Thursday, December 3, 2009

The End of the Beginning

Today will conclude my First FPU class that I have coordinated. It was a lot of fun. I look forward to coordinating another one. If you have ever taken one of these classes, you feel like you have walked away with more family. Sometimes closer knit than your own family. This course allows you to be vulnerable to others in the group. More than likely, someone else in the class is in the same seat as you. Talking about finances has been a faux pas for a very long time. We can talk about anything with people but finances. For some reason that seems to be too sacred even to talk with your spouse about sometimes. This class helps break that mold that everyone has painted in your mind. It allows you to be open and honest and hear what has worked for other people. This course is not just simply watching a DVD that has Dave Ramsey speaking, but the fellowship and friendships you are able to make in this class. It also gives you a support group. To cheer when it is time to cheer and to cry if necessary if it requires tears. These people want to see you succeed as much as you want you to succeed.

The beginning of class obviously everyone is very motivated to get going and beat debt. However, some find out it is a longer road out than they thought. That is when the group can help support you emotionally and give you those ideas that might help you get over the hump.

Throughout our class, we shared many stories with one another, shared ideas, shared recipes and shared our time together. It was awesome to see a lot of my class cut up their credit cards. My wife and I cut those up shortly after we were married. Since our honeymoon, my wife and I have not used a credit card to make a single purchase! Do you know how liberating it is to know that I do not have to pay for something I may have bought 6 months ago? It is AWESOME!!!!

So today marks the end of the beginning for many of my fellow co-workers. They will be out there fighting the fight of Freedom from debt! May the Lord help keep them focused on paying off their debts. It will be awesome to see them be able to GIVE like no one else when they achieve this goal! GO TEAM FPU!!!! I am proud of you and look forward to hearing many of your success stories!!!

Feeling Grateful and Humble,

Your Financial Health Moment!

4 comments:

  1. Have you heard of Mellody Hobson? She's a financial advisor and she did a special on ABC back in May, with these celebs explaining credit cards, mortgages, the stock market indexes, investing, etc. It was humorous, entertaining and informative. The celebs were Will Smith, Samuel L. Jackson, Seth Green, The Jonas Brothers, Christian Slater, Antonio Banderas, Rosario Dawson, Marisa Tomei, Cedric the Entertainer, Oscar the Grouch and The E-Trade Babies. The special was called Unbroke: What You Need to Know About Money. Is was so good, and actually presented the information in a way that the average person could understand. If you haven't already seen it, maybe you can find it online. I have it on my DVR from all the way back in May, and refuse to delete it, it's THAT good.

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  2. Another question for you. I've been hearing on the radio and on various talk shows that credit card companies will be hiking up their interest rates to like 29% or something outrageous like that. You can opt out of these interest hikes, if you close the account completely. What would you suggest? Taking the percentage increase or closing the cards?

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  3. Definitely closing the cards if you have your $1000.00 emergency fund in place. Are you still using the credit cards? If you are, I would encourage you to use cash or debit card.

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  4. Is "Anonymous" talking to me or to Mike?!?! And Mike, where are you? Is the hustle and bustle of the season keeping you from blogging?!?!?! Missing your tidbits of wisdom! Hoping this post was not the "end of the beginning" for this blog!

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