Hope Is The Dream Of A Soul Awake

“When you do nothing, you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved, you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better.”

As some of my most loyal readers know, I eat, sleep, bath, and drink personal finance.  It’s sometimes all I talk about, definitely all I think about, and I seriously love blogging about it!  I absolutely NEVER EVER pass up an opportunity to discuss with someone the benefits of debt freedom.  My co-workers and friends, even the ones that aren’t completely on board, seem to know deep down inside they should be at least more concerned with their financial habits.  My General Manager is rocking the debt snowball with excitement, and others are getting to know the budgeting process, and everyone I work with has received AT LEAST one FPU Dumping Debt audio lesson that I order in mass quantities to pass out freely.  It may as well become a part of the training!  You get hired, fill out your new-hire paperwork, get your uniforms, and then go see Brad. I love it!

The other night I was finishing up some end of the night chores, and one of my managers asked me a question about credit.  Now I was a little surprised, because he asked me what was the best way to establish credit.  Now either his ability to phase out the crazy man talking about how STUPID debt is, is supernatural, OR he just bought the myth that you MUST establish credit and figured there was no way I could be against that.  Either way he was about to get an ear full.  I quickly pointed out the fact that it was a myth, explained why, and let him know exactly what he would need to do when the time came to buy a house.  For those of you on the edge of your seat right now, the process is called manual underwriting.  It’s where your ability to obtain a mortgage is based on real life factors, rather than a 3 digit slave number.  Yes, I said slave number.  You may want to disagree with that, but think about it-the borrower is slave to the lender.  For the record, I am completely on board with the 100% down plan, but just as Dave Ramsey has realized, some or most people are not willing to make that leap and feel they must get a mortgage.

Anyway, we talked and talked about money and the perils of debt!  Maybe he was convinced, and maybe he wasn’t, who knows?  One thing I have learned about talking to people about this is that someone convinced against their will, is of the same opinion. If I reach them I am grateful, but if I don’t, at least I know that the seed was planted to possibly be harvested in the future.  I must of at least made a dent because what he said next floored me.  He told me he had to help his parents get out of debt.  First of all, this young man is 20 years old, and second anyone who is willing to sacrifice their own time and money to help someone else climb out of a hole, that they themselves didn’t dig, is a selfless individual.  My initial question to him was why did HE have to do it?  He simply said that they lost all hope.  I’ll say that again.  They lost all hope! They all but gave up and debt was the reason.  Doesn’t it make sense?  No matter who you are, when looking at a pile of debt that seems to be mounting by the second, you just want to run.  You want to run far, far away!  The truth is you can’t run from debt now, it’s too late.  You have to face it and beat it!  The time to run is in the beginning before you start.  That’s when you run!  Dealing with it will make you and your marriage stronger, and do wonders for your financial peace!  So decide to deal with it.

I asked him how much debt they had.  He wasn’t sure but he said it was less than $100,000, and possibly less than $50,000.  I smiled and told him that I knew of the PERFECT plan and that there was hope after all.  I went to my now legendary Honda CRX and pulled three Dumping Debt audio lessons from my stash.  One for him, one for his mom and dad, and one for whoever else they wanted to share it with.  I wrote on the wrappers Dave’s website, my website, and Dave’s book, The Total Money Makeover.  I told him that if his mom read that book and listened to that CD, she would most likely see hope again.  To be clear, the answer is not really the book though, the answer is YOU!  Dave Ramsey is just REALLY GOOD at getting you to realize that.  It’s not a magic book!  It’s not a quick fix!  It’s really more of a plan to use once you realize you are in control.  Having steps to follow makes it seem less overwhelming.  I promise you it works, but don’t take my word for it, go read it yourself!

Do you feel this way?  No matter how much debt you have, IT WILL STEAL YOUR HOPE! It will make you consider painful things like bankruptcy, divorce, and in some cases suicide!  It will make you settle for the bondage it causes!  It will make you feel like there is no other way.  It will cause you to start justifying your bondage by saying things like, “everyone else is doing it”!!  Everyone else IS doing it, and everyone else is BROKE TOO!  When you have no hope, you do not see a way out in order to take action!!  I am here to tell you that there is hope!  I am here to tell you to take action!  Take action and stop the bleeding.  Stop borrowing more money.  Do a budget and cut the waste from your life so that you can actually have a life.  You can do it and I know for a fact that you can!  WE DID!  I know of countless others who have done it too!  You are no different!  Take action and stop accepting the status quo,because you deserve better than that!  You deserve freedom and as soon as you realize that the weight of your burden will suddenly feel lighter.  You will be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and that light will motivate you!

Have you lost hope?  If so, you have nothing to lose by considering my suggestions.  Get the book!  Read it and then come here to stay motivated!!  New To EOD? What do you think about the almighty FICO score?  Do you worship at that alter, or have you too, decided to be free?