Financial Peace University

This is my speech for Sunday.  Didn't want to make it too lengthy to bore people, but I also wanted to get plenty of information in.  Please feel free to critique!  I've got an English degree, so I'm use to something "average" being reworked into something "good".  I promise not to be offended if you have a suggestion!  Better that than me embarrass myself in front of the church!!


Instead of one of the professionally crafted videos advertising Financial Peace University, this Sunday you get me.  Sorry about that guys.

I just wanted to let you know what attending FPU classes, along with learning the principles Dave Ramsey teaches, have done in my life.  The class isn't magic.  Dave isn't uber intelligent money guru.  These are simple, common sense ways of handling money, that we, as a country, have lost sight of.

I attended FPU fresh out of college - complete with student loans and a brand new $400 a month car payment in hand.  Every time Dave said "sell the car!" on the FPU videos I new he was talking about me.

If you can keep a secret - I didn't sell it. 

I did, however, took a hard look at my money situation.  Keeping the car meant making sacrifices - including living with my parents for a few years while I cleaned up the mess of "normalcy" I had gotten myself into.

Eleven years later I stand before you blessed.  Monetarily, yes in some ways.  But I'm not talking about a lottery ticket falling from the sky.  I'm blessed to be the proud own of a paid for 11 year old car.   I've been student loan free for almost a decade. 

When my husband and I married, I started to get a better idea of what Financial Peace was all about.  He's a self employed salesman, he doesn't have an hourly rate or even an annual salary.  Straight commission can be a scary place to be. 

While he's never attended FPU, we've discussed Dave's seven baby steps and have adapted them to our lives.  Thanks to baby step 3 (an emergency fund of 3-6 months worth of expenses) we don't have to stress about whether or not he has a commission check coming in.

I listen to Dave's radio show whenever possible, and he says that one of the biggest issues couples fight about is money.  Instead, money discussions bring us together.  Monthly we sit down to review our past month's spend and look ahead to the next month.  These principles have also given us cause to review our long term goals.  And as they say "If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time."

Instead, we chose to aim to buy or build a reasonable priced house in the farm house style.  Last year, we were able to find just a house.  I will admit that being married to your realtor does help things, but we found our dream home - in a price range that would be considered modest in this area.

I hope you'll consider Financial Peace University and how it could benefit your family.  Thank you.