Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

[razz]

Who of us wouldn’t like to go back in time and slap some sense into our younger selves?

+1

[Teacher Terry]

UL, you are on the only path that makes sense. We all make perfect choices in hindsight as my mom used to say). The only sensible thing now is to build a emergency fund and put your irregular bills into your monthly budget. You also need to save for retirement. Some fields just don’t pay very well. Despite all my education and experience I never made more than 62k/year and the state took 4K off the top and put it towards my pension. Most people can’t just double their salary.

[Ultralight]

I would not query if someone chooses differently. EG - some at your age are taking on household mortgages at present to have a new house right now -$500,000 and more plus new car payments, basic living expenses and daycare costs. They want it all now! Others are making modest home choices, keeping cars for years and living on a strict budget as DH and I did.
Their choice, their consequences and none of my business.

I live in a small, one bedroom apartment. I have a paid off 2012 Nissan Versa. My lifestyle is very austere (except for restaurants and an occasional trip abroad). I ain't living high on the hog here.

That said, I don't think anyone is giving you a hard time as much as you keep raising it and explaining it in so many of your posts. Just let it go. Your choice, your consequences, your business.

People make comments and ask questions regarding my loans. So I address these comments and questions. That is essentially the whole purpose of forums like this. Discussion, debate, interchange of ideas and such.

Rationalize - 1. attempt to explain or justify (behaviour or an attitude) with logical reasons,

Would you rather I irrationalize? haha

[Ultralight]

So, in your case, until step two is done, your going to be building a HUGE, $165K in the bank fund, and when you do actually get your loan(s), forgiven, then you would use that money to build your emergency fund and start investing for retirement. Not before.
If your loans are NOT one giant loan, but several, then you still need to be forthcoming and list them as separate. Then following the program, which you think is crazy, you would be somewhere between your estimates of what you would pay, and what you stated you thought was crazy.

My student loan is one big loan.

[Ultralight]

So your learning to budget, so known expenses are not emergencies. That is good.
However you said in that first post, that you were going to build that real emergency fund, which is step 3.
http://www.daveramsey.com/baby-steps

Here is a quote from myself earlier in this discussion:

"So I am essentially starting Dave's system from the bottom.

I will save the $1,000, then hammer at the medical debt, then build the real emergency fund. "

[ToomuchStuff]

Here is a quote from myself earlier in this discussion:

"So I am essentially starting Dave's system from the bottom.

I will save the $1,000, then hammer at the medical debt, then build the real emergency fund. "

Exactly, skipping step 2 and going to step three before all debt is done. It is a modified plan, not DR plan.

[Teacher Terry]

It’s the only sensible plan and makes zero sense to do it another way.

[Ultralight]

Exactly, skipping step 2 and going to step three before all debt is done. It is a modified plan, not DR plan.

Did you read the book? He makes room for certain exceptions. While he did not specifically mention my situation, it actually conforms to one of his other exceptions fairly closely.

We'll perhaps be finding out his thoughts on it as I emailed him.

Do you feel this way about other things in life? This level of black or white thinking?

Like, my mom is a Catholic. But she supports a woman's right to choose abortion. Is she not a Catholic or is she a modified Catholic?

I am a huge lefty liberal, but I support free speech. Does this mean I am not a real lefty liberal?

I love seafood, but not octopus. Does this mean I don't love seafood?

[Ultralight]

It’s the only sensible plan and makes zero sense to do it another way.

True dat!

Even if Dave was like: "Move into your car and pay off the full $165k!" I'd be like: "No thanks, Dave."

[ToomuchStuff]

Did you read the book? He makes room for certain exceptions. While he did not specifically mention my situation, it actually conforms to one of his other exceptions fairly closely.

We'll perhaps be finding out his thoughts on it as I emailed him.

Do you feel this way about other things in life? This level of black or white thinking?

Like, my mom is a Catholic. But she supports a woman's right to choose abortion. Is she not a Catholic or is she a modified Catholic?

I am a huge lefty liberal, but I support free speech. Does this mean I am not a real lefty liberal?

I love seafood, but not octopus. Does this mean I don't love seafood?

I have read the book. When I did, I had been monitoring my spending for several years, including keeping track of all purchases. I had two debts and knew it didn't apply (last mortgage payment and a $1200 CC bill for a repair that I paid off the next month after celebrating no more mortgage). I was given the book to pass on after discussing with a gal I know who was offered a membership, and then the mutual friend of DR and mine.
I see the world as shades of gray, however we (my siblings and myself), were raised with very black and white senses. What might be right for someone else, and be something acceptable in society for us, would still be very wrong.
There are a lot of lessons I learned in life that seem opposite of normal.

EDIT: I doubt you actually hear back from him, but would be interested if you did. (he gets a lot of email)