Dear Dave,

I started working your plan earlier this year. I even budgeted for Christmas and got my shopping done early, but in the process I overspent and blew my whole monthly budget. Now I’m having a hard time getting motivated again. Do you have any suggestions?

Misty

Dear Misty,

Lots of folks make mistakes like this, even though they went into things with the best intentions. The Bible says that no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but it yields a harvest of righteousness.

Dear Dave,

My husband works for a large company and receives restricted stock bonuses of approximately $5,000 each year. We’re not sure exactly how long they’re restricted, and we both wonder if we’re allowed to sell these options?

Patty

Dear Patty,

You said your husband works for a large company, so my guess is they do this as an employee retention move. That’s why they restrict the stock. They’re trying to get people to stay with the company, and you’ll only be able to sell them after they are no longer restricted.

Dear Dave,

How do you have a wedding without debt?

Lynn

Dear Lynn,

Wow, where do I start on this one? I guess the best way is to tell the truth. Honey, that question kind of makes you sound like a little princess.

How do you have a wedding without debt? It’s really simple. You have a wedding with the money you have. There’s nothing wrong with small, inexpensive weddings. And once you accept that and start thinking about things from a mature, adult point of view, you’ll start realizing you can scrimp and save and have a really nice, small wedding.

Dear Dave,

My wife and I are on Baby Step 3 of your plan. When we have standard car repairs, I want to use the emergency fund. She says that kind of thing isn’t an emergency, and we should just put it off as long as possible while saving up to fix the problem. Who’s right?

Ryan

Dear Ryan,

Dear Dave,

My wife and I just started your class, and we’re determined to get out of debt. At the same time, I’d like to do something to reduce the stress in her life. She’s a nurse, and she works three 12-hour night shifts a week. I’m a teacher, and I think we possibly could get by if she cut down to just two nights a week and worked part time. Would this be a good idea?

Randy

Dear Randy,

The truth is there’s no “possibly” involved. Even without knowing your income and other numbers, it all boils down to one simple question — can you live on that?

Dear Dave,

My wife and I just started your class, and we’re determined to get out of debt. At the same time, I’d like to do something to reduce the stress in her life. She’s a nurse, and she works three 12-hour night shifts a week. I’m a teacher, and I think we possibly could get by if she cut down to just two nights a week and worked part time. Would this be a good idea?

Randy

Dear Randy,

The truth is there’s no “possibly” involved. Even without knowing your income and other numbers, it all boils down to one simple question — can you live on that?

5 Tips to Reach Your Retirement Goals                                                                                                                                   word count: 455

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