Dave Ramsey is my enemy!!!!!!!!!!

Okay.. Skip and I signed up for FPU which actually stands for Financial Peace University. I won't tell you what I think it stands for.. Perhaps Freakin' Poor now University. Now, I know the program has some good ideas. It wants to help couples get on a budget, get out of debt, invest properly and save for retirement. On the surface, what could be wrong with that??? Well, I will tell you what is wrong with that.. You can't live for the time period you are doing the 'baby steps'.

Onto Baby Steps.. that's a joke too. Baby Step 1 was to save $1k. It should be set up as an emergency fund. That was fine and the idea is fine. We just did not have it separated which is a DR must. Baby Step 2, get out of debt. We haven't gotten to that part of the course but I read ahead out of anxiety. When he means debt, he doesn't mean your Target card (which I actually don't have, proud to say), Visa or even Car loan. He means it all. I think you can graduate from Baby Step 2 when you only have your mortgage left, that means no car loan, no debt whatsoever. In order to get to Baby Step 2, you are to do what it takes. He has a saying on eating just rice and beans. Now, I am a starchy sort of eater. If he said bean burritos from Taco Bell, rice with thick butter, pasta and mashed potatoes, we would be in business. He also says no vacations. If anyone out there knows me.. I like to vacation. In fact, I proudly call vacationing my hobby. That ain't gonna happen Dave! Baby Step #3 is to save for 3-6 months of your salary for emergencies. Sounds reasonable if you survive Baby Step #2. I haven't read #4 or on because I am a nervous wreck over the first 3.

I am a shopper, a spender, a bargain hunter, a go out and have fun, have a party, book a flight sort of gal. In fact, I can't think of a hobby of mine that is strictly free. Maybe I should taken up hiking? But don't you need fancy shoes for that? Maybe I should take up Bird Watching, oh yea, I saw THE BIRDS in 3rd grade when I had a fever and never really liked the feathery creatures since then. Maybe I should take up sewing, nope.. gotta buy stuff for that. So.. Here I am.... looking for a new hobby, missing my last hobby, planning a trip to Alaska in June (shhhhh), and eating starches.

Here is the ironic thing about Mr. Ramsey... As Waverly put it "He wants to help people save money but you have to spend $110 for his book?". Yep, that dude is making millions off us po' folks. But I tricked ole' Dave.. I bought the kit on ebay for $50. So what if it is 3 years old and doesn't EXACTLY follow the course. Check out his website header:

Does anyone else see anything wrong with that. I even found the Dave Ramsey store on ebay. I didn't notice much of a deal there.

So.. don't be surprised if you see more posts about me ranting/raving about Mr. Ramsey. I will admit that his program is sound, it just doesn't seem to fit my personality. Stay tuned.. we will see if I mature through this torture or if I just get sneakier.