Dave Ramsey rocks. Really. Even my husband, who has never balanced his bank account in his life, respects the man and his common sense. Financial Peace University (FPU) was more of a reminder for me - I spent most lessons thinking, "This is what my parents do!" rather than being shocked as some people are by the idea of using cash, or that auto loans aren't a way of life. No, there were no big shocks to me in FPU. That's not to say that it wasn't worth it! Financial Peace was a wonderful tool for resetting our financial priorities, working on the future together, and meeting others with the same lifestyle. As with anything, having friends who are going through the same experiences with you makes it much easier and more pleasant.
For the most part. See, on the community forums and discussion boards on the Dave Ramsey sites, there's one snippet of information that I just can't handle. According to the boards, $100 per month per person is what you're expected to spend on food, including groceries and dining out. If you dine out, you know you can blow that in one meal! Even if you always eat at home, $100 per person for a whole month is tough. Add my husband's low-carb specialty food, my picky son's favorites, and the amount of food our 2-year-old "shares" with the pets and the floor, and $100 becomes a distant dream, like a legend of yore. "Once upon a time, there was a family that lived on $100 per person per month... ".
Are there families who do it? Absolutely. Have we done it? On occasion, when I dedicated myself to cooking everything from scratch, every meal, every snack, everything. We shop at warehouse stores, buy generics, and use coupons. Ultimately, though, it's just not enough. Sorry, Dave. I think some nights I burn more calories cooking than eating. Sure the frozen, portioned, "natural" chicken breasts at Sam's are $2/lb, but I don't want to think about the various "cost cutting" measures that went into that price (shudder!). Sometimes I need food that's fresh, or organic, or gourmet - especially since we don't go out to eat any more. I truly admire the people who live on ramen noodles and peanut butter and pay off their debt in 3 months, but I just can't do that to my family. Perhaps if it were still just my husband and I, or if we owed the IRS or had some big scary debt like that. Yes, all debt is evil, but I just can't get so upset about my auto loan to starve. When our day comes to call in to The Dave Ramsey Show and yell, we'll be the ones saying, "We're debt free, AND we're full!"
