Priorities and Paying Bills – What’s really important anyway?
Between work and kids ~ I was on the road alot today. On I-95, driving meant talk radio which was the Mike Gallagher show without Mike (he’s supposed to be in Disney World or something) then Rush Limbaugh for one leg of driving I finally perked up when I got to listen to Dave Ramsey’s show the tail end of my “working” day.
It’s cold here in Maine today – 5 degrees with wind chill factors around 25 below. My car held up though with only one moment I thought it would sputter and die. It needs work! Now, about Dave Ramsey.
When I listen to Dave Ramsey – I learn about more than just money.
Sometimes I already know something (it’s like a niggling little thing in the back of my head) but I can’t see it clearly. He says something, laughs, then I realize… hey, I need to listen to this closer. I wasn’t paying attention. Overlooking something is going to make my life harder down the road. By not looking closer, it’s messing up my life – NOW.
Then there are other times, I just plain learn something totally NEW.
Today – Priorities. Which bills to pay first. I’ve made the same mistakes some of his callers have made. Not enough money to pay the bills? Don’t make car payments and let your mortage slide. Since car payments are mostly lower than a mortage payment and can be made one payment at a time – when you feel the pinch – you think to yourself. I’ll make the car payment and then pay my mortage because the mortage company wants last months payment AND this months. I can’t pull that together BUT I can scrape together one car payment. I’ve done this – it’s a mistake. Don’t ask me why I did it (2000 was a very rough year all the way around) but I did it. A caller today talked of doing the same thing.
Dave Ramsey – The order of things: Pay for food first, then lights then mortgage…. and so on.
Let’s think about this – we are talking about food and shelter. How could we get so confused and think we should pay for cable or car payments BEFORE we pay for our rent or mortgage? It’s Clouded Judgement.
For those of you that don’t get confused when it comes to what comes first – PLEASE share how you learned to think so efficiently.
That’s why I listen to Dave Ramsey – to clear away the cobwebs. He laughs, he’s serious, he’s straight forward and stands firm. I know that he is not perfect or can know everything (he admits it too! 
) but he does make me see where my priorities are twacked AND his philosophy that … we can make better choices from this moment on and change our future is exactly the motivation I need.
Long day working, got discouraged when a check didn’t come in. Felt unanchored and I hate that feeling. Will feel better when payday comes around next week and I can order Josiah’s glasses and get more heating oil. Then I’ll be able to get back on track again.
Tammy
Tags: bills, dave ramsey, debt, money, mortgage, priorities, talk radio, thinking
