'd ...save more, give more, invest more.  Let's get real right now and say that as we've made more we have....SPENT more.  That's the truth right?  When we made nothing we spent less than we do now.  In college we spent more than in high school and when we graduated college we spent more than in college.  As we make more we spend more.  Most of us, sadly do not do any of the other things in a larger dose.  We continue to tell ourselves that when we make more we will...that cycle needs to be broken.

 

- 'I just need to get married'  Have you all used or heard this one?  Then my husband (or wife) can take care of the money.  Or 'then we'll have 2 incomes'.  With 2 incomes come other 2's.  2 cars.  2 student loans. 2 credit card debts.  If we don't get our finances right while there's 1, it will only be that much harder when there's 2.  Remember that.  Math rarely gets easier when the numbers get bigger people.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I know the number one lie that 20-somethings tell themselves.  Dave Ramsey addresses it but I'm going to venture out on a limb and say this really is the main lie that we as young and possibly singles buy into...

'but I DESERVE it'  if this is a lie that you tell yourself: stop.  Right now.  Because if you didn't earn the money to PAY for it, than you don't deserve it.  Sorry.  I know you work hard.  I know that your life sucks at times.  I know that you're busting it.  I know that it looks great on you.  But if you can't afford it then quit telling yourself you deserve it.  I've watched countless friends justify cars, tvs, apartments, homes, vacations, clothes, you name it.  Don't be one of them.  If you can't afford it then don't tell yourself you deserve it...earn it so you can enjoy and pay for it only 1 time, in cash.

Getting ahead financially is hard.  There is no get rich quick scheme that will solve all your problems.  Even those who win the lottery are often back out pumping gas a few years later because if we don't learn about money when we have little we still won't understand it when we have lots.  Principles of money have to be learned, they do not show up when your paychecks hit a certain level.

If were going to get down and dirty with budgeting we've got to start by cutting the crap.  We make what we make, we are what we are, and we don't deserve it until we've earned it.  Those are the cold, hard facts.

The one and only 'debt' that is allowed in the Dave Ramsey lifestyle is a mortgage (1...not 2).  So if the bank owns your car, then remember that you don't.  And if the bank owns your wardrobe through credit card debt, than guess what - it's not yours.  If this is the case than you neither earned them nor 'deserve' them.

If you feel depressed now than you're probably in a good place to start redoing your habits with me.  It's time to buckle down and take control because 'you have to gain control over your money or the lack of it will forever control you'.

Let's get it girls.

Love,

B