We have had many people ask us about our Dave story, and I finally was encouraged to sit and write it all out after Sunday School this morning. Our church started up his class this past week, and my husband impromptu decided to share a little bit about our blessing from the program. As I saw the eyes of some other desperate people in our church longing to be debt free, I decided to share as much of our full story as I could.
Before I get started, I want you to understand that I am sharing this so that others (possibly yourself if you need the encouragement) to see that it is possible. I know for me, seeing people on the commercials or on the videos was neat, but it was not REAL to me because I had no clue who they were. This is me. This is our story and it is as real and dirty as the pig in the pen down the road. I share this for God's glory. He provided over and above opportunities for both CR and I to work more than usual for us to meet these goals. We prayed and prayed for abilities, desires, and jobs to come our way. I felt like during this time, the verse ""Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, " Luke 16:10 was living out right in front of us. At first we just had a few ways and as God saw us being faithful to Him with what we had, he provided more and more each week for us to work more to earn the money. As I look back I am brought to tears in awe of his grace for us.
Now, for our debt free journey.
When we got married in November of 2006, I came into our marriage with about $50,000 in student debt and a brand new car that carried a $30,000 loan balance. Within that next year, we moved to South Texas and were convinced we needed a Rain Soft Water softener from Home Depot for about $4000. No big deal, just open a Home Depot credit card and pay it off in 6 months interest free. Well then I did not get a teaching job that next year, and just subbed. Whoops. With all my free time I decided why not get my masters degree? Just add it to my student debt. A year and half later and $30,000 added to my student loans (which I was always told was good debt .... LIES) I had my Masters. Big deal. At my new teaching gig it only gave me a $1000 bonus. Not so much of a promise to be worth it and pay for itself soon. Yikes. That next summer since I was not getting pregnant on my terms of timeliness I decided to get my principal certification. It was JUST $6000 through the ESC and I could pay it off within the year I was in the program. But what about all that other debt? Oh, just keep paying the minimums and you will get through eventually. Yikes. And then since we still weren't getting pregnant, why not build a house? And get a Direct Buy membership for $3000 to help you with those expenses ... you know, going through Direct Buy will save you 10 times over your membership cost when building a new home yourself. FALSE. So, let's recap .... we are at about $123,000 in debt scattered out here and there so it didn't look that bad. Whoa. How did that even happen? That did not even include the house.
In January of 2010 is when we started the process of our house. We took Dave Ramsey in March of that year. As we were going through the class, some emotions of regret MAY have creeped up our backs at each meeting. But this is where we were, so let's buckle down and get to it. I have on my notes that when we started getting serious, we were $225, 000 in debt including the house. By December of 2013 we were down to $157, 766 (with the house) and by June of 2014, we were debt free except the house. I say that because that is the way Dave Ramsey likes to do it. You pay off everything except the house, then build on other things (emergency fund, college, retirement) and then pay off the house after all of that. So, to wrap it up, we paid off over $123,000 in debt (I say over because of the WONDERFUL interest rates) in about 4 years. In those 4 years, I had 2 children via c-section (hello hospital bills), quit my full time teaching job to stay home, started a new business, sold a car and cash flowed a newer one, and still survived. We definitely could have cut even more corners than we did. FOR SURE. However, this is what worked for us. I remember sharing with my parents and grandmother one night over dinner that at the end of each month, I usually cook beans and cornbread (instead of rice and beans like Dave suggests) because it really does save on groceries. I remember my grandmother looking at me puzzled and said, "Oh Lauren, y'all aren't that bad off, are you?" I said, "No, but right now, until we get out of this burden on our shoulders, we will do whatever we can to save wherever we can."
Being able to take a vacation to Disney World after we were debt free, was such an amazing feeling. Here is our "WE'RE DEBT FREE" scream.
Another thing, we did not, and I say this with such thanks to God but encourage you to not skimp on it either, ever miss a tithe for church. We truly believe that because we were faithful with that, the Lord was faithful and continued to provide ways to work above and beyond.
"You must set aside a tithe of your crops--one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year." Deut. 14:22
Do you have a Dave Ramsey story? I would love to hear!!! We are on Baby Step 4 and so eager to get to pay off the house within a few more years.
