Starting in October, David and I were encouraged to look into taking a financial class. See my in laws were taking the same class and after one class were extremely excited about it and felt that it was important and valuable enough to encourage us to take it also. So we found one that had not started yet, and that worked with our schedule, which left us with Thursday and Friday nights. It was not so much what we learned but that we are now on the same page. Which is huge!
What is the "program"?
Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University What is great about this is that it is possible! We are almost debt free and we will be in April! This is so exciting because I have had some kind of loan since entering college. He shows how to live without credit cards, car loans (YES WITHOUT THEM!) and tells why credit scores do not need to be part of your life. It is such a relief to know that we can see the end. Our next step is to get our six months of expenses saved, just in case. Then it is time to start focusing on retirement, college, and paying off the house (which by adding just $100 a month we will have it paid off in 10 years). Talk about financial peace. I am not trying to sell this, but it is exciting to see that we can do this. It has not been easy. We live without some of the "necessities" that some think are needed. In fact, we used what we learned this year on our trip to Colorado and for Christmas. We did not put one thing on a credit card and were not scared of "the bill" that comes in January, for there was not one.
The other part of that, is that I really have wanted and needed to loose weight. I started to run again in September, but come the end of November it was too dark in the mornings and getting a little scary to be out running. After the first of the year, all the gyms start sending fliers, you all know the ones. I got one from a well known gym, one which I love and worked for. Well, I called to see how much it would cost and was BLOWN AWAY at how expensive it was. But using one of the principles I learned, I called other gyms in the area. For the same type of plan, same time frame, and two months added because I was paying cash, I was able to get a membership for 50% less than the other. I am loving the workouts. I take Sundays off and get to about two classes a day. I can't stand the treadmill, or other stationary equipment. If I am running I want to go somewhere and be outside. The classes are great and the instructors do not look like Jillian and Bob, but like normal in shape humans. They are not intimidating but very nice and encouraging. I do not know exactly how much I have lost, because our scale is really messed up (a certain four year old) but I should have a good idea of fat loss after tomorrow. I am really hoping that I can be at my goal by Zane's 5th birthday. Which would put me at a weight I was before I started teaching. How wonderful that would be. If I follow the two pounds a week it would be before that but I also want to be realistic.
So hopefully I will be able to do one of those really cool before and after pictures that people are like "is that the same person?" I am determined this time. My next purchase will be the Bodybugg. Just have to save some money for that.
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