So typically I am a "freespirit". I like to be creative with my time, money and energy. I want to spend those things in ways that make me feel good! See thats the point "freespirits" live by feelings! 11 years ago I married my nerd. I was (and am) so thankful for him for many reasons but mostly for his nerdiness!
I have often joked that if anything happened to my nerd my mother would have to move in to keep my checkbook (and calender for that matter). He keeps his cool managing our household income and expenses without ever complaining or batting an eye! He has never complained about his role once.... not even once! And let me tell you I am not an easy spender to keep track of!!!! I go through spurts of spending and then wanting to save money.
I grew up in a home where my parents were wise with their money but my personality says "What fun is about being wise with your money?" So as an adult I have splurged at times on things to make me feel good, valuable and worth it! But mostly it is the lack of pay attention to money at all that is such an unhealthy habit.
I dont look at bank statements, bills, pay statements... really anything having to do with money. If I am out shopping I will sometimes text or ask the nerd to make sure it's okay I that I do a large haul at the grocery store or Gymboree (I do have 4 kids!). See I put all the burden on my nerd and am so blessed by hi letting me be a freespirit. But truly I am too busy having fun to really care about the money!
If your understanding this equation your sure to see a mess as a result. To be honest there isn't much of a mess (well not as bad as you think) because I have my nerd! Remember!!!!
Well on the way home from vacation this summer I was making a decision about increasing my hours for work (am a night shift l&d nurse and a few months prior after having our fourth child I had cut back my hours). Nerd spoke up and said "I think we need the income because we just can't get ahead with your current income." When we spoke about details I realized the burden of student loans, car loans, two mortages and very little savings to off set debt. Now as Dave Ramsey states in Financial Peace University "Women face fear and terror because money usually represents security to women." I had a panic moment! Yes me the fancy-free freespirit I am had a panic about money!!! It must have to do with being in my 30s now or something. After another hour of conversing and me picking the nerd's brain about exact debt amounts, 401k and job security type things we both realized we needed something different in our lives. Not just an increase in income!
When we got home (after unpacking the minivan, four children, bikes, sleeping bags, etc) we did some googling and found ourselves as Financial Peace University by David Ramsey. We know other people who have done this program and once we started reading we realized my "wise" parents managed their money similarily too! It was very obvious that for the first time in 11 years the nerd and I felt the sameway about our money. I especially felt the need to buck up, grow up, suck it up and be a little responsible! So we thought about it, did some research and signed up! We found a FPU class 3miles from our house that turns out to be at a co-worker of mines house. It is a perfect fit for us... both freespirit and nerd!
