
Latest Columns
-
Teaching Your Kids About Strangers
Written by Dr. Polly Dunn -
Painting Flower Pots
Written by Dana Moonan -
Have Pension; Invest Anyway?
Written by Dave Ramsey -
Childhood Obesity
Written by Pediatric Associates of Auburn -
Helping Teen Boys Have a Right View of Women
Written by John Rosemond
Dave is the author of The New York Times best-selling book Financial Peace. He is also the host of the nationally syndicated The Dave Ramsey Show, and is a regular guest on television. All of his financial counseling is based on biblical truths. You can hear Dave from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., weekdays online at www.daveramsey.com. Send your questions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . He resides with his wife Sharon and their three children, Denise, Rachel, and Daniel, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Question: My wife and I are both active duty Marines. She’s planning to get out in a few months, but I’m staying in for the long haul. You recommend saving 15 percent for retirement, but how does that apply in my case when I’ll be getting a good pension after 20 years?
Question: I got divorced recently, and have custody of our children who are 12 and 17. I’m lucky enough to be debt-free, and I own the house we’re living in, which is worth about $350,000. I also have $160,000 in savings, and we receive $1,200 in child support every month. People are all telling me I should be investing, but each one tells me to do a different kind of investing. What do you suggest?
Question: My wife and I bought some furniture a while back on what we thought was a 24-months-same-as-cash plan. The original purchase price was $1,600. The other day, I got a call from a collector saying that it was actually a 12-month plan, and the balance is now $2,800. We looked at the contract, and it was our mistake on the length of the plan. Still, that makes the interest rate about 30 percent. Is there anything we can do about this?
Question: My wife and I have gone from having almost nothing to making about $90,000 in the last few years. The problem is that I can’t get her interested in saving money. What’s worse, her father is the preacher at our church and he has convinced her that he knows the Lord is coming back in our lifetime. Thinking this, she says there’s no reason to save because it will all be gone anyway. What can I do?
Question: Our financial situation is pretty good now, and my husband and I feel it is time to start giving something back. There are several organizations we’re interested in helping, but how can we know if they’re legitimate and will use our money wisely?
Should We Involve the Kids in Financial Talks?
Written by Dave Ramsey
Question: Is it a good idea to include teenagers in financial talks and budget meetings?
Question: How do you feel about online trading for building a stock portfolio? Assuming that someone has done their homework on which stocks to buy, is there anything else to know about do-it-yourself trading?
Question: Several months ago, my five-year-old son told me he wanted a Nintendo DS. He does little things around the house for me, and at his grandparents’ place, so I told him he’d need to save his money and buy it. Well, he did! He’s got enough for the console, but not to pay the sales tax. Should I help him out?
Qusetion: Our 15-year-old has saved his money, and he’ll buy a car next year. When he buys it, should the title be put in our names or his?
Question: My husband and I are both spenders. We want to get on a plan and handle our money better, but is there anything that will help us learn to give up stuff now so that we’ll have more in the future?
Question: My husband and I can’t agree on how we should handle the child support payments I receive. He thinks it should be put in the pool with our household budget money, but right now I keep it in a separate account. Who’s right?
Question: We paid off our cars a few months ago, and that freed up almost $800 month. We have two small children, and we’d like to take a camping trip in a few months, but we would need a roomier vehicle. We found a used van, and we think we could have it paid off in 12 months. We’d still have more money left than before, so would this be okay?
Question: We have two teenage daughters, ages 17 and 16, who are both in high school and work in the family business. We’ve done our best to teach them how to handle their money properly, including how to spend, save, and give. Also, they’ve both been saving for college. My husband thinks it would be a good idea to start charging them rent to prepare them for life once they leave home. What do you think?
Question: I listen to you often and enjoy your radio show, but why don’t you ever ask women to go to work? When a family is broke, and the woman is at home raising one child who is already in the fifth grade, why can’t the wife get a “second job?”
Question: I don’t hide debt from my spouse, but I do hide money from her. I’ve been squirreling away money for emergencies without her knowledge. She’s not terrible with money, but she always finds something to spend it on. We were never able to save anything before I started doing this. After hearing you talk about “financial infidelity,” I began to worry about her reaction when she finds out I’ve been doing this. What’s your advice?The Blessing of a Baby Doesn’t Have to Break the Bank
Written by Dave Ramsey
When most people think of hard economic times, they think of being laid off, not being able to pay the bills, and maybe even moving to a smaller house. Some people go so far as to not have children when times are tough.What's Popular
-
Improve Reading Skills This Summer
Written by Michele Ranard, M.Ed.Many parents feel overwhelmed thinking about the summer vacation weeks when children need reading practice…
-
Take It Outside! Summer Activities in the Great Outdoors
Written by Jen HendersonWho doesn’t love summer? It’s a time of family gatherings and picnics, yearly vacations and…
-
From One Parent to Another
Written by Kendra SumnerMay can be a very bitter sweet time of year. Schools and students begin their…