Quoting TheNuge:" <blockquote><b>Quoting speaktruth2powr:</b>" Exactly. We were pre-approved for a $490,000 ... [snip!] ... planning on doing in 2013 (we only purchased in Aug. of this year). "</blockquote> Do you know who Dave Ramsey is?"

Yup! I recommend his envelope system on here all the time!

Quoting speaktruth2powr:" Yup! I recommend his envelope system on here all the time!"

i'm not sure ifi remember you mentioning that (as i recommend the same thing) or if you had such great results that you HAD to have been a Dave fan :-)
I adore him.

Quoting TheNuge:" i'm not sure ifi remember you mentioning that (as i recommend the same thing) or if you had such great results that you HAD to have been a Dave fan :-) I adore him."

I actually started out doing the "Jar" system talked about by Gail Vaz Oxlade...she is a magician! She is the host of a couple of money management shows up here called "Till Debt Do We Part" and "Princess"....amazing shows that scare the crap out of you!

http://www.gailvazoxlade.com/

Dave Ramsey is phenomenal though, and I found a great website that very clearly outlines the envelope system....the jar system is very, very similar.

Quoting TheNuge:" Yup. It's "tax return season," so there will be posts asking how soon they come in as the money has already been spent."

Nothing wrong with that...I actually can't wait.
I'm paying off my vehicle and getting my husband's license back. IF we have enough, we're buying him a cheap car.
It will make our lives easier for the rest of the year and beyond.
It may even mean we're off of food stamps...

Quoting ~Ice Princess~:" Nothing wrong with that...I actually can't wait. I'm paying off my vehicle and getting my husband's ... [snip!] ... a cheap car. It will make our lives easier for the rest of the year and beyond. It may even mean we're off of food stamps..."

I should have been more clear. I mean they are paying off the very dumb kind of debt - credit card debt from buying stuff they couldnt afford. Or, paying people they owe money to. It certainly helps some but many just get back in their dumb situation in a matter of a few months.

Quoting ~Ice Princess~:" Nothing wrong with that...I actually can't wait. I'm paying off my vehicle and getting my husband's ... [snip!] ... a cheap car. It will make our lives easier for the rest of the year and beyond. It may even mean we're off of food stamps..."

You are making very responsible decisions with your money. For everyone one person who is doing that, there are 5 who are buying a bigger television instead of paying off debt or putting it in savings.

Quoting TheNuge:" I should have been more clear. I mean they are paying off the very dumb kind of debt - credit card debt ... [snip!] ... people they owe money to. It certainly helps some but many just get back in their dumb situation in a matter of a few months."

I see, and I agree.

This will be the first year that we'll get a return and NOT owe anyone..lol. I usually owe my grandma some kind of money. Like when he used to get laid off, we'd get behind and she'd help us.
But not this year, I'm so happy about it.

And *fingers crossed*, they get this job today. The boss went to a meeting for a 41000 square foot plaster job. It will be at LEAST 2-3 months of work. And they just signed another contract filling all of January up. If we can keep going like this until I'm done with school, I'll be the happiest I've ever been.

This is also the first year we haven't struggled getting our kids Christmas gifts. Yes, I went all out  , but partly because we have my nephews and I wanted them to have a nice Christmas.
They never had a turkey for Thanksgiving before this year and this is their first Christmas tree.

Quoting speaktruth2powr:" You are making very responsible decisions with your money. For everyone one person who is doing that, ... [snip!] ... person who is doing that, there are 5 who are buying a bigger television instead of paying off debt or putting it in savings."

Hopefully we have some left so we can put in savings. If not, we'll have the foster payments that we'll just save. I'm very optimistic this time.  

Quoting ~Ice Princess~:" I see, and I agree. This will be the first year that we'll get a return and NOT owe anyone..lol. I ... [snip!] ... to have a nice Christmas. They never had a turkey for Thanksgiving before this year and this is their first Christmas tree."

I want to add though that we went through all of their things to donate so they could get gifts. They actually enjoy doing that.

Quoting ~Ice Princess~:" Hopefully we have some left so we can put in savings. If not, we'll have the foster payments that we'll just save. I'm very optimistic this time.  "

good job and congratulations!

Quoting TheNuge:" good job and congratulations!"

thank you!

<blockquote><b>Quoting TheNuge:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting Bangtail:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting speaktruth2powr:</b>" ... [snip!] ... early so they don't go through what we did."</blockquote> I'm calling your union and having you pee in a cup tonight."</blockquote>

I'll fail.

Do I still sound high? I thought I was coming back down to earth finally  

<blockquote><b>Quoting TheNuge:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting speaktruth2powr:</b>" Exactly. We were pre-approved for a $490,000 ... [snip!] ... planning on doing in 2013 (we only purchased in Aug. of this year). "</blockquote> Do you know who Dave Ramsey is?"</blockquote>


I love him. We did the classes when my youngest was about a year old, and that helped us soooooo much.

$17000 a month? Gtfo. Just because all of their money is "accounted" for, doesn't make them poor or even broke. They're paying off a house... 2 if I wasn't mistaken? They are giving to charity. They have retirement, vacation fund etc. They have spare cash for "fun" activities. Poor... What a joke.

Quoting kthx.:" Ummm no. He has a LOT of luxuries. If he were poor.. he wouldn't have a vacation fund, new car fund, retirement fund, $3k mortgage payment, $2k charity fund. He sounds spoiled."

Exactly. Also, to a lot of people, health care would be a luxury. Life Insurance. etc. etc. To people who really were poor.