Weekend With Dave

Last weekend I had the chance to go to the E Center in Salt Lake City to listen to Dave Ramsey, the financial guru, speak live about the Total Money Makeover. I was first introduced to Dave Ramey's ideas while working at BYU-Idaho in the Financial Aid Office. I went through his 13 week course at work and really enjoyed it. I think a lot of this man and his ideas. So my blog today includes a letter directly from Dave. Read on:

"I have an unusual way of looking at the world. My wife, Sharon, says I’m weird, and truthfully – I am weird. But there’s a reason. Starting from nothing, by the time I was 26 I had a net worth of a little over a million dollars. I was making $250,000 a year – that’s more than $20,000 a month net taxable income. I was really having fun. But 98 percent truth is a lie and that other 2 percent can cause big problems, especially with $4 million in real estate. I had a lot of debt – a lot of short term debt – and I’m the idiot who signed up for the trip.

The short version of the story is that debt caused us over the course of two and a half years of fighting it to lose everything. We didn’t tell anyone what was going on, but if we had to do it again, we would learn from the wisdom of others who have been through it. We soon learned that we were not the only ones at the bottom. Barbie and Ken (you know, the couple who appear to be perfect – perfect clothes, perfect car, perfect house) are broke, and I don’t take financial advice from broke people anymore.

After losing everything, I went on a quest to find out how money really works, how I could get control of it, and how I could have confidence in handling it. I read everything I could get my hands on. I interviewed older rich people, people who made money and kept it. That quest led me to a really, really uncomfortable place – my mirror. I came to realize that my money problems, worries, and shortages largely began and ended with the person in my mirror. I realized also that if I could learn to manage the character I shaved with every morning, I would win with money.


I went back to my first love, real estate, so I could eat and get out of debt. Along the way I began another path – the path of helping others, literally millions of others, take the same quest to the mirror.


I formed our company in 1988 to counsel folks hurting from the results of financial stress. I’ve paid the “stupid tax” (mistakes with dollar signs on the end) so hopefully some of you won’t have to. I wrote the book Financial Peace based on all that Sharon and I had learned and began selling it out of my car. With a friend of mine, I started a local radio call-in show called “The Money Game,” now nationally syndicated as “The Dave Ramsey Show.”


Our company history is full of landmarks leading up to the release of our third best-selling book in 2003 – The Total Money Makeover – and we’re not slowing down. Our company now has more than 200 team members and a variety of products and services to help you reach your financial goals.


Many companies define success based on the dollars coming in, but at our company we define our success by the number of lives changed: listeners getting out of debt, readers taking their first Baby Step and saving $1,000, FPU graduates investing for their future. We learned early on that if we help enough people, the money will come. Our mission statement isn’t just lip service; it’s our mantra:


The Lampo Group, Inc. is providing biblically based, common sense education and empowerment which gives HOPE to everyone from the financially secure to the financially distressed."


He introduced his wife and children while in Salt Lake and I was very impressed with the kindness he showed his family. The respect they have for their parents is apparent. What an example!



There are not a lot of people in this world that I really admire and respect, but he is definitely one of those few. I am really glad I had to experience to see him live. If any of you get the chance to listen to him or see him....TAKE IT!! There is nothing weird or kooky about what he says, it really is all common sense. For example, if you don't have money, don't buy something. Novel concept I know but that is really how easy it is. I highly recommend his books as well. If you get the chance just to listen to him on the radio, do it because that give you an idea as well. And best of all....he is really funny!

Naughty Girl

Last night after eating dinner and a motorcycle ride, the kids wanted to go outside on a "mouse hunt." For those of you not familiar with the mouse hunt it is where the kids go outside and turn over large rocks, wood, sticks, etc. to find mice to "capture" (but mostly to scream hysterically and then chase them down).

The kids had been out on their mouse hunt for about twenty minutes when they came back in the house totally winded and trying to out talk one another. Complete chaos as you try to listen to two children at once. Makes me wonder how my mother ever listened to all six of us at once (you must have developed an ear for it Mom!). Finally after reminding them that when they both talk no one can be understood they elected Zack as the spokesman. While on their mouse hunt they found a beautiful little bright blue Robin's egg. Unfortunately for the Robin, it had a small hole in it so it was damaged. Zack carried that around and was quite proud of himself.

One thing let to another and sure enough jealousy ensued. Zack proceeded to make a "nest" for the egg out of paper towels which he carefully wrapped around the egg. When he was in another room, little miss princess tiptoed into the room where the egg lay wrapped and promptly crushed the egg because, "he wouldn't share the egg with me."

Well little sister, how do you share an egg? Evidently she wanted to hold it and he wasn't letting her so in the true spirit of sibling rivalry, she decided that if she wasn't holding it then neither would he. Naughty little sister. Tears and crying ensued and both children were promptly sent to bed.

Outfit #1

Ok, Lisa and Kim....This is outfit number one. I will wear the other one tomorrow and get my friend Emily to capture that one for the "Fashion Show." Sorry there are only two but that is all I could afford with the accessories.

Seriously?!

Yesterday I went shopping for myself. This is a big deal because I didn't go to DI or Walmart...I went to an actual store. I spent some time browsing until I found a couple of outfits I REALLY liked. I was feeling pretty good about myself until I got to the counter to checkout. That is when the following conversation took place:

Salesgirl: Do you want a gift receipt with your purchase today?

Me: Um.....No thank you.

Salesgirl: Ok, if the person you are buying this for doesn't like it or if the clothing doesn't fit she can bring it back.

Me: Um.....ok.

Salesgirl: Oh, you aren't buying this for you are you?

Me: Well, yeah.

Salesgirl: Well then, this is exciting for you....a whole new style.

Me: (utter shock and silence) Ok.

Honestly what do you say to something like that? I was dressed in one of my work outfits and thought I looked decent. I didn't think the new outfits were that different from what I had on. Oh my, a whole new style. I am not sure I am ready for such a drastic change. Too bad for her, I love the clothes and look great.

BEFORE?

AFTER?

A Night At The Museum

For family night last night we went to the Idaho Falls Museum to see the Egyptian exhibit "World of the Pharoahs." It was fantastic!! We were invited to go with my in-laws and had a great time. I was impressed that I actually knew what they were talking about in most of the exhibit information. I am grateful for movies like "The Mummy" and "The Mummy Returns" which gave me much of my background.

All kidding aside, I really did enjoy seeing some of the artifacts they had discovered and reading about the lives and practices of ancient Egyptians. As always, the Museum of Idaho did a fantastic job displaying the exhibit and had really fun play rooms for the kids to enjoy as well.

We are very lucky to live close enough to take advantage of really amazing exhibits. Previously we have also been able to see the exhibit "A Dinosaur Named Sue." I am pretty excited to see what they will bring next.

My Bad

Sorry to Mac for the last post. I made a most horrific error!! He graduated from Utah State University in Logan. Yeah, I know I am a dork, no comment needed on the matter.

Mac Is Graduating

This coming weekend my brother-in-law, Mac, is graduating with his Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Utah. We are really proud of him. I told him I was going to do a blog about him and he HATES the idea so that gave me even more reason to do one. hehehehe....sorry Mac (but not really)!

Sharman is a huge advocate of obtaining education so when we received Mac's graduation announcement there was no question of whether or not we would go. He is really proud of Mac and wants to make sure that Mac knows how important this is to him. Although Mac did this for himself and his family, Sharman is as proud as a parent.

While in school earning his degree (Mac), Laurie joined him and is working on her degree also. I cannot imagine the amount of sacrifice and work it takes for both of them to attend school with two small children. When we were at the University of Idaho we both attended school but we did not have children at the time. We are extremely proud of them and the work they are doing. Mac has had several job interviews and we are hoping that they will keep him and his family will end up staying close to the rest of us. We would sure be lonely without them and the cute kiddos around.

Congratulations Mac!! You make us proud!