Comments on: Through The Looking Glass: Watching Someone Else Find Their Way Through Debt http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/08/through-the-looking-glass-watching-someone-else-find-their-way-through-debt/ Simple, applicable personal finance advice for the modern world Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:44:30 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: sjpeer http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/08/through-the-looking-glass-watching-someone-else-find-their-way-through-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-30297 sjpeer Wed, 30 May 2007 05:22:21 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/08/through-the-looking-glass-watching-someone-else-find-their-way-through-debt/#comment-30297 It's so important to just keep going. Once you get your finances under control you can take full advantage of any raises, bonuses, or other windfalls. Then, when you're back on your feet and eventually out of debt, you'll be able to start building wealth very quickly. I sometimes seems it will never get better, but there comes a point at which you see the sunlight. I'm a big proponent of Dave Ramsey's FPU. In fact I recently posted the first part of a <a href="http://www.gettingfinancesdone.com/blog/archives/2007/05/dave-ramseys-financial-peace-university-fpu-overview-part-1/" rel="nofollow">Financial Peace University Summary</a> that might be a useful review for those familiar with the program or an overview for those that have never heard of it. It’s so important to just keep going. Once you get your finances under control you can take full advantage of any raises, bonuses, or other windfalls. Then, when you’re back on your feet and eventually out of debt, you’ll be able to start building wealth very quickly. I sometimes seems it will never get better, but there comes a point at which you see the sunlight.

I’m a big proponent of Dave Ramsey’s FPU. In fact I recently posted the first part of a Financial Peace University Summary that might be a useful review for those familiar with the program or an overview for those that have never heard of it.

]]> By: Amy http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/08/through-the-looking-glass-watching-someone-else-find-their-way-through-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-5857 Amy Fri, 09 Feb 2007 17:46:14 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/08/through-the-looking-glass-watching-someone-else-find-their-way-through-debt/#comment-5857 That is great that you commented and were pleased with the advice you were given. I applaud you for being honest about the financial mistakes you have made and for sharing ways that you have improved your life. Usually you see one side of the coin or the other. Your story could serve as inspiration to moms everywhere that they can pull themselves out of debt, just as you have. Kudos to you for making the effort. Great post! That is great that you commented and were pleased with the advice you were given. I applaud you for being honest about the financial mistakes you have made and for sharing ways that you have improved your life. Usually you see one side of the coin or the other. Your story could serve as inspiration to moms everywhere that they can pull themselves out of debt, just as you have. Kudos to you for making the effort.

Great post!

]]> By: gmv http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/08/through-the-looking-glass-watching-someone-else-find-their-way-through-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-5694 gmv Thu, 08 Feb 2007 18:09:08 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/08/through-the-looking-glass-watching-someone-else-find-their-way-through-debt/#comment-5694 Dear Mama of 2: After reading Trent's post and seeing you respond, I just had to chip in my support for what you are going through! PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE keep diligently working Dave Ramsey's plan until things start to get better. Don't give up. Not every month will be pretty, but eventually you'll see improvement. (NOTE: you don't nec. have to do Dave's plan, but choose SOMEBODY's plan and do it. Dave's plan is one of the best to choose from.) Getting yourself unstuck will work especially well if you get mad at your debt and attack it with a vengence. It seriously helps when you evaluate all your expenses mercilessly and find ways to reduce them. For example, I cut off my digital cable and retained only the bare basic analog cable package for $16/mo. when I went through my first pass at expense reduction. It freed up almost $60 for me. If the analog cable package hadn't been available, I would have cut the cable off completely. I also tinkered with insurance deductibles, downgraded my phone package, etc. It might hurt but it frees up more cashflow to get yourself under control. Mama, I've been chipping away at this for nearly 2 years since I started doing things the Dave Ramsey way. My situation was horrible then -- similar to yours. I'm not out of the woods yet, but I've already paid off over $18K in debt and I always have money left over at the end of the month now to pay down a little extra. You are not alone! Keep working it! (P.S. - sorry Trent for hijacking your thread.) gmv Dear Mama of 2:

After reading Trent’s post and seeing you respond, I just had to chip in my support for what you are going through! PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE keep diligently working Dave Ramsey’s plan until things start to get better. Don’t give up. Not every month will be pretty, but eventually you’ll see improvement. (NOTE: you don’t nec. have to do Dave’s plan, but choose SOMEBODY’s plan and do it. Dave’s plan is one of the best to choose from.)

Getting yourself unstuck will work especially well if you get mad at your debt and attack it with a vengence. It seriously helps when you evaluate all your expenses mercilessly and find ways to reduce them.

For example, I cut off my digital cable and retained only the bare basic analog cable package for $16/mo. when I went through my first pass at expense reduction. It freed up almost $60 for me. If the analog cable package hadn’t been available, I would have cut the cable off completely. I also tinkered with insurance deductibles, downgraded my phone package, etc. It might hurt but it frees up more cashflow to get yourself under control.

Mama, I’ve been chipping away at this for nearly 2 years since I started doing things the Dave Ramsey way. My situation was horrible then — similar to yours. I’m not out of the woods yet, but I’ve already paid off over $18K in debt and I always have money left over at the end of the month now to pay down a little extra.

You are not alone! Keep working it! (P.S. – sorry Trent for hijacking your thread.)

gmv

]]> By: Mama of 2 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/08/through-the-looking-glass-watching-someone-else-find-their-way-through-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-5689 Mama of 2 Thu, 08 Feb 2007 17:16:44 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/08/through-the-looking-glass-watching-someone-else-find-their-way-through-debt/#comment-5689 Trent, I was surprised that you took such an interest in my little blog but it was a nice surprise. Thank you for what you have said here and giving me another place to come while my husband and I dig our way out of debt and also a place to continue to come when we have made our way to the other side. Oh yeah....no Jazzercise membership here. Just some cable exercise shows (already paying the cable bill) and an exercise bike that we have had for years. LOL! Thanks again...I'll be back. Mama of 2 Trent,

I was surprised that you took such an interest in my little blog but it was a nice surprise. Thank you for what you have said here and giving me another place to come while my husband and I dig our way out of debt and also a place to continue to come when we have made our way to the other side.

Oh yeah….no Jazzercise membership here. Just some cable exercise shows (already paying the cable bill) and an exercise bike that we have had for years. LOL!

Thanks again…I’ll be back.
Mama of 2

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