One of the biggest adjustments that I faced as a new wife was in the area of finances. We hadn’t been married very long when we came to the startling realization that we had very different perspectives on how to spend our money. I saw shoes and jewelry as perfectly acceptable investments, while my husband enjoyed buying stock in video games. We quickly agreed that some adjustments would have to be made if we wanted to be able to pay rent and buy groceries in the same month. Writing out a budget was a true test of patience for us both, but in the end, the process revealed that this new season of life had resulted in a shift of our priorities. When it came down to it, the areas that we really valued were where we wanted to invest our money.
I wish that I could tell you that we lived happily ever after as we followed our beautiful budget, but that would a bit of a stretch from the truth. What I can say is that over the last two years, I have learned that my attitude plays a huge role in determining my level of contentment. I can follow a budget and resist an impulse purchase, but if I have a horrible attitude about it, resentment and bitterness start to blossom in my heart. However, when I choose to acknowledge that my financial decisions today impact my goals for tomorrow, it is easier to gain some balance. I might still really want to blow the budget for a new purse, but because I have placed more value on reaching a specific goal, resisting my shopper’s impulse isn’t as difficult. I can choose to be content.
Throughout the week, we have been introduced to a variety of ways to help us transform a part of our world without breaking the bank. To make a successful shift in our thinking, we have to examine our attitude towards our finances. It is possible for us to live satisfied and happy lives without extravagant spending.
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We are starting Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University in April and I am so excited to get our finances in order and GET RID OF DEBT!!! We have followed his principles for the last two years, but up until now haven’t attended his 13-week class. We are so looking forward to it!! You can get info on classes in your area at http://www.daveramsey.com.
Kristin – we did that exact class right after we got married and it completely revolutionized our finances! I am happy to say that we have paid off a HUGE portion of our debt and now just are focusing on a student loan and our house. Dave Ramsey is my hero!
My hubby and I started a budget when we got married and it’s really helped us make goals for the future and to achieve, not without its sacrifices of course. We currently use Mint.com’s free budgeting program which is a real eye opener to how we’re spending and to see what a year’s worth of expenses looks like, plus it has oodles of tracking tools, alerts and an iphone app.
Contentment is the key. We must be thankful for the many things we already have. Let’s stop comparing our stuff with their stuff, then our homes will be full of peace and not stuff.
It’s definitely a paradigm shift. For me, I hated dealing with money/thinking about it/etc. I worried about it. But with the help of a budget, living a simple lifestyle, trusting God and knowing that the money we have is really for us to steward well, I’m not worried about money anymore. Sacrifices have to be made to achieve goals. It’s hard but more than worth it.
Kudos to all the young couples following Dave Ramsey’s advice. We have lived 38 years of marriage using some of the same principles. Aside from mortgage, we stayed debt free.
A couple of things…
Wow! I can’t believe you guys have been married for 2 years already! I think Dave Ramsey should run for president. Also, the Lord has given me two words recently; release & contentment. It is not by coincidence that I am reading this today!
We are basically doing the Dave Ramsey thing too, and by the end of the year we will only have our house left to pay off. We are super excited!!!!
We did the Dave Ramsey thing and are now debt free except the house and one pesky student loan. Let me tell you that the Bible is right when it says, “the borrower is a SLAVE to the lender.” (Emphasis mine;)) Once the car notes and credit cards are gone life really is completely different.
We need to start looking in to ways to budget.
wow. great post. my husband and I deal with this stuff all the time. my selfishness creeps in way too often. our budget really really helps us get to our financial goals, but sometimes its a painful lesson
thanks for sharing about that.