Preparation

I don't know how many people are going to read this blog or even find it. I think Blogs, or "Web Logs", are a great way to communicate with people unknown. To introduce myself my name is Charles, but my friends call me Tony. I have been married for over two and a half years to my lovely wife, Nikki. In April of this year we were blessed with our newest family member, Rachael. We live in Orem, Utah where my wife works in Pleasant Grove and I attend night classes at Utah Valley University.

This blog I've designed for mainly college students like myself to help graduate college with NO debt, NO student loans, and SAVINGS (this doesn't include a mortgage payment). I'm working on this at the same time as you are so hopefully we'll all win out in the end.

I believe we will all need a few things to get this journey stated:

1) Desire. Without desire you better stop reading now because the rest of what I've learned to share with you as we take this journey towards NO student loans, NO debt, and SAVINGS! You have to make to have these three things. If not, I'm sorry, but you are going to be wasting your time from here on out.

I Couldn't Find A G-Rate Picture For Desire! Sorry!

2) Determination. This is like #1, but I feel it needs its own section. Determination is also motivation. What is your motivation? A secure future during and out of college? Your family not having fights over money problems? What is your determination or motivation?



3) The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. This book is by far one of the best I've ever read and I'll be using it throughout my own Total Money Makeover. Everyone you know has a way to handle cash, but I think Dave hits it on the head time and time again. You can purchase Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover from his website at http://www.daveramsey.com/store/prod326.html for only $14.95. Probably one of the best investments (yes, it will be an investment) you'll ever make!



4) Goals. You need goals. "A ship without wind never sails." I think I just made that up! You are the ship, the wind is your goals. If you don't have goals you will never go anywhere in life. How much debt do you have to pay off? How much money do you need for school? How much savings do you want? They might not sound like goals, but they are. FYI, I Google searched for that quote, and didn't find a quote with it. I claim it!



These are the basic four things we'll need to start our journey. We'll add some items here and there, but for now I think that is it.

Look over these four things and make sure you are prepared to follow me through my Total Money Makeover so you can complete yours!