The Truth About Debt

Recently Linda talked on the phone with a dear friend who we had not talked with for some time. During the conversation she found out that our friends had recently got out of debt. Let me say that again... they got OUT OF DEBT! Needles to say, Linda was excited for them. She learned that they had come to a place where they had over 19K of debt and were really struggling. Then she found out that they knocked out that 19K in only 18 months. WOW!

After getting off the phone she told me about her conversation. I was duly impressed as well.

Linda and I desperately want to be where our friends are now... debt free! Linda and I have been fairly successful with keeping out of credit card debt and we have always been what most people call frugal. We have even lead Crown Financial small group studies and done financial counseling at our church. But recently we have felt the struggle of making ends meet.

Linda wanted to know more so she sent our friends an e-mail asking for more details of how they did it. That is when we got introduced to Dave Ramsey and his book The Total Money Makeover. Since I do not really like to read, Linda has been reading it to me. I feel like I am having a little bit of a revival! I have known the concepts he covers but they were not being lived out in day-to-day living.

We finished the third and fourth chapter today. The third chapter deals with Debt Myths and Truths. These Myths about debt and evangelistic debt culture have crept into our lives. Linda and I are going to finish the book and get back on track!!!

Here is one of the Myths and Truths from Dave Ramsey's web site:

The Truth About Debt
Myth: Debt is a tool and should be used to help create prosperity.
Truth: Debt isn't used by wealthy people nearly as much as we are led to believe.

You can find several of the other myths and truths at the end of The Truth About Debt.