Frugal Living & Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps
Have You Ever Sat There Wondering What To Do About Money?
I mean really truly wondering about how to pay down debt. Save for retirement and maybe just maybe go on a vacation. We did a few years ago actually. It was a part of frugal living and the Dave Ramsey baby steps.
Rough Economy
A few years ago my husband lost his job, a good one. He had trained for this job, he had even put in months away from our family.
Then the job was gone…. downsizing.
What Do You Do When You Lose Your Job?
You dust yourself off and pick up the pieces and move on. In the moving on and picking up the pieces we discovered Dave Ramsey.
Job Loss
Each and every person will adjust to job loss in a different way. But essentially you need an income, you need to budget, you need to live frugally and you need to get back into the game.
Who Is Dave Ramsey?
If you don’t know who Dave Ramsey is, you should. Not for the sake of knowing who’s, who. You should know who Dave Ramsey is for his personal finance and debt reduction education.
Dave Ramsey Baby Steps
Dave Ramsey is the person who developed a seven step program to pay down debt, build wealth and give back. This seven step program is called the Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps.
Baby Steps Make All The Difference
So when you’re faced with debt and in our case job loss. Personal finance can be a bit overwhelming to say the least.
Personal Finance
Whether you are facing debt because of job loss or because of student loans or because the credit cards got racked up it doesn’t matter.
What matters is the fact that you are facing it (dealing with it) instead of avoiding it.
Dave Ramsey Baby Steps
Dealing with your debt is a lot easier step by step. And this is where Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps come in …
Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps Aren’t Just For Those With Debt
You can use the steps to save money, pay off your home early, save for retirement or to inspire you to give back.
Money Steps
Trust me these steps work…. If you’re stressed about money, worried about debt and some day want to go on a vacation (or just stop the work treadmill thing) you need these steps.
Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps:
Step One: Set Up An Emergency Fund
You need to set up an emergency fund with money in it strictly for emergencies. And by emergencies I mean car trouble, sick children, hospital visits – real emergencies.
Not Momma needs a new pair of shoes emergencies. A general rule of thumb emergency fund amount is $1000 but if all you can save is $500 start there.
Step Two: Pay Off Debt Using The Debt Snowball
Do you have debt? Do you owe money? Do you know how much? Once you know how much you owe and to who you start your debt snowball.
Which means you start paying off the smallest bill bit by bit and then move on to the next one paying it off bit by bit and so on.
All while you are making the minimum or regular payment amounts on your other bills.
Step Three: Save 3 To 6 Months Of Expenses
Basically in this step you are topping up that emergency fund for the just in case. You want to save up enough to cover 3 to 6 months worth of bills in case you lose your job or in case something happens and you need the money.
Remember this is a step by step program you aren’t expected to save up 3 to 6 months in expenses over night.
Step Four: Invest 15% Into Retirement Funds
This an individual and unique step. One I would also suggest you talk to your banker or investment advisor about. You need to save for retirement so that you can provide for yourself.
Step Five: Fund College For Your Children
Depending on the age of your children you may simply be saving for your children’s college education or you may be assisting in paying for college.
No matter the age of your children again this is a personal choice step. You may choose to help with college education or you may choose to assist your child in applying for scholarships.
How you choose to follow through with this step is again your choice and based on your finances.
Step Six: Pay Off Your Home Early
Your debt is paid off. You have 3 to 6 months of expenses put away. Now it is time to snowball your mortgage.
Start putting money away to pay off your home early. Talk to your bank or your mortgage broker and see what your payment options are.
Again this is not going to happen overnight. It is a step by step process.
Step Seven: Build Wealth & Give Back
I hope to see this step one day. The day that the mortgage is paid off, the debt is gone. The retirement fund is growing. And then…
Then you can build wealth and give back.
How would you give back? How would you pay it forward? How would you share, encourage or inspire?
How Does Frugality Play A Part In Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps?
In reality it plays a very big part. How do you think you are going to save that emergency fund? Or afford to pay off your debt?
Saving Money
Or save money for this, that and the other thing? You need frugal living and the Dave Ramsey baby steps.
What Is Frugal Living
Frugal living or frugality is living well on less. Spending less than you make ans saving the rest. It’s about making smart choices with the money you have. Stretching every dollar to make it go farther so you can save more cash and pay down your debt.
Frugal Living
Is the art of living well on less. Choosing the generic brand over the name brand to save money. Learning to use a budget and bulk buy. Understanding that meal planning and being more organized can save you money.
Living Frugally
Frugal living is understanding that you don’t need to “keep up” to be happy and rich. Living within your means today will allow you to be happy in the future.
Home cooking, no spend weekends and family game nights are great ways to spend your time.
How To Live Frugally?
Simple, easy ways to start living more frugally are budgeting your cash, shopping with a grocery budget and meal plan.
Skipping out on expensive date nights and opting for cheap frugal dates or family no spend weekend ideas. Below there are some great links to post that can help you live more frugally and save money.
Why Is Frugal Living Important?
Frugal living is so important if you are looking to pay down debt, save for your future, finance a mortgage or plan for retirement.
Frugal living teaches you how to live below your means and save money so you can do more.
Frugality Gives You Options
Learning to live well on less will help you save for the future. Frugal living will also help you work through your Dave Ramsey Baby Steps.
Related Frugal Living Dave Ramsey Posts:
- Secret Must Haves Of A Frugal Home
- 75 Items You Can Freeze To Save Money
- 21 Things We Stopped Buying To Save Money
- 75 Super Frugal Living Tips To Save Money On Your Home Expenses
Updated April 26, 2021
