DR book -Christmas gift

**Russ** · 11-24-2008, 02:12 PM

We are giving my wife's sister Dave's book for Christmas.

Some SIL background...

Single mother, we are reminded of this constantly

, and CAN NOT make it through an entire month without borrowing money. $100, 200 or 300 every month from either her son, daughter, or her mother.

In the past 5 years..
The woman is a walking financial disaster. Bought a house and one month later took out a HELOC to put up a privacy fence and above ground pool. CC maxed at $10K and will never pay it off.
Cashed in 401K to pay bills, got a $14K settlement from a questionable lawsuit and pissed that away.

That's only the stuff we know about.

So all she is getting for Christmas is Dave's book.

I'm a mean old Scrooge ain't I?

**DJ1972** · 11-24-2008, 02:18 PM

I think it is a great Christmas gift! But, from the looks of her history, the only way she would benefit from it is if you hit her over the head with it and knocked some sense into her! J/K Maybe she will read it and actually realize she isn't a victim of circumstance and can control her future.........or maybe she will continue being the victim, either way, at least you are giving her a tool.

**tbs727** · 11-24-2008, 02:19 PM

Now if you can just figure out a way to make her read it...

**Russ** · 11-24-2008, 02:30 PM

MIL and I have a plan.. constantly talk budgets and Dave Ramsey. Not sure it will help, but it can't hurt. She is 50y/o still has a 25 year mortgage, no savings and no retirement fund. Do you think she will ever be able to retire? I doubt it.

**Russ** · 11-28-2008, 09:04 AM

The discussion of Christmas gifts came up yesterday at Thanksgiving. She says she will be spending about $600 on Christmas gifts, while in the same breath saying she lives paycheck to paycheck.
Her emergency fund ---> her mother, daughter and son.

Maybe I should re-title this thread... "the continuing saga of an idiot".

I truly believe she is beyond Dave Ramsey's help.

**Ceashels** · 11-28-2008, 11:06 AM

We will be giving a few of DR's books as part of our holiday giving.

I hope the SIL has enough sense to crack it open and read it. Would it be worth taping some of his tv shows for her to see? Some people respond so much better to his enthusiasm than reading a book?

**BlessedMomof2** · 11-28-2008, 11:40 AM

That is a great Christmas gift! Hopefully she uses the knowledge in the book to turn her life around financially.

**Lady_V** · 11-28-2008, 02:44 PM

tell her that if she finishes the book, and passes the quiz she gets a prize

**Royal** · 11-29-2008, 01:15 AM

I just got the TMMO book this week from my mom. I am almost done reading it, but I have to say I read so much about DR on internet that there ain't so much new news to me. But, none the less, I love it.

Good luck with the SIL. People can change, if they fall hard enough!!

**rainbowgc** · 11-29-2008, 11:54 AM

I think it is a great idea and sounds like she needs it. We were never in much debt but I did read the book and picked up some gems. Then i donated it to my local library for others to use.

**larabelle** · 12-05-2008, 01:53 PM

In my humble opinion. I agree that until she falls flat on her face she will not give a hoot about changing her behaviors.

**amlitrocks** · 12-05-2008, 02:35 PM

I had to laugh when I read this. I did the same for my brother last year. I swear they must just use it as a doorstop. I give up at this point.

**khaski** · 12-06-2008, 08:28 PM

Yes, giving someone the gift of knowledge and a sprinkle of hope is the BEST gift one can give, or receive- but remember, there is none so blind as he who will not see. Do not be angry if your gift goes unused!

I considered this same gift for my SIL who is always 'broke'. She frets how she will EVER afford to pay the $600 for her son's school trip to DC next spring- yet she bought him a $230 iPod Touch a few days before Thanksgiving, and no, it wasn't a birthday present (not like that would have made it ok either but...)! She's not ready to see the problem of her own making- it's always easier to blame circumstance than own up.

**peanut** · 12-08-2008, 01:32 PM

Oh...I feel so blessed. My daughter heard of DR's "More than Enough" and started ransacking my house looking for it!LOL I told her it was in the church library, not MINE!LOL

Gotta love it. Big bro turned me onto it. I nabbed DH and DD#1, who in turn shared the audio CDs and books with her DH. And I mentioned it to Dad. Dad hasn't bit. Said he could never get his new wife to do zero-based budgeting. I think she's just ignorant about how to handle money. I sent him a bunch of DR links and haven't received a reply yet...hmmm...don't think it stuck somehow. Oh well...

Like the others say, go ahead, but don't be surprised if they ignore it. I heard of DR first years ago and figured he was just for Americans/Christians etc. Didn't pay much attention, even tho I'm a Christian myself. Didn't see a problem because we had no actual debt. But we sure didn't have any funds built up for emergencies. When we needed to learn better money management was when DR became interesting to me.

So while you can plant the seed...just remember, you aren't in control of the weather that makes it sprout.

Jean