Friday, March 21, 2008

Financial Peace...

Years ago I began listening to a man on the radio, Dave Ramsey. He's funny. He loves the Lord. His thoughts made SENSE to Mike and I. We've never attended one of his seminars. We have checked out "Total Money Makeover" from the library, and we've listened to the radio program. We've followed the baby steps.

Our children have grown up hearing the debt-free principles and watching us save before buying etc. The boys have a goal, which of course we wholeheartedly agree with and planted, that they be financially stable, have a good savings account, be debt-free, etc BEFORE they begin dating/courting. We would also love it if they are able to provide in a way that their wives could be blessed to stay home as I have.

Bre and Krista went through FPU at Master's Commission and loved it. They said that most of the day-to-day things they'd learned at home, but there was much to learn about investments etc. Since they went through the program, we've planned to purchase the DVD set and have our children work through it. At this point just, Jared, Jamin and Josiah and maybe Arielle could absorb some of it?

In checking, I've discovered that there is a FPU - Next Generation that is written FOR students. There are workbooks, DVD's etc. Now I'm wondering if I should order FPU or FPU Next Generation.

I'm sure the content is a bit different in the student's version, but it covers savings, investments, college, retirement, cash flow, insurance, buying power, careers etc. The price of the homeschool version that I've been quoted is about 1/3 of the price of FPU (which is why I didn't buy it LAST fall). I've checked out the samples of the workbook etc and I like what I see.

Has anyone seen or attended either program? Would you recommend one over the other? Whichever we buy, we'll be using it for many years with the rest of our children. If we get the homeschool version, I'm thinking that even Arielle and Nolan could understand some of it.

What do you think? Also - if you've used the homeschool version - would it work well in a group setting? Would it work for both Jr. High and Sr. High School? They also have little back packs for young kids, but um, I'm not wanting to SPEND money - I want to SAVE it. ::snort:: OK, Mike and I have talked and Mike says this sounds like a good investment. If I buy the homeschool package, it is for private classroom use or homeschool co-op use only, BUT this means I could buy the program, and others could do it with us for the price of the workbook. I can buy the workbook as a PDF file and never have to buy another workbook for the rest of our family. All for less than 1/3 of the course we planned on buying last year.
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8 comments:

Michelle said...

De'Etta, if it would help you can email my parents. They give the seminars as part of their ministry at church.

Anonymous said...

My hubby and I did FPU and we are now debt free. And that was $120,000+ debt. He has wonderful ideas and ways to inspire. And he's Christian!!

God bless-
Amanda
http://iammommy.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Cynthia said...

I haven't used either, but I wanted to say that we're so thankful to have done Larry Burkett's plan so many years ago which has kept us debt free except for our house all these years. We're going to do the Financial Peace with a couple of friends as soon as I can find time to fit it in (LOL)!

Anonymous said...

My hubby is an FPU coodinator. We have taught several classes together. I LOVE FPU! I have not seen the youth edition though, we just have our teens watching the adult videos. Boy, are they saving their money!!

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Thanks all. I'm 99% sure I'll buy the youth version of FPU - it's over 1/3 cheaper and seems like better stewardship as we've already read the book and lived debt free for years and years.

Yes.....the boys are huge savers....Josiah has paid for college 100%. Jamin and Jared paid for World View Camp, Christian Writer's Guild, the CO Writer's trip.....but the FPU curriculum has so much more than savings on it.....and they've probably caught most of it just living here and having conversations with us....but we'd like to be sure. LOL

When I wrote Dave Ramsey's website I asked which they'd recommend and they gave me a quote for the curriculum. I'll ask more questions when our advisor calls back. I'm guessing since they gave me a quote for the curric that they think it would work best. If I buy the dvd curriculum tapes, I can show them in homeschool co-ops.....the samples at the website look good - I just wonder if there would be more on the adult version. LOL

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Oh - I should also say that our chapel has a copy of the FPU dvd's so I could watch those as well. I think. LOL

They recently did a class at the Family Whatever center but it wasn't a night we could attend.

Anonymous said...

Glad you are all learning this at a MUCH younger age that Dad/I did. Nice to be in control of ones debt or lact there of. Only our house for us.

God bless you all.

love/prayers

Mom T

Kathy in WA said...

De'Etta - as you know, we are heavily in the midst of financial struggles, prayers and workings.

I LOVE the idea of teaching some of the FPU concepts as a homeschool co-op class. What a great idea! I have been tentatively looking for another class to teach next year. Thanks for the idea.

P.S. Friends of ours are teaching one of the youth programs at Church for their Sunday School program. It wasn't the dvd series (as far as I know) but it did use workbooks. They thought it was great.