how to have financial stability

If you've been telling yourself, "I'll never get out from under my bills" or I'll never be debt free; STOP IT!  When my husband and I first got married, were in debt with school loans and credit cards.  Not too long after we married, we had a medical emergency and of course there was another bill to add to the mix.  Talk about overwhelming.  OMG, it felt like falling into a dark hole where there is no light to lead you out of it.  For me, being in debt is the worse feeling I've ever felt and I'm certain my husband felt the same way.  I can honestly say, that we weren't living life freely the way everyone should live.

After several years, the church we were members of at that time offered a class called "Financial Peace University."  My husband and I knew we needed help and something needed to be done financially.  We knew we just couldn't keep living this way.  Though we knew we needed to do something, we had our reservations about this class. Would it really help us with the mess we put ourselves in; how much of our mess would we have to talk about, etc. Despite all of our reservations, the need to take care of our situation became more important.  We signed up for the class, and without a doubt made one of the best decisions of our lives.

Dave Ramsey is the creator of Financial Peace University.  He's a well known financial advisor and author.  When it comes down to it, his program just makes total sense.  In this program, you learn how to get out of debt and how to save money at the same time. You learn to continuously add to that savings and keep building it (he calls it the emergency fund) up, so if there is an emergency, you're ready financially. This course teaches you how to get out of financial stress and move into a comfortable, peaceful financial situation. You also learn the best order in which to pay your bills. 
This course isn't rocket science and having this tool to take you step by step to lower your debt is so powerful.  It definitely can take time depending on your level of debt.  The most important thing is to start.  Don't go another year going further into the pit hole that debt is.

What I learned from "Financial Peace University":
1. I don't apply for credit cards - It's so easy to get sucked into a new credit card especially while shopping.  "You can get 15% or 20% off your perchase.  I just say "Thank you, but "No" thank you!"
2. I don't buy whatever I want, even if I can afford it.  Sometimes I just tell myself, "Not today."  One reason for this is that it really stops me from getting things I might not actually use and it also is an example to what I always tell my kids, "If it's meant for you to have, it'll be there."
3. Be ready to give. Having money isn't all about me or my family, so it's important to be ready to give and help others all year long. We know we can't help everyone, but we want to be prepared for whoever God calls us to assist.

Are we completely debt free, nope, but we're in control and have gotten down to just a few major things.  We're continuously saving, paying things on time and feeling so blessed to be able to do so.  If you're carrying the weight of your debts and are looking for a way to live life the way it should be lived, head over to www.daveramsey.com  That program will guide you to that light at the end of the tunnel. Though, there are other financial programs out there, I can only vouch for what worked for us. My point is to find something you feel comfortable using and get it going. 2018 has just begun, so it's the perfect time to attack your debt in an easy to follow format, learn to be smart with your money and ultimately live a life that's debt free. You can do it!!!!

XOXO,

Nae