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Dave Ramsey Says

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Dave Ramsey Says

By
Dave Ramsey
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Save up to get out of the rust bucket

Dear Dave,

I let my fiancée use my car to get back and forth to work, and it has a lot of miles on it and a few mechanical issues. The money we’ve put into the car to fix the issues is about the same or more than the car is actually worth. We just started your plan a couple of months ago, and we’ve almost got a beginner emergency fund saved up. We also have very little consumer debt to pay off. I’m afraid, though, if we get into a second $1,000 to $2,000 car, we’ll just experience the same kinds of issues and it will turn into another money pit. I bring home about $5,000 a month, and she works part-time and goes to school. How do you think we should handle things? 

Thaddeus

Dear Thaddeus,

Well, if you’re serious about following the plan, you don’t really have a choice right now. But you’re bringing home a nice paycheck, man. You ought to be able to buy a better $1,500 to $2,000 car with cash in a month or so, just to give you some relief. Then, stick some money aside each month until spring and get something that’s a big step up in the $5,000 to $6,000 range.

Listen, I don’t want anyone driving around in a rust bucket longer than they have to. And it sounds like you really need to get up out of the junk. But if you do some research and buy wisely, you can get a good year or two out of a $1,500 car. The car may not look like much, but you’re not trying to catch a girl’s eye. You’ve already got a fiancée. If you find an old Honda or Toyota that’s still mechanically sound—and yes, they’re out there—it’ll get you by while you save up for something a lot better.

But remember, you and your fiancée don’t need to own anything together until you’re married. The kind of arrangement you have now can cause real problems. If you guys get married and combine your resources and dreams, it’ll be better for everyone relationally and financially. You’re playing house already, so you might as well go ahead and get married and combine your lives on every level.

It’s time to paint or get off the ladder, dude!

Dave Says August 1, 2019

By
Dave Ramsey
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Adjust our emergency fund?

Dear Dave,

My husband and I have been married five years, and we’ve decided we want to have children. We’ve both been working full time since our wedding, and we were wondering if we should adjust our emergency fund and retirement investing to accommodate all the upcoming life changes that go along with having a bigger family.

Rachel

Dear Rachel,

When it comes to an emergency fund, I’d stick with what I recommend in the Baby Steps. A good emergency fund of three to six months of expenses should be fine. If you feel safer leaning toward the six-month side, that’s fine. As far as investing is concerned, that’s Baby Step 4. This means 15 percent of your household income going toward retirement. None of that really changes.

Now, with another person in the house, your day-to-day expenses are going to increase. That’ll make it even more important to make sure you’re living on a written monthly budget. What you don’t want to do, is quit your job to come home and be a full-time mom, then find yourselves dipping into the emergency fund. Being a stay-at-home mom is fine. It’s a wonderful thing if you can afford it. But if that’s the plan you need to budget accordingly, and practice living on just your husband’s income before you quit your job.

God bless you two, Rachel!

—Dave

Micro investing apps?

Dear Dave,

What is your opinion on micro investing apps like Acorns and Betterment? Are these good vehicles for building wealth in the long term, and are there any major drawbacks to these types of services?  

Alex

Dear Alex,

I’m not saying there’s anything really wrong with Acorns or Betterment, but they do different things. Acorns is more of an invest pennies, round-up kind of program, where Betterment is kind of a robo-investing deal.

Here’s the thing. Micro investing is going to create micro wealth. And the big downside is you’re going to feel like you did something important. The way you end up with money is by investing money. The way you end up with more money is by investing more money. You can argue all you want that using things like these create extra money. Yeah, but not really. The returns are still micro. An app doesn’t make two dollars turn into twenty dollars.

It’s okay to use apps like that. I’m not mad at them, and I don’t think they’re a rip-off. What worries me about these kinds of things, in an investing sense, is they give the illusion that you’ve done something significant with your money.

—Dave

* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 16 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.

Dave Says December 17 2019

By
Dave Ramsey
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Great start, but follow the steps

Dear Dave,

I’ve recently begun living on a budget, and I’ve got $1,000 saved. At the moment, I have $150 left over each month after everything is account for in my budget. I also have three debts totaling about $12,000. Should I use this extra cash to pay off debt, or would it be a better idea to start investing the money?

Leland

Dear Leland,

Let’s put off investing for the time being. You’ve done a great job so far by getting on a budget and saving $1,000. Making mature decisions and telling your money where to go, instead of wondering where it went, is the key to gaining control of your finances.

Now, let’s take a closer look at my plan and where you stand. You’ve already set aside $1,000 for a beginner emergency fund. That’s Baby Step 1. Don’t touch that money except in the event of an actual emergency. You’re ready now for Baby Step 2, which is to pay off all debt except for your mortgage using the debt snowball system.

To do this, make a list of your debts from smallest to largest. Make minimum payments on all but the smallest debt, and attack it with a vengeance. As soon as you get that one paid off, move on to the next one and then the next one.

Once you finish the debt snowball, and you’re debt-free except for your house, you go back to your emergency fund and stash more money away until you have a fully-funded emergency fund of three to six months of expenses. This is Baby Step 3. Now you can begin concentrating on investing for retirement, which is Baby Step 4. Start with your employer’s 401(k) plan. Then, you can invest the rest into Roth IRAs—one for you, and one for your spouse—if you’re married.

Saving and investing are both very important. But it’s also important to become debt-free. That’s what makes them easy!

—Dave

Who will be liable for the debt?

Dear Dave,

My parents are getting up there in years, and they aren’t really prepared for when they pass away. They can’t afford life insurance at this point, and they also have a lot of debt. When they die, who will be liable for their debt?

Tammi

Dear Tammi,

Any outstanding debt your parents have upon passing will likely go against their estate. If they have a positive net worth—meaning they owned more than they owed—there will be money left over after the debts are paid, and this could go toward an inheritance. If they have a negative net worth, which means they owed more than they owned, everything could be sold off to cover as much of the debt as possible. Regardless, you would only be held liable for any of their debt if you were a co-signer on the loans.

I’d also suggest getting their permission to buy burial policies on them. If they won’t agree to this, you might have to save up money for their final expenses yourself. In most areas, $10,000 to $15,000 is enough to cover basic burial costs for two people.

—Dave

* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 16 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.

Dave Ramsey Says November 15, 2018

By
Dave Ramsey
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0

Home warranties?

Dear Dave,

Are home warranties a waste of money if someone has been following your plan and already has six months of expenses set aside in an emergency fund, plus home insurance?

Andrea

Dear Andrea,

Home warranties are a waste of money even if you don’t have quite that

much set aside in an emergency fund. I recommend an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses to cover the unexpected things that life will throw at you. This amount of cash, sitting in a good money market account with check writing privileges, will give you easy access in the event of a financial emergency.

I don’t recommend extended warranties of any kind. They’re just not a good deal. You’re better off to self-insure against things breaking down, and putting what would have been profit and marketing dollars for the extended warranty company in your own pocket!

—Dave

Put retirement on hold temporarily

Dear Dave,

Should I stop making contributions to my 401(k) account for a year in order to save up an emergency fund? Thanks to you, I’m 33 and debt-free.

Blake
Dear Blake,

Congratulations on being debt-free at such a young age! I appreciate the credit, but the truth is I just pointed you in the right direction. You made the sacrifices and did all the hard work. I’m really proud of you!

Yes, my advice is to temporarily stop making contributions to your 401(k) until you save up an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses. It shouldn’t take a year, though, to set aside an emergency fund if you’re debt-free and making decent money at your job. Just make it part of your monthly budget plan, and get that emergency fund set up in a few months.

Here’s the way I look at it. If you don’t have an emergency fund, but you’re contributing to a 401(k), there’s a good chance you’ll end up cashing out your 401(k) if something happens that leaves you with a large, unexpected bill. When you cash out a 401(k) early, you get hit with a penalty plus your tax rate. That’s not a good plan!
And that’s just one of the reasons I tell people to have an emergency fund in place before they start investing.

—Dave

* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 14 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.

Dave Says

By
Dave Ramsey
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A calling or a job?

Dear Dave,

When it comes to your career and profession, how can you tell if you’ve truly found your calling in life?

Tony

Dear Tony,

I don’t think it’s common for most folks to feel like they’ve experienced some kind of grand revelation, and suddenly they know what they’re supposed to do with their lives. Personally, I believe this kind of thing usually starts out as an activity or ideaconnected to something they enjoy and want others to experience. Often, that can grow into a job, and then maybe into a career—or even a business.

I think it takes a lot of time, reflection, insight, and self-evaluation before anything can be termed a calling. I know this is true insome cases, because that’s how it happened with me. I can’t honestly tell you that when I first started on radio, or began formally teaching and writing I knew it was God’s plan for my life. I knew early on I was drawn to it, and felt there was a need for it, but it took a while for me to understand and accept that it was what I was really meant to do.

I hope this helps a little bit, Tony. Just be honest with yourself, think about it, and pray about it a lot, too. God wants what’s best for you, so make sure you include Him in everything. It worked for me. I’ve been doing what I do for nearly three decades now, and I still love it. I’m convinced that it is God’s calling on my life.

—Dave

* Dave Ramsey is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. Hehas appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

Dave Ramsey Says November 29 2018

By
Dave Ramsey
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0

Do what’s best for you

Dear Dave,

I’ll be graduating from college with no debt in a couple of weeks, and I have a good job waiting for me in January. During the last few years, I’ve managed to save almost $25,000 from my part-time jobs while in school. My car is pretty beaten up and old, so I’ve been shopping at a couple of car dealerships recently. Every time I talk to a salesperson, they tell me I should finance something new instead of paying cash for a used car. What should I do?

Ethan

Dear Ethan,

I hope you’ll keep one very important thing in mind. This is your purchase, not theirs. The only reason they want you to finance something is so they’ll make a lot more money off the deal. Forget what they want. You need to do what’s best for you.

You’ve been a hard-working, smart guy over the last few years. The fact that you’ve been able to save nearly $25,000 is proof of that. I don’t think you want to throw a big chunk of your savings—or your new income—into something that’s going to go down in value like a rock. New cars lose about 60 percent of their value during the first four years of ownership. That means a $28,000 car would be worth around $11,000 after that period. That’s not a smart investment.

If I were you, I’d shop around and pay cash for a nice, slightly used $10,000 car. You can get a great automobile for that kind of money, plus you’ll still have the majority of your savings.

Congratulations, young man. You’ve done a great job!

—Dave

Retirement contributions

Dear Dave,

As part of your Baby Steps plan, you always advise people to put 15 percent of their income toward retirement. Would you explain the details of this, please?

Mallory

Dear Mallory,

For starters, Baby Step 4 of my plan involves saving 15 percent of your gross annual pay for retirement. You don’t have to be a complete nerd about this figure. I mean, you probably won’t end up in the poor house if you set aside 12 to 14 percent. The bottom line is you should be able to save $7,500 a year if you make $50,000 annually. That’s just a little over $600 a month.

However, the only way you can do this is by giving up stupid things like credit cards and car payments. When you get out of debt, it’s easy to set aside an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses—which is Baby Step 3—and start throwing 15 percent at retirement during Baby Step 4.

Did you know you can retire a millionaire if you save 15 percent of a $50,000 a year income, and invest it in good growth stock mutual funds starting at age 30? Sounds worth it to me!

—Dave

* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 14 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.

Dave Ramsey Says January 3 2019

By
Dave Ramsey
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0

Worried about mom

Dear Dave,

My mom is 75, and I’m the executor of her estate. She has $500,000 in retirement accounts, and the only debt she has is around $70,000 on her mortgage. Most of her money is in the stock market, with only $20,000 in a money market account, and this worries me. She lives well within her means, so am I wrong to be concerned? Also, do you think she should go ahead and pay off her mortgage? 

Keith

Dear Keith,

Yes, I would recommend she go ahead a pay off the mortgage. If she can do that at age 75, and still have $430,000 left, that’s the way to go.

Now, being in the stock market at her age sounds like a shock to you. I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all. It’s not what the typical financial planner tells you to do. For the most part, they’ll tell you to get super conservative with your money as you get older. But from what you’ve said, she’s not going to use this money. She’s going to use the income from this money. So, the money’s going to be left alone. If she’s in good mutual funds, and not single stocks, I’m not worried about her.

Let’s pay off the mortgage, and then she can start taking her income off the remainder. With the house payment out of the way, she won’t need as much in terms of income, because she won’t be sending money to the bank to pay the note on the house anymore. I’m comfortable with that. I’m 58, and I’m 100 percent into stocks through mutual funds. I don’t have anything else, and I really don’t ever plan on changing that!

—Dave

Changing jobs and retirement savings

Dear Dave,

What happens to my Roth 401(k) when I change jobs and go to a company that doesn’t offer this type of investment savings account? How should you proceed in this situation?

Jamie

Dear Jamie,

Anytime you leave one company for another, you should always roll your 401(k) from your former employer into an IRA (Individual Retirement Account). If it’s a traditional IRA, you roll it to a traditional IRA. If it’s a Roth IRA, you roll it to a Roth IRA. You would choose your own mutual funds, and you would manage your own accounts, with the help of a financial advisor of your choosing.

When it comes to choosing a financial advisor, my advice is to find someone with the heart of a teacher. A good financial advisor will help you make informed decisions about your money, and they will explain all aspects of your investments until you fully understand everything. In short, a quality advisor will never encourage you to invest in something you don’t understand.

Also, look for someone with the ability to assess your overall retirement picture. You need someone who will help you map out a complete retirement plan, and your advisor should be able to explain the big picture and provide a comprehensive, easy-to-understand strategy for achieving your retirement goals.

—Dave

* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 14 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.

Dave Says

By
Dave Ramsey
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0

Protect against inflation?

Dear Dave,

All the talk on the news about inflation is a little scary. Is there any way to protect yourself against it on a day-to-day basis?

Garret

Dear Garret,

When people start talking about inflation, it seems like there are always some who want to start collecting gold, fill every container they own with gasoline and stick their cash under their mattresses. But listen, you can prepare for inflation and address the results without being panicked.

You are still in control of your money, inflation or not. You’ll be able to make sure your money is going toward the right things, while being able to find places where you can cut spending, if you’re living on a written, monthly budget. If you’re noticing the prices of things like food and gas rising in your area, you’ll need to adjust your budget to account for this. That way, you’ll know exactly what you’re working with, and it will help you avoid any nasty surprises.

If you’re really feeling the pinch and want to save even more, look for specific ways to lower your grocery bill or save money on gas. Maybe it’s time you switched to generic brands, or started a carpool into work. If you find great deals on canned food and things you can stock your pantry with—I’m talking about stuff you’ll actually use—go ahead and buy a little extra. Just make sure you’ve budgeted for it before heading to the grocery store. You’ll want to already know exactly what you’re going to spend, so you don’t get swept up into impulse buying.

Like it or not, inflation is a thing. If you plan on retiring one day, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the cost of a loaf of bread, a tank of gas and even a cup of coffee will have gone up by then. The best way to protect yourself against inflation that’s bound to happen is to invest your money—and the sooner the better. But remember, if you still have debt other than your mortgage, and don’t have an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses, you need to take care of those things first!

— Dave

* Dave Ramsey is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. Hehas appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

Dave Says April 25 2019

By
Dave Ramsey
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0

Before or after?

Dear Dave,

I’ve started following your plan, and I’ve got a beginner emergency fund of $1,000 saved. Now that I’m ready to start paying off debt in Baby Step 2, do you recommend paying off credit card balances before or after closing the accounts?

Maeve

Dear Maeve,

I’m really proud of you. Congratulations on starting the journey toward getting out of debt and gaining control of your money!

Honestly, either way is fine. The point is to get rid of them, and stop using the stupid things. I like the idea, and the finality, of going ahead and closing the accounts and cutting up the cards. Personal finance is 80 percent behavior. Getting credit cards—and credit card debt—out of your life is a great first step in really learning to behave with your money.

Remember, you don’t build wealth or save money by using credit cards. And you’re naïve if you think you’re going to play around with a multi-billion-dollar industry and beat them at their own game. The only way to win against credit card companies is by refusing to play around with them!

—Dave

Paying extra

Dear Dave,

I’d like to start paying a little extra each month on my car loan, so I can get out of debt faster. Would it be a good idea to write a separate check for this extra amount?

Steve

Dear Steve,

I think that’s a great idea! You can include the extra check in a separate envelope with the regular payment. In addition, write “principal only” in big, bold letters on the extra envelope and on the extra check. Make sure to also include the account number in the notation line at the bottom. Follow these guidelines, and you’ll be much less likely to run into problems as result of someone at the bank not paying attention.

Some companies use payment booklets that have a box specifically for entering any amount you want applied directly to the principal. See if this is available to you, as well. Regardless, make sure you keep an accurate, written record of the monthly and overall amounts you’re designating as “principal only.”

Great question, Steve!

—Dave

* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 15 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.

Dave Says May 2 2019

By
Dave Ramsey
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0

When to start the process?

Dear Dave,

My husband and I are debt-free, and we have an emergency fund of six months of expenses saved. We’d like to buy a home in the $250,000 to $275,000 price range in the near future, and we plan on saving $60,000 for a down payment. It should take a little less than two years to save that much money. When should we begin the search for a good real estate agent and start the underwriting process?

Sarah

Dear Sarah,

I’m really proud of you two. You’re being very intentional and goal-oriented about getting control of your finances and the home buying process.

I’d advise starting a conversation with a quality mortgage company when you’re about five or six months away from your savings goal date. There’s “pre-approval,” but there’s also something called “certified.” That’s a step beyond pre-approved, and it basically puts you in a position to make an offer when you’re ready for the purchase. So, getting certified as a buyer is very helpful. After that, sit down and talk with a few agents. Interview them, and decide on someone you like and trust. Find an experienced agent you’re comfortable with to guide you through the real estateworld, and then start outlining your search and buying strategy.

What I would not do is jump from agent to agent. There’s a tremendous benefit in finding someone you trust and feel good about. I’m talking about a buyer’s agent who’s going to fight foryou. This means someone who will show you several different properties, keep your wants and needs foremost in their mind, and help you get the best possible buy on your new home!

—Dave

A home shouldn’t leave you house poor

Dear Dave,

My husband and I were listening to your radio show the other day. In it, you were speaking to a lady about buying a home. When you talk about mortgage payments being 25 percent or less of your take-home pay, does this figure include taxes and insurance or just principal and interest?

Ann

Dear Ann,

That figure includes taxes and insurance, too. The whole idea is to make sure your house payment is manageable. You don’t want to have so much money going toward your mortgage every month, what I call being “house poor,” that you can’t take care of your other financial responsibilities or enjoy life.

It’s simple. You have more money when you don’t have debt. If you want to build wealth, you have to get out of the payment business. When one-third to one-half of everything you bring home is going to creditors, you have less money for other stuff—other important stuff.

Trust me, I get it. A home is a huge expense that very few people, especially those just starting out, can afford to pay for in cash. That’s why I don’t beat people up for getting a 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage. But that’s the only kind of mortgage I recommend. 

And yes, make sure the monthly payments are just 25 percent, or less, of your take-home pay!

—Dave

* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, includingThe Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 16 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.

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