That's terrible, and I pray for healing in your current health crisis. The one problem I have with Dave Ramsay's approach to debt is it can throw people's life off balance just as badly as a pile of debt. Taking a holistic approach, not skimping on a healthy diet or leaving some time and resources available to recreate and stay connected to family and community, might take twice as long, but you'll come out much healthier and well-adjusted. Part of the problem too, is things that are nice to have being pushed as "needs." My parents could never realistically have afforded to take us to Disneyland, for instance, but we went backpacking at least once every summer, and I'd challenge anyone who'd suggest a trip to Disneyland was more valuable than that.
There are so many other ways that happens though, especially when it comes to raising kids (like saving money for college - as a college graduate, I say why?), and people end up either working themselves to death, piling up debt, or both for them. And debt is a stressor in itself. There's a clear argument when it comes to mortgage for a house, but financing rapidly-depreciating assets like cars and RVs and sleds will never make sense to me. When it comes to sledding, a Dad and kids will have just as much fun and learn a lot more fixing up some old junk and riding it until they can afford better. Or, if you're like me and Dad's not interested or mechanically inclined, you just tinker on what you can get your hands on and don't even start riding until well into adulthood. Never in a million years would I trade the family I've got for a rich Dad who was never around - or worse.
Another thing to consider is just how spoiled we've been; historically, that never lasts, and the warning signs are out. Personally, I'm getting ready for a storm. God willing, we can turn things around, but we've got some rocky years coming, and the frugality my grandparents lived by could quickly transition from something we'd call quaint to a matter of life and death. "Business as usual" is already out the window. Communism killed around one-hundred million people last century, but you're hearing the same rhetoric with just a tweak these days. To anyone who'd say "they'd never do that," take an honest look at what happened in 2020. I hate to be a Debbie Downer ("nobody likes a Debbie Downer, Stan - mmmkay?"), but I guess I can't help myself since we've strayed into some existential discussions already... I try to be optimistic, and sometimes you've just gotta laugh - I think my refrain from now on, when people ask me how I am will be "Tomorrow the gulag, my friend, but today, life is good!"
Finally, things like you're going through @josh@andeon, should remind us all that there are more important things than sleds and riding, or money, of course. I know of at least two others on here who've been fighting cancer this past year, and hopefully we all take the opportunity to be thankful for the life we have and those around us. No matter how you live, you eventually run out of tomorrows - you've gotta make the best of today.
There are so many other ways that happens though, especially when it comes to raising kids (like saving money for college - as a college graduate, I say why?), and people end up either working themselves to death, piling up debt, or both for them. And debt is a stressor in itself. There's a clear argument when it comes to mortgage for a house, but financing rapidly-depreciating assets like cars and RVs and sleds will never make sense to me. When it comes to sledding, a Dad and kids will have just as much fun and learn a lot more fixing up some old junk and riding it until they can afford better. Or, if you're like me and Dad's not interested or mechanically inclined, you just tinker on what you can get your hands on and don't even start riding until well into adulthood. Never in a million years would I trade the family I've got for a rich Dad who was never around - or worse.
Another thing to consider is just how spoiled we've been; historically, that never lasts, and the warning signs are out. Personally, I'm getting ready for a storm. God willing, we can turn things around, but we've got some rocky years coming, and the frugality my grandparents lived by could quickly transition from something we'd call quaint to a matter of life and death. "Business as usual" is already out the window. Communism killed around one-hundred million people last century, but you're hearing the same rhetoric with just a tweak these days. To anyone who'd say "they'd never do that," take an honest look at what happened in 2020. I hate to be a Debbie Downer ("nobody likes a Debbie Downer, Stan - mmmkay?"), but I guess I can't help myself since we've strayed into some existential discussions already... I try to be optimistic, and sometimes you've just gotta laugh - I think my refrain from now on, when people ask me how I am will be "Tomorrow the gulag, my friend, but today, life is good!"
Finally, things like you're going through @josh@andeon, should remind us all that there are more important things than sleds and riding, or money, of course. I know of at least two others on here who've been fighting cancer this past year, and hopefully we all take the opportunity to be thankful for the life we have and those around us. No matter how you live, you eventually run out of tomorrows - you've gotta make the best of today.
