“The Total Money Make Over” By Dave Ramsey

Book Report by Ana Sofia Gonzalez

April 28th, 2019
FIN-1050

I remember growing up, my father was a man of few words. Of course, he never really

needed to say anything because one look was good enough for me and my brother to stop

what we were doing and reevaluate our very next move. The man didn’t know how to show

one bit of emotion, but the one thing we could always count on was getting pricey presents and

any snack or small item we may lay our eyes on while grocery shopping. Hugs were exchanged

for chocolates and gummies, and boy was that the LAST thing we needed. Fast forward to my

working years, and here I was trying to “reward” or “treat” myself every time I went to the

store. The chocolates turned to purses, and the gummies turned into, yet ANOTHER, t-shirt. I

never quite understood how toxic and careless that pattern was, but as Dave Ramsey has said,

financial responsibility is not something we are born with, it’s something we are taught and

learn with time. “The Total Money Makeover” has truly and honestly changed my life. The

realization of “living like no one else, so that later you can live like no one else” is such a

palatable sentence. It’s easy to understand, yet once it’s all said and done, it becomes the

challenge of a life time. Financial responsibility is one of the most ingenious and artful skills for

even the most sagacious of men kind. Who better to begin this journey than the person in the

mirror?

First on my list, the snowball method. The snowball method is a life changer and I have

been working on it for about 4 months now. The results are unbelievable. I started off with 4

credit cards, a large Holiday loan, a car loan and a school loan. Beginning to focus all my energy
and money on only one of the debts took everything in my nature, because I quite enjoy using

my money for other things that are not related to debt. Movies, eating out, shopping, snacks,

etc. I had never stopped to create budgets, or to actually sit and do the math of my income vs.

my liabilities. The moment I finally did it, I realized I was using about a ¼ of my monthly income

for actual bills and necessities, and about ¾ on miscellaneous expenses. I was shocked! I had

felt I was very smart with my money without realizing how careless and irresponsible I really

had been. I immediately sat down to plan out my next moves and set up a budget for the near

future. Four months later, I now have 1 credit card, $300 more dollars on the personal loan,

and my car loan left. To be quite frank, I never pictured being able to tackle my debts in such a

timely manner. The results are undeniable, the feeling is refreshing and extremely satisfying,

and my financially-related stress levels are at an all-time low.

Additionally, I began researching Dave Ramsey and listening to his radio show. I had

already started to work on the snowball method before I learned about the 7 Baby Steps. I

realized I had started my financial journey by accidentally skipping a whole baby step, which

was the $1,000 for an emergency fund. Yikes! At first, I thought, “I am BARELY keeping up with

the snowball method, now I have to build an emergency fund with the same funds I’m already

struggling to budget??!” The idea of money was beginning to make me feel sick. I didn’t care if

it was going in or out anymore. I felt helpless. I thought I would find some comfort taking this

Finance class during one of my semesters, because more knowledge is always better than less.

When I reached this book report, I quickly recognized the title I was mostly interested in. A

book written by Dave Ramsey, of course. I desperately started it and in no time reached

another quote that quickly injected me with a little more inspiration. “Change is painful. Few
people have the courage to seek out change. Most people won’t change until the pain of where

they are exceeds the pain of change.” These words could not have come at a better time. If I

wanted different results, I needed different actions, and nobody had said it would be easy.

“Pain is good.”, I kept repeating to myself. Pain is good.

Finally, I was “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” I was done with the stress, the

numbers, the budgets, the self-loathing, and everything in between! I was ready for a change. I

realized when I was done with my “Total Money Makeover” that I was ready to begin tackling

my debt with “gazelle intensity”. I now feel like I have all the tools and inspiration to support

myself and begin change. Change starts with me, and just as Dave keeps comparing financial

responsibility with weight loss, I was the only person responsible for myself. Today, I find myself

at peace with the idea of struggling. I know I am at the right place because I am now taking the

steps necessary to tackle debt and using the tools provided to me by my book. I now sit down

once a week and keep a weekly plan and budget. Eating out has become a thing of the past,

and nights out are a very faint memory. I keep replaying Dave’s words over and over again. “If

you live like no one else, later you will live like no one else.” I hold that promise to myself dear

and I no longer play with my financial stability. That is the base to a stable future, and the type

of education I will love passing on to my children.

In conclusion, I am now “Acting my wage”. I have come to realize the importance of

financial responsibility and now know fear is the enemy of hope. I will not get very far fearing

change. In general, “The Total Money Makeover” has changed my life completely. I have finally

set up the beginning of baby step number one, which may not be much to many financial

advisors, but is the first step to change. The snowball method has kept me at bay and will keep
my ball rolling after that first step. I am more decided than ever to tackle every single bit of my

financial life with “gazelle intensity” and I do not feel ashamed of trying to better my life. If in

the process of bettering myself, I manage to expand the knowledge and help others get their

very own “Total Money Makeover”, I will know I have accomplished the best me I can be.