Hey, don't laugh. That's big news around here. Cover to cover in under two days. I haven't accomplished that since before Punky was born. Aside from her books, that is. Those I've read literally hundreds of times. They are burned in my brain for eternity, which comes in handy at bedtime when I'm exhausted. I can close my eyes and recite the stories word for word and Punky is none the wiser. I even know when to turn the page.
Anyway, the book was something I wanted, so when Punky's dad asked for an idea for Christmas I took the opportunity to put a bug in his ear. I eventually ended up writing it down for him as well after he asked me "What was the name of that book again?" for the third time. I even told him where to buy it.
It took a few years for me to truly catch on to the fact that he's a naturally terrible gift giver. I know, it's the thought that counts, but his gifts generally leave me wondering what the hell that thought was exactly. Trust me, I'd rather accept this fact (and forgo the element of surprise and romantic feelings that occur when your guy demonstrates he really gets you by choosing the perfect gift) and end up with something I actually want, than leave him to his own devices and risk another neon pink birdhouse kitchen decoration. Enough said.
So, where was I? Oh yeah, the book. Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover. I actually read about it on several other blogs and decided I wanted to read it myself. Punky's dad and I both make decent money, but we can certainly manage it better. The bills are paid, we can afford the things we need without much struggle and have money left over here and there, but we aren't really saving much or getting ahead at all. We both came into this relationship with financial baggage and I want to get rid of it as quickly as possible. We need a bigger house, we need a better retirement plan, and we need to save for Punky's education.
As I started reading, I was surprised to see that I already practice many of his suggestions. I haven't used credit cards in almost a decade, I have an emergency fund, I fall into the 3% of people that actually pay additional on their mortgages every single month, and I've used his whole "debt snowball" concept in the past. I've always considered myself good with money, and the book reinforced that belief to a degree, but it also helped me identify the root causes of some of our money problems and formulate a plan to fix them. Now I just need her dad's cooperation.
When it comes to finances, we're polar opposites. I'm not much of a shopper and I really spend very little money on myself. I'm not into clothes, jewelry, spa treatments, or trips to the beauty parlor. I don't buy purses, shoes, or even new underwear for that matter, until I truly need it. I don't collect things for the sake of collecting them. I rarely spend money on things like movies, music, or nights out with friends. And when I want something that falls outside the necessity category, I plan ahead and save the money up front. I do my research. I'm not an impulse buyer.
Her dad, on the other hand, likes stuff. For every ounce of minimalist in me, he has two ounces of packrat. The things he hoards are generally cheap when you look at them individually, but add them together and it's a whole new ball game. This is where we seem to have the biggest breakdown in communication. He sees a five-dollar T-shirt and buys it because it's only five bucks. Why pay twenty later when you need one if you can pay five now and have it on hand? In his mind, he's saving us fifteen dollars. In my mind, he's wasting five on something he doesn't need and hogging valuable closet space in the process. This same difference of opinion applies to everything from tools to canned goods in the pantry. And don't even get me started on yard sale purchases of other people's junk.
Right now I'm in the process of analyzing our spending and creating a budget so we can hopefully pay off some of the debt that is limiting our options and causing riffs in our relationship. He's not fully on board yet, but I definitely peaked his interest when a quick math job showed him we could potentially pay his truck off entirely in as little as nine months if we take control of our money. It's worth a shot, right?
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