Total Money Makeover

My husband and I recently attended a Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover seminar. If you haven’t ever taken the time to truly focus on your money, then I would highly recommend a class or course such as the ones by Dave Ramsey. Many communities offer his Financial Peace University classes. It is a 13-week course that focuses on eliminating debt and building wealth.

There is also a program he offers for teens. I have just started teaching that class for the teen Sunday School class at my church. This Dave Ramsey course entitled is called Generation Change. I am very excited about teaching this. As I go through this material, I am reminded of how my own generation grew up as the era of credit was beginning. These teens I am working with, have never known anything different. They (and many of us brainwashed adults) feel it is normal to charge everything in our lives. My grandparents and parents paid for everything in cash. Nowadays, that seem like a foreign idea. But it is the smartest thing you can do.

Hopefully, we are beginning to wake up and take our lives back from the creditors! I challenge you to become part of the Generation of Change. Find a financial class to get you on track. Read a book. Do something to get your financial life back on track. When your money is out of control–so is the rest of your life. Find a Dave Ramsey class and the Sunday School material I mentioned at his website daveramsey.com.

Start a Neighborhood Watch

A few years ago, I felt very discouraged that our small community was experiencing many more crimes such as burglaries, auto thefts, illegal drug activity and vandalism.  I wanted to do something to help.  I contacted our local Sheriff’s Office to see about starting a Neighborhood Watch program in the county.  With the help of our local Emergency Management Agency, we were able to secure grant funding to pay for signage and materials. Then we began to put the word out throughout the community (both the city and the county) to let folks know about the program. If they were interested in getting their neighborhood involved, they contacted us and we would help them get started, get the signage installed and help them identify the key issues they wanted to address in their area.

If you feel your neighborhood could benefit from a neighborhood watch, I encourage you to take these steps to get one started.

1. Check with your neighbors to see if anyone else is interested in working with you.

2. Contact your local law enforcement agency. See if they have a program in place in your community. If not – start your own. (The Neighborhood Watch Program is sponsored by the National Sheriff’s Association. There are other programs. See what your law enforcement recommends.)

3. Organize a meeting with your neighbors and have a Law Enforcement officer attend to answer questions.

4. Check out these resources USA on Watch and the National Sheriffs Association for information to  get a Neighborhood Watch started.  There are numerous free resources available for download at these sites.

5. Contact your local Emergency Management Agency to see if any funding might be available for the signs and materials.  They may know of another source in your area if they are unable to assist you.  Ask your Law Enforcement Agency if they know of funding sources.  Some communities divide the cost of the signs among the neighbors.

6. Meet regularly with your neighbors. Plan a block party or simple get - togethers throughout the year so you can all get to know each other and help look out for one another.

 Check out this article I wrote on Rural Crime Prevention for Country Living magazine.

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