Your Daily Dose of Dave – March 23, 2011

Dave Ramsey’s Thoughts on Gas PricesYou’ve probably noticed that gasoline prices have gone up 13% in the last month. Since most of us are used to daily commutes, running the kids here and there and visiting friends and family, this price increase is affecting us both at the pump and in what we pay for other goods and services.“But there’s nothing I can do,” some say. Dave says, “Oh, yes there is!”It’s time to revisit the budget.Most people feel like they’ve crunched their budgets as much as they can. But how much is your car payment? How much is your monthly cable or satellite bill? Is the Starbucks drive-through a regular stop on your morning commute?This may be tough to hear, but new cars, cable and Starbucks are luxuries, not necessities!An algebra teacher and Dave fan in Michigan sent in an interesting email on this topic. She wrote:Dave, I often give my math students this calculation to figure out. A typical latte costs $3.59 for 16 oz. That’s 22 cents per ounce or $28.72 a gallon! Ask your listeners if they’ve drank a gallon of latte lately!

First Things First

If you currently go to the movie theater every weekend or have a Hawaiian vacation at the top of your list, but you struggle to pay the electric bill, your priorities are out of wack. Don’t sacrifice your needs to finance your wants.

Plan Ahead

If you have a lot of errands to run, plan your route ahead of time so you’re not retracing your steps around town. You could also organize a carpool with some of your coworkers who live near you.It’s anyone’s guess where gas prices will end up, so have a Budget Committee Meeting right now to see where you can free up some money and keep your family from feeling the pinch.

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