Columnist: An early holiday gift suggestion to ease the shopping burden

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Jerry Johnson

Contributing columnist

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It is getting to be the holiday season.

What I suggest you give EARLY is “The Total Money Makeover” by Dave Ramsey. Why early? So people will not spend money on credit cards to impress people they really do not like or that really don’t like them.

If you cannot pay cash for it, you do not need to give it away and pay 10 months with 18 percent interest on something you cannot afford. This is Dave’s definition of debt — to obtain the “I WANTS” before we can afford them.

As one person said, “It’s so nice not to be paying for today and yesterday anymore.”

Dave does not have a problem with you having a good car and good place to live. He has a problem with people making poor choices and putting a $6,000 cruise on your Visa card because you have been on the job 30 days on your own and you make $30,000 per year.

I love his saying, “If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else!” I wish I had this book when I was 21.

You can still enjoy life, just pay cash as you go. What does this mean? Go get a Subway sandwich, eat it at the park and enjoy the lake and the sunset. Louise and I have had deer 20 feet away, it is PRICELESS!

“People don’t plan to fail, they just fail to plan.” — Woodrow Wilson

Question: If I co-sign am I really helping a friend?

The Bible say do not do it! From past experience I can tell you do not do it — you will make someone else’s payments.

Sometimes it works, other times the person with the good intention becomes the goat. Yes, you old goat, you have plenty of money so you make the payments.

Dave Ramsey says it will never be the same again. Eating with your master is different than eating with your family. You need to buy “The Total Money Makeover” and read it. Many lessons that never go away are in this book.

Yes, I am going to talk about being debt-free these coming weeks. Our country should take notes.

“Spend less than you make and save the rest.” — James Stogner

Jerry Johnson is president of First Realty of LaGrange.