Day 3 - Where to go from here

         Many people have made mistakes and never learned a thing in life. I try not to be one of those people, but it doesn't always work out that way. So that next question is this; where do I go from here? As I mentioned in the first entry, I'm working a few things to try and slowly build up good money habits and work my way to a point of financial security. However, is that enough? Do we simply just do the same thing over and over until we die? My answer to that question is definitely not. We need to look beyond our own bubble and think about what other people are doing. Specifically, what millionaires are doing. The average millionaire is not flying around in a Ferrari and throwing money around like he's "making it rain." Rappers music videos may beg to differ with my opinion, but the fact is that most millionaires in America look ordinary and have a good reason for it. They look ordinary because they decided along the way that "stuff" and appearing to have money are not as important to them as financial security and responsibility with money. I had to take a step back when I recently started my journey and realize that I was not making decisions that would lead me to wealth. The decisions I was making would only lead to always owing someone or always waiting on my next paycheck. I had to make a change and it started with a small effort that over time will change into a lifestyle and a large effort. I've always felt that when you are forming a new habit, it's best to start with a quantity that you know you can manage in order to form the habit before trying to increase the amount by which you're contributing to it. I may be wrong, but this usually works for me.
        With all that being said, my thoughts today are mostly centered around things that you can do to start making good choices with money that will ultimately lead to a better quality of life for you and your family. The first thing of course is to start a savings account and contribute to it consistently. NEVER MISS A CONTRIBUTION. Set a small amount as a starting point so that you know you will be able to make it every time. After you've done it successfully a few times, increase the contribution by a minimal amount every so often until you feel you've reached your saving limit based on your income and normal expenses. At that point, it's time to examine your expenses to determine if any can be cut. Once you've gotten to at least $1000 in savings, you can look at your debts and trying to knock them out as fast as possible. Now, to some of you, this may sound very familiar. Yes! It is Dave Ramsey's baby step method. If you're not familiar with him, please visit daveramsey.com and check out everything he and his team have to offer. I've done a lot of reading on their material and feel that his common sense approach is the best way to gain financial stability in your life. I'd also highly recommend trying his Financial Peace University class.
         In closing for today, I'll leave you with a small bit of encouragement. If I can do this, so can you! Ha! Don't give up when things seem like they're difficult. Winning financially is difficult for all of us "commoners" and even for those who are blessed beyond belief. The most important thing is that you are trying to consistently make smart decisions with money and that you are aware of where your money is going. If you have any comments or stories to share, please feel free to comment. You can follow this blog by submitting your email in the link on the right column. Please also check out any related products you may see at the bottom of the screen. I'd recommend searching for Dave Ramsey products and books through the Amazon link below to find the best prices. Many of his books come in e-book form. Tomorrow, I'll touch on how to go about knocking out debts as quick as possible. Thanks for taking some time out to read my update for the day. I just made it before midnight central time. Stay classy everyone.