Several have asked aloud why my posts to Frankly Speaking have been less frequent of late. The simple truth of the matter is this: I've taken on a temporary part-time job.Tracy and I are participating in our church's Financial Peace University class. Many are familiar with this great money management class that is taught by Dave Ramsey. In it, he teaches students to take "baby steps." Baby step one is simple: get $1000 in an emergency fund. So, when the opportunity arose for me to take on a three week gig grading standardized tests for a company named Pearson, I jumped at it. The job will enable me to bank about $750 in three weeks and will put me well on my way to starting a healthy emergency fund.
Regrettably, the job is five days a week from 6-10 PM. This has been less than ideal for me and my family.
Still, I can't help but feel a little like Pa Ingalls heading off to the rock quary to find work after the failed wheat harvest. (For those of you in the You Tube generation, that was a Little House on the Prairie reference.) There are times in life when a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, and going the extra mile to ensure my family's financial peace is one of those times.
Then again, when I think of the sacrifices that mothers and fathers all over the globe make for their children every day - going without food, working twelve hour days every day, serving in the military far away from home, giving up their lives - my working an extra shift for three weeks seems like nothing. The more I think about it, in fact, the more grateful I am that God gave me the opportunity.
So much for the Charles Ingalls analogy . . .
Sounds like a great plan...and it's only temporary ... way to take hold of your financial health.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Dave Ramsey hits the same irritation nerve that Dr. Phil does ... he shares some great stuff.
WAY TO GO FRANK!
ReplyDeleteCarol & I went through Financial Peace in the spring of 2007. What a great program! We are currently on Baby Step 3. My part time job is mowing some lawns. There is an empty lot in our sub-division that I mow about every 5-6 weeks. Also our next door neighbor has their house up for sale. They moved to Texas so I am mowing their yard. This should bring a total of about $500 per year to go into our emergency fund. I am also keeping an eye out for other part time jobs.
We coordinated FPU at JRCC this past winter and are trying to get a class going this summer.
This is a great plan and it works.....if you stick with it.
Bruce
Kokomo, IN
Ramsey is entertaining and makes a lot of sense. You must be "gazelle intense." "Beans & rice & rice & beans!" Hang in there bro. I've read his books but have never fully embraced his ideas.
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