If you’re not familiar with Dave Ramsey, get to know him!
You can get his books from the library and watch all of his videos on YouTube for free; he also has a radio show. His advice allowed me to be DEBT FREE and ‘retired’ at 55. (And I got divorced at 50, though I had no kids to care for as they are adults.)
Dave Ramsey is a great resource. Our local station carries his radio program.
He gives excellent advice for a certain kind of person, e.g., cut your spending, pay off your loans, get a second job, etc. His advice is really valuable for most people.
However - it’s not right for all people. People who happen to be serious savers and investors aren’t comfortable with it. Some people want to be a bit more aggressive and want to invest in real estate. They’ll mortgage it to the max and over the years that real estate will increase in value (hopefully faster than inflation) and each year they’ll be paying back the mortgage in cheaper dollars.
It takes a certain type of person to do this. They’re not taking out car loans, they’re not living off of credit cards, they’re putting their savings into appreciating assets, not depreciating assets. Even Dave Ramsay admits, he’s a big investor in r.e., but he knows it’s not right for most people.
Thanks, Diana. I have heard a bit of him here and there. He would be someone I would love to spend time with privately on what I should do when it is time. I will look for his stuff. It wouldn’t apply to me now though.