30andBroke.com

Looking at all this debt was disheartening and a bit shameful as well.

From the outside looking in you’d think that life was all great. A nice house, private school for the kids, nice clothes, foreign SUV and loads of empty containers from the fanciest of restaurants.

Yes, faking the American Dream and living the American Nightmare.

Something had to be done though, but what?

The day after we faced our finances was a Sunday and despite all the different distractions, I couldn’t help but think about the 300 thousand pound elephant in the room. Everytime I blinked it was there drooling, getting ready to devour me like a bag of honey roasted peanuts.

I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to run off to my place of peace and serenity, Borders! I grabbed my laptop and dashed out the house without a word to anymore. I just had to figure this all out.

However, on the way to Borders I was tormented every step of the way.

Would you like the Sunday Paper sir?

Mmmmmm, Starbucks!

Buy Me, Buy Me, Buy Me!

I felt like there were money gremlins all over trying to eat away at the little crumbs of money I had left.

Help!!!

Finally, I made it in safe and sound, wallet and cards still intact. It seems just the other day I would have given in to all those treats, but today was different. I was so afraid to even spend an extra cent.

But wouldn’t you feel the same if your life was bleeding cash from all possible seems and crevices?

I plopped down and fired up the old laptop to see if I could find anything that could help me take on this financial challenge. Even though we got into debt all on our own, we had to find someone or some information to help us get out. We definitely couldn’t ask friends and family, that’s just too embarrassing. It’s a great thing they have this internet thing, because that’s where I turned to.

I scoured as many sites and blogs as I could, and then I went over to Amazon to see what other books they recommended in relation to the book that had created this financial hysteria in the first place.

What’s this?

I Will Teach You to Be Rich?

Sounded kinda scammy to me, but it was at least worth a quick look. And I’m glad I decided not to brush off the title, because the next 2 hours were two of the best eye opening hours of my life. Other than that time, at that place, with those ladies. A different kind of eye opening.

It so happened that the author Ramit Sethi had a related blog for the book in question and it had some very great information on how to go about getting your finances under control and getting out of debt. Without all the guilt I might add.

This was fantastic information, you mean you could spend thousands on eating out and partying and still be rich? How come everyone doesn’t know this?

I devoured as much of the blog as I could, acting like starved lunatic unleashed at an all you can eat buffet. Yes a massacre.

BUT… time was running short and my wife was blowing up my phone wondering if I ran away, never to come back. I mean I thought about it, but that would have been a bit cowardly wouldn’t it?

So for the first time that day I reached into my pocket and decided I had to get this book from Ramit. I mean he had a bunch of testimonials on his site and tons of blog comments and if they could get value from his book, then I could too. The title of the book did sound very suspect, but one read of his blog had me sold. Real valuable information that I had to get my hands on.

I purchased the book and ran home and once everyone got in bed, I spent hours upon hours ’til the wee hours of the morning reading every sing page of this book.

I just couldn’t put it down!

- Will

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