Money isn't Everything...

I've always asked for the chance to prove that money can't buy happiness... or explained that although money isn't everything, it sure makes life fun. But I never thought that I wouldn't have money.

Now, don't go thinking I am loaded... because I am not... or that I am at least smart with money... because I fail there, too... but this week has been a huge money reality for me.

Dustin and I had our bank account emptied from some saavy moron (oxymoron, I know) who decided to buy airline tickets with our debit card numbers. Although we still held the plastic, we no longer carried the cash. And it was very sad. I never before felt so violated as I did when I got the call saying that I didn't even have the money to pay for my groceries that I had in the cart at the moment. I knew that things like this happened... but not to me. Aaah... the great philosophy of NIMBY.... it's what allowed me to sleep soundly for so many nights without worrying about things like theft, fire, run by fruitings... and now I was right in the middle of it all.

Thankfully, the bank did give us back our money after 48 hours of being flat broke. And now... we are working to make the most of our money since we know what it's like to not have any now and worry about where the money is going to come from to pay the next bill... We are headed to Financial Peace University.

Now, I know that this is the most flower child name for a 'university'... but it's by Dave Ramsey and his Financial Peace University is supposed to teach us the principles of cash and budgeting and basically living on less than we make... go figure. The class is being offered through our church... but it's offered online and in other settings as well... and once you pay for your materials once, you can go as many times as you want for refresher courses... for free!

It's a 13 week long course... ending right about Christmastime... so I am hoping that 2009 can be the year that we are debt free and living without credit cards... one less thing to worry about at night!