Building a Foundation in Personal Finance with My Daughters

This year my older two girls are using the Homeschool version of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace, named Foundations in Personal Finance.

I am doing this with them.

Why would a grown woman take a class meant for high school students?  Well, I wasn't taught many of these financial principles growing up.  I have been listening to Dave Ramsey and reading his books for a few years.  Though my husband and I didn't make the best choices when we were younger, we want to do what we can now. 

We don't want debt. 

One lesson the Lord has taught me over the last couple of years is that all the financial lessons mean nothing if you are discontent with what you have.  Behavior will outweigh education.  If I know I shouldn't spend money, but I think buying something will make me happy or fulfill a desire, I will go out and spend money.  It isn't until your desire to be debt free, out of the curse of debt, that you may change things.  For us, it wasn't until we were living in a house that was making us sick, and the losing of everything over the next year because we had naively bought a home that was dangerous years earlier, that we saw how debt was truly a curse.

One thing that is apparent to me is that contentedness must be chosen on purpose.  It won't come naturally.  Our flesh will always want more.  Our pride will say we deserve it, even as our finances scream that we can't afford it. 

Right now my husband and I are in an apartment with our three children.  However, we do know that the rent is expensive and we might need to look for other options.  Exploring minimalism has been such a gift because it has shown me that, if we have to make bigger changes, we will still be okay.  I am not sure where God is leading us, but I do know that living paycheck to paycheck is NOT okay! 

I am doing the Dave Ramsey class because I want to learn more, and because I want to have these discussions with my daughters.  They are still very young.  I don't want them to make the same mistakes their father and I made.  I want them to begin saving now, to work to avoid debt now.  Life is too short to be a slave all their lives to lenders. 

I am very curious where the Lord will lead us.  I am looking at the path He leads us on as an adventure.  I know it won't all be easy, but I am determined to trust Him and practice contentment.