Zero based budget. Envelope method using the Goodbudget app (not really the way it’s meant to) so that my partner and I can see where we are at any given time firming the month for our “cash envelopes”.
We use “cash envelopes” for: Groceries Restaurant Entertainment Cosmetics & Toiletries Pets Gas Dry Cleaning Haircuts Blow Money
That’s EXACTLY how it went. His basics/ 101 got us out of debt and on the same page as a couple. Those concepts provided a solid foundation to grow from. We don’t use cash anymore. We use a credit card and we use an “envelope” app so that we can see what’s left and stay aligned. We pay of everything every two weeks. His investment advice is just dumb, but I have to give him credit for giving us the tools that finally worked.
A blow money envelope and being able to shift money around after having a budget meeting was THE game changer.
This was a great post.
The snowball method worked for me and my family. We were over 30 years old with good paychecks and jobs, but still somehow living paycheck to paycheck. Nothing ever got saved, we owed on two cars, school loan, and a bunch of unsecured credit card debt.
Snowballed worked for us. Something about getting aggressive and paying one all the way off - that feeling of winning - got exciting. So it was easier to go after the next one, and the one after that.
Pretty soon, we were out of debt and started to slowly build our nest egg.
I’m not a church kind of guy, but Dave Ramsey’s financial peace university was worth every penny. Just ignore the preachiness if that’s not your think.
This is exactly right! Financial literacy is something that is so sorely needed and not taught in (US) schools widely. I think it would be cool to highlight “different schools” or approaches - Dave Ramsey / Envelopes / YNAB and whatever else has worked for people to gain traction and get ahead of the paycheck to paycheck cycle. Then some beginner investment strategies for those that have had some success getting out of debt.
Just my two cents.
That goes under entertainment.