Disclaimers - I don't know everything!

 I don't claim to know everything. In fact, I'm learning. Always. Knowledge is power. Don't ever forget that.

I'm learning the Dave Ramsey method. I'm not saying it will always work for everyone. I'm not a financial expert. I'm not a CPA. I'm not an attorney. None of what I post is meant to be professional advice - merely my opinion.

That being said. I will tell you what has worked for me in the past. Or what is working for me now. Or what I am trying that seems to make sense. 

I'm tired of borrowing from banks with a high interest rate. I don't have the best credit, so high interest rates seem to be the only thing that is available to me. Plus, that is how the banks make money. They don't make money when you borrow from them - they make money when you pay the interest on your loans or credit cards. 

That is what the emergency savings account is for. For emergencies that I can borrow against. And I'm paying myself back - not some corporation or bank. And the emergency fund is not some slush fund that I can take money out of just because I want to buy something for myself or eat out. True emergencies. Again, if I don't budget for it, I don't buy it. And I'm not budgeting for luxuries. 

What I need to do is start budgeting for Christmas and car maintenance. Oil changes should not be an emergency. New tires, yes, but if I can take a little out each paycheck and put it aside for car maintenance, I'll be less apt to use that emergency fund for car things. Again - I need to go through my budget with a fine tooth comb and start pulling out money and putting it in envelopes for food and gas and car things. 

First, I need to start reading the book. It just arrived yesterday, so I will put it in my purse and start reading it today. 

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