Christmas $pending

How do you compare to the nation concerning your Christmas spending?

Studies reveal the average annual household income in the U.S. is around $44,000 annually. Studies also show the average family will spend $792.00 on Christmas this year.

So, according to the averages, if you make $80,000 annually, you will spend $1,600 on Christmas this year. If you make $20,000 annually, you will spend $400 on Christmas this year.

Of course, none of these averages matter if you are in debt. Is the joy of Christmas missing this year because you know you'll have to pay for it all later? Or will this year's Christmas shopping only add to the pile of debt you already have? Which of course will add stress to your marriage, family life, workplace and tithing or charitable giving.

Thanks to the information we got from Dave Ramsey, we were able to pay off ALL our debts in about 19 months and this year, we budgeted for Christmas spending and all those worries and stresses are gone for the first time in a long time.

In March of 2007, Brandi and I are attending Dave Ramsey's Financial Counselor Training in Brentwood, TN. This will make us Certified Financial Counselors and we will be providing FREE Financial Counceling through Healing Place Church. Yep, that's right, FREE! (We got a major discount on the training for signing up for Church Ministry Curriculum.)

We are excited to share our experience of becoming debt free and helping others down the same road. We'd be happy to help anyone interested right away, but after March, we'll have many more tools to provide in depth counsel and advice.

Merry Christmas!