Budgets, Dave Ramsey & making progress

I have always hated budgeting. I have a BA in Mathematics. Mathematics and finance are two VERY different things. My mother is an accountant. She is self taught; no college. It comes natural to her. From the time I was in college I have had trouble balancing my checkbook. I would often run my account into the negative, much to my mother's frustration. It has always frustrated me that money confuses me. I know how to work excel, I have worked as a bookkeeper, I can use financial software like a pro. When it comes to my personal finances, I am baffled.

I am a fairly frugal person and after college I had a series of jobs that paid me well enough that I didn't really need to worry about budgeting. Fast forward to today. Stay-at-home mom with two small kids (boy 4, girl 2), married to a youth pastor living in the parsonage of a country Midwest church. Budgeting has become a necessity. I have been actively struggling for a year.

About a year ago I found the Dave Ramsey website and began playing around. Here are some things I learned:

• My credit card debt is bad. It is stealing from my family.
• My student loans aren't any better.
• I need to make sure we spend less than what we make. (My phobia of budgets had to be conquered)
• I need to trash my debt card and start dealing in cash. This is super hard for me.
• I need to create an emergency savings to prevent me from "needing" my credit cards.
• ONLY THEN could I safely start paying down my debt.

What have I accomplished so far?

• Credit cards are cut up.
• My husband and I have decided to help our kids NEVER have to deal with student loans. That does not mean that we will be paying for their entire education, but we will make sure they understand the dangers of loans. We also have 14 years to decide our policy on college funding.
• I HAVE A BUDGET!! And, I am sticking to said budget.
• My debt card is only used for buying gas. Sam's Club has the cheapest gas and does not take cash. The debt card is under a VERY tight leash.
• The emergency fund has been started.
• I am looking forward to making some real progress on our debt.

So, this math nerd is learning to love finance, budgets are tamed thanks to Dave Ramsey, and I'm making progress.

Why Laundry?

Laundry is my nemesis. I have always hated laundry. It brings out the worst in me. Laundry highlights my flaws. I'm a procrastinator and lazy. If I procrastinate on doing the dishes, I can have the kitchen clean in an hour. If I procrastinate on laundry (which I always procrastinate on laundry) it takes me days, maybe even weeks to get caught up. I feel like if I can get laundry under control my life will finally be in order. I know that is not really true. The mountain of unfinished laundry is the symbol of my imperfections.

My own mom always had everything together. Dinner was always on time, she never overspent, the house was always clean, dishes done RIGHT after dinner, and the laundry was always done (and by done I mean clean, folded and put away). We always had the cleanest house out of all of my friends. My mom's calendar was always up to date and she always remembered everything. If you ask her, she would tell you that things were far from perfect. She always felt, and still feels, that there was something more to do. She cannot live up to the expectations in her mind. This blog is my therapy to deal with my own expectations.

If you read this, I'm sorry that you will have to see some of the uncensored parts of my brain. Maybe it will help you to feel better about yourself, or just maybe it will be therapy for you.