On Thursday night, over 6,000 churches hosted Dave Ramsey's Town Hall for Hope live simulcast and over 1 million Americans heard what he had to say. Not familiar with Dave? He's a financial expert and a Christian, which I love because what he teaches about your finances are biblically based.

He said a lot of great things last week and he really conveyed that the economy is not as bad as what the media is trying to portray. One of the best quotes of the night was: "Credit cards are snakes. If you play with snakes, you're going to get bit." Dave doesn't even own a credit card because he doesn't feel that the credit card companies play fair. He only advises using them if you can pay them in full each month! Now, I know that for a lot of Americans credit cards are a way of life, but can you imagine if you never used a credit card again how much money you would save?! Not only would you be keeping all that interest that you would accrue to yourself, but statistics also show that Americans who pay with credit cards typically spend 26% more than Americans who don't use them. Ponder that for a little bit.

Another important thing he said was that "Failure will run you into excellence. Without fear of failure you cannot be your best." I think this is also great; we shouldn't let our fear of failure paralyze us from doing anything but instead use that fear to do our best. And if we should fail that will only make us want to pick up the pieces and try again. A lot of the wealthiest people have been millionaires only to become bankrupt and then they go out and work harder and accomplish even greater wealth than before.

Dave claimed we need to learn two things: 1. SAY NO! and 2. Take personal responsibility that you caused this mess. He says we need to learn how to say no again--we live in a society that says yes to everything and no to nothing, but that must change if we're going to get in control of our finances. We need to learn to say "yes that was my fault" instead of whining about it.

I'm also very happy to inform you that Dave believes the housing industry is going to lead us out of this recession. He stated that because of interest rates being the lowest they have been in years, it's a wonderful time to buy a home. If you have extra money he also recommends investing in property as well. And he wants everyone to quit believing the media when they talk about foreclosures running rampant in this nation; did you know that 60% of the foreclosures come from only 5 of our states. And that 50% of foreclosures are in 35 counties. This shows us that foreclosures are highly localized. So, if you can afford it, this is definitely the year to buy a home!

And finally, here's a three step action plan that we should follow:

1. Get up and TAKE ACTION! Don't just sit on your couch watching Oprah re-runs wishing you made more money or the country wasn't in this recession (This is not even the worst recession we've ever had, did you know that?) Be proactive and think creatively on ways to earn more money.

2. Don't participate in LOSER TALK! Don't believe everything you hear on the media and if the news is getting you down, just don't listen to it. Think positively and when others are talking negatively walk away or find something good to say.

3. We need to learn to give again. Americans need to learn how to be generous again with both their time and money. Money really tight? Don't worry, find ways to give back to your community--maybe help serve in a soup kitchen or volunteer to read to elderly people in a retirement home. Doing things to help others will help get your mind off your problems, put things into perspective (things could be worse) and will be a blessing to you.

Lastly, his parting words were: HOPE comes from you, me, and God--NOT Washington!!

If you would like more information, Dave Ramsey has a whole website devoted to Town Hall for Hope. Also, he's a wonderful financial advisor and has written a great book: Total Money Makeover that I would highly recommend. He teaches people how to get out of debt and to live a debt-free lifestyle. His motto is "Live like no one else, so one day you can LIVE like no one else."

Town Hall for Hope Website

Dave Ramsey's Website

I hope this information has helped you! If you are in the market to buy or sell your home in the Bethlehem or Dacula area, I would be happy to assist you! My passion is helping people find their dream home and stepping them through this exciting journey. I serve the Walton, Barrow and Gwinnett county areas. Call or text me today!