Funny Thing Happened This Morning

[timetosave]

A member here contacted me a little while ago about a book I should read...told me they were going to send me a copy of the book and that I should start reading it right away...what a nice thing to do.

Well, I went to pick up my mail this morning and saw a yellow card in my box...my first thought was that it was bb cards I had traded for (I did not purchase ANY cards this payday...all new cards were from trades of what I already have... that alone saved me about 200.00)

I get to the desk and she pulls out two rather large boxes...my first thought (and this is a first in my life) was OH NO I CAN'T ACCEPT DELIVERY, I DID NOT ORDER THIS, I CAN'T AFFORD IT.


Then I saw where it came from...was even more puzzled because I knew I had not purchased anything from this company and then realized that it was the book(s) the member here wanted me to read.

THANK YOU!!!! I'm starting The Total Money Makeover as soon as I finish this post.

But I've been so spend conscious since coming here for the first time in my life I was not excited to see a box at the post office...instead I was thinking of all the stuff I should be doing with whatever money I had spent....I have all of you to thank for that...I just love this community.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Re: Funny Thing Happened This Morning

Cool!

[creditcardfree]

Re: Funny Thing Happened This Morning

Can't wait to hear what you think of his book.

[timetosave]

Re: Funny Thing Happened This Morning

Ok, I'm at baby step 1...can't move forward because I have to get current with my debts...car payment first.

I found the book difficult to read. Too many 'cute sayings' too many quotes from famous rich people...I kept skimming the pages to try and find the meat and just to go back and read all the fluff...I believe I'm on chapter 7 and we are finally getting to the plan itself...just to find out I must be current on all of my debts in order to make this work...makes sense but I wish he had said this in chapter 1, page 1 so I could have spent the past few hours getting the budget together he is now telling me to do.

Is his website free? Probably not. I will go there and check it out once I am current.

I think I will sell my bb cards I received as a gift should bring in more than enough to bring everything current. The sad part of this is that my boss gave those to me...60s Mickey Mantle cards...I hate to part with them

[creditcardfree]

Re: Funny Thing Happened This Morning

It's true that you have to be current for the plan, or any plan really to work, otherwise you risk never getting current and losing a house or a car.

Parts of his website are free. I personally don't have a subscription to it. I do listen to the show live occassionally or listen to the archives of radio shows. Those are free. From the home page, click on the listen live button on the upper right of the page, this take you to a screen where you can click on listen to the archives...then pick a date and listen...this way you can skip through his commercials.

Try not to get discouraged. Your first focus is to get current...all the money you can find that isn't for necessities needs to go to the car to get it current. Once you are current you will have some traction to move forward through some of the steps.

If you don't like the Dave Ramsey way, then keep getting ideas here from the rest of us. Just keep in mind...thousands of people have used his methods and they do work if you follow them, so it's not a scam of any kind.

Those BB cards would sure give you a great jump start. They were a gift...no strings attached, so they are yours to do what you wish. Give it a few days to make sure you are making the right decision.

[timetosave]

Re: Funny Thing Happened This Morning

I'm sure I will like his suggestions...I just am finding it difficult to get to the meat of the book...he, like so many other personal help authors take far too much time with fluff...I like straight forward academic writings...I've often wanted to read one of these books but knew I would never finish it because of this 'problem' but I will push forward, I have skipped all the testimonals...what a waste of space...

I will make a payment on the 7th of September and then another one on the 21st that will get me current with the car. Then it is just a matter of being disciplined...not using the car money to pay for other things I want and do not need...this is my problem, not that I don't have the money to pay my bills, but that I've never taken it seriously...never really cared...but I do now.

I will start reading the Suze Orman book today. I know I will get to the same place as I have with the other book (I have to be current to make any progress) but at least I will get through the fluff...I've seen her show and she is pretty cut and dry so I hope her book reads that way also.

Thank you so much for sending these books...knowledge is powerful.

[LuxLiving]

Re: Funny Thing Happened This Morning

Hi Time To Save -

You said:

"I have skipped all the testimonals...what a waste of space..."

Isn't that funny! I am the complete opposite, I search the testimonials in books just like I do this site and the WWW looking for tiny nuggets of wisdom, unheard of methods, new insights and OTHER ways of looking at our money! It is often just there hidden in plain sight - the answer to some dusty corner of my financial world that I've often pondered 'how do other people do it' that I find my answers!!

At any rate, I'm tickled you're moving ahead where you can!! GOOD GOOD GOOD!!!

-LuxLivingFrugalis

P.S. I couldn't possibly sell the BB cards until I had a least written him a thank you note had the boss over once for dinner and let him see them prominently on display! Isn't it interesting to read how other people do things?

However -- To each his own!! Good luck and I hope you profit well from the sale of them!

[scrava]

Re: Funny Thing Happened This Morning

Good Luck! I am so glad you have taken all the advice to heart!!

[Great to be Debt Free]

Re: Funny Thing Happened This Morning

Oh, wow! I'm laughing about your response when you saw the pakages -- it sounds like buyers remorse for somethign you didn't buy! LOL

But that's a good sign that things are really sinking in and your attitudes and actions are changing. Good job!

I hope the books help. When I read TMM I wasn't in a bad financial place, in fact, many of you may know from perevious posts that I thought it was silly to read it at all b/c we were doing so well. But by the time I got through it, I was SOLD! And poor DH who thought he could cherry-pick ideas was wrong, wrong, wrong! LOL -- Ok, we have adapted it a teency bit, but I encouraged him and then he convinced himself that REALLY following it would bring us to a better place where we can start the foundation we plan to build by 2012.

Skim away, but I'd also recommend that once the high tide of late payments is gone, that you maybe give it a more focused attention. It's a solid plan -- and one I only wish I'd had when my boat was sinking.

[timetosave]

Re: Funny Thing Happened This Morning

Oh, wow! I'm laughing about your response when you saw the pakages -- it sounds like buyers remorse for somethign you didn't buy! LOL

But that's a good sign that things are really sinking in and your attitudes and actions are changing. Good job!

I hope the books help. When I read TMM I wasn't in a bad financial place, in fact, many of you may know from perevious posts that I thought it was silly to read it at all b/c we were doing so well. But by the time I got through it, I was SOLD! And poor DH who thought he could cherry-pick ideas was wrong, wrong, wrong! LOL -- Ok, we have adapted it a teency bit, but I encouraged him and then he convinced himself that REALLY following it would bring us to a better place where we can start the foundation we plan to build by 2012.

Skim away, but I'd also recommend that once the high tide of late payments is gone, that you maybe give it a more focused attention. It's a solid plan -- and one I only wish I'd had when my boat was sinking.

Oh, I believe it is a solid plan...I just wish he would get to the plan...lol

I'm so excited about these books...I can't tell you how much this means to me.

[creditcardfree]

Re: Funny Thing Happened This Morning

I agree that the book may not be as cut and dry as you want...such as step one do this.

Keep in mind that this author, has a few other books, the TMMO is the most recent. He teaches many of these concepts at Financial Peace University which is taught at many churches. Of course, the fee to take that is over $100. I haven't taken the classes, but I would assume that they are a little more in depth than this book.

All the forms that he has he use for budgeting are at the back of the book. Have you taken a peak at those?

I found that the testimonials were inspiring. It's fun to read the tone of excitement in their stories. The point of putting them in there is to show you that other people have used this advice to make a difference in their financial situation...and that you can do it to.

You are already taking control. You have a plan to get current on your car! We are all so proud of you. Just take it one step at a time.

P.S. I'm not the one who sent the book. Not sure if you thought I was the one, but just in case you thought so.

[timetosave]

Re: Funny Thing Happened This Morning

I know who the dear loving person is that sent the book. A heart as big as the world...and to a complete stranger. If this does not keep me focused nothing will. I spent 125.00 this weekend for the next two weeks groceries (saving 75.00). I also cooked all the meals so we won't be running to the store because I've changed my mind about what to eat!

That's another 75.00 to the car!!!!

[lillyb]

Re: Funny Thing Happened This Morning

I really liked the fluff, it kept it real. Lots of real life from his personal experience, which helped me see that anyone can be 'dumb' in life, he was sure admitting he did that. The 'meat' is in there. But enjoy the fluff, too, he's quite entertaining.

[timetosave]

Re: Funny Thing Happened This Morning

I guess when you've spent the majority of your life in the roll of 'student' reading only academic text all else seems like fluff...I’m just not a fluff person...and have never really been good at finding only the 'meat' within...so I wind up reading the fluff...at least the testimonials are easy enough to skip...I like the book, just not it's delivery.