A Christian author says with God's help -- and with time -- couples can take care of the present, clean up the past, and prepare for a successful, debt-free future.
In her newest book Debt-Proof Your Marriage (Fleming H Revell, 2003), Mary Hunt says couples can take steps toward being debt-free and strengthening their marriage. She says the most common mistake couples make when it comes to financial planning is failure to keep track of spending. That results primarily, she says, from a fast-paced life and the demands placed on people's time and money.
"We have children, we have family needs, we have household news -- and we get caught up. And society says that we're entitled to have so much, and we want to keep up with the neighbors and the lifestyle we see around us," Hunt says. "And we get into this thing so that by the time we reach payday, half the money's already been spent."
In her book, Hunt outlines a strategy for financial harmony. She says financial disharmony can tear a marriage apart -- but financial harmony can bind it together. And when the author says it is possible for couples to turn back from the brink of financial ruin, she is speaking from experience. Hunt shares that it took her and her husband 13 years to pay back $100,000 in unsecured debt.
"Most people get into debt just adding a little bit every month, over and over and over, consistently," she observes. "Well, you can back out of debt the same way: you've got to follow the steps.
"I've got a plan; it's quite simple. When you look at it, you say 'Wow, this really will work for us.' You have to start being prepared for emergencies. You cannot keep looking at life as if whatever money you have this month is yours to spend."
Hunt is founder and publisher of the popular newsletter Cheapskate Monthly.
Cheapskate Monthly (http://www.cheapskatemonthly.com)