Update 2017: Hubby and I no longer follow the Dave Ramsey baby steps. As I’ve learned more about money and read more personal finance books from other experts, I’ve formed other opinions. And one of my biggest money mistakes has been the “follow a guru” mentality. I do think Financial Peace University is an amazing education for most. It’s powerful to follow a plan, especially in times of great stress!
This book is included free with Financial Peace University – while you could get all the information from the book, the classes provide powerful accountability and are motivating. The videos you watch every week with Dave’s live performances are pretty great!
In 2010, my husband and I attended Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.
If you’re not familiar, FPU is a 13 week long course that teaches you how to “Live like noone else, so you can live like noone else“. It teaches you how to get and stay out of debt, save money, invest, retire with dignity, and give to others. Good stuff.
I’m so excited about doing this, especially with hubs. I thought I would share my top ten reasons why.
Top Ten Reasons I’m Excited About Financial Peace University
- I am excited about getting a solid financial education. We don’t learn this stuff in school. Why is it that we graduate knowing algebra (something few of us will use in our daily lives), but most adults don’t know how or why to create a budget? We don’t know how to “do money”, but money affects every single aspect of our lives, every single day.
- I am happy to be helping my hubby with this stuff. I’m the “nerd” in the relationship, and he’s more of the “free spirit”. We are a good team because he’s better at making the money (no problems there) and I’m good at creating the budget, doing stuff that involves paper and being organized. (Logistics and details drive him, an INFP, insane.) Since hubby is also self employed, he was never able to figure out how to budget since his income is variable month to month. FPU is giving us the tools we need to make that easier.
- I want our family to experience the freedom and joy of NO DEBT. There’s nothing like it. I want that peace for my husband. (Update: we are debt-free and currently saving for a house!)
- This stuff is good for our marriage. Working together and being on the same page with money eliminates one of the biggest sources of tension and anxiety in a marriage. Not to mention, going to the weekly classes together is a peculiar sort of “date night” that is fun and productive. We also hold regular budget meetings.
- I want my kids to get their money right. I’ve been preaching the message of “don’t do debt” all their lives, but once again getting this education means I’ll be able to teach my kids proper principles around money. I don’t want them to make the same dumb mistakes I did.
- Class ends right before my due date. FPU is a nice way of keeping me distracted, helping to pass those last few weeks.
- Dave Ramsey is cool. I have listened to his radio show for years and always enjoyed his style. He’s passionate and that energy is infectious. I read his book The Total Money Makeover and was inspired.
- I want to be able to give more. We already give money and time to our place of worship and I give to a non profit that is close to my heart, but I would like to be able to help individual people more.
- Divorce does a number on your finances. My husband and I have both suffered financially as a result of divorce. It’s just a reality. It’s time for us to dig out of that crisis and create something better.
- We have
6(now 7) kids! We have to have our crap together. Enough said.
I don’t regret in the least our decision to take Financial Peace University. Because it helped put my new marriage on the right foot when it comes to money. It forced my husband and I to get on the same page and get right with our money, and to communicate clearly and work on a large goal together. This had obvious benefits to our marriage.
More posts about financial peace:
- Here’s how I got out of debt as a single divorced mom of 4.
- How to Deal with Falling Income
- The No-Spend Summer – boosting our down payment savings efforts
- My biggest money mistakes and what I now do differently
- How to save and invest small amounts of money
I can’t wait to hear more about it. I’ve read how he has changed so many people’s lives.
We did the Dave Ramsey thing on our own a little while back and are so so so so so very happy to be debt free today (except our mortgage of course).
It takes work, but if you like a good challenge then it is actually a lot of fun. Good luck!