Dave Ramsey... he's not warm and fuzzy, but he makes you think.

It's been awhile since I have had the opportunity to listen to Dave Ramsey. Baseball games have taken over as well as our yard sale. (Which btw was very successful and we raised $500 towards our adoption). But anyway...those two things have been keeping me a little preoccupied and there have been quite a few things slipping to the back burner these days. Listening to Dave Ramsey for one, cutting coupons is way behind, and even my frugal blog. Thankfully things are a little more organized here, with the majority of the yard sale work over. Baseball is 1/2 way over, and I finally caught up on 3 weeks worth of coupons!

So, while I was catching up on those coupons, I got to listen to Dave again today. I always seem to glean something from the guy. Now I have to tell you I don't agree with everything he says. I just plain don't. So sometimes you can find me talking loudly to the computer as I disagree with him over the air waves. For instance a few weeks ago a woman emailed him and asked why he didn't offer health insurance to his employees? He was getting on his high horse about employer benefits and how they don't have to offer health insurance. Blah Blah Blah. It isn't a government mandate that says this, and he said "I am not morally obligated to do so". Okay Dave maybe not I thought, but for a lot of employers a good health plan attracts qualified applicants. I just kept telling Dave he was wrong... not because of necessarily all he said, but the woman who wrote the email asked a simple question and he took it way out of context and in my opinion got defensive and went off on a tangent about it. (I think it hit a nerve).

Anyway, aside from his tangents etc I really glean a lot from him and the many calls he takes. As I listened this morning he told a caller that while they are getting out of debt, he recommends holding off on their 401K contributions. He said, many people would say "What are you crazy? Miss out on my employers match?" But he said it's not for 4-5 years, but for the next 18 - 24 months. I never heard him say that before, and it really surprised me. That could really help us pay off the very last of our debt. Truthfully, we could pay it off now, but that money is ear marked for the adoption, so the car payment and interest rate are low, and we'll keep paying it month to month, and instead continue to fund the adoption. But I am intrigued by Dave's suggestion, and mentioned it to dh. He said he really wants to think about it. That's okay with me, and I understand where he is coming from. If we had a lot more debt, I would be more apt to do so, but all that remains on the car is $4000.

We're still thinking about it... which as I said...Dave Ramsey, he makes you think.