Well, we the people have a new president. It’s an exciting time for Americans, whether or not you agree with President Barack Obama’s plans. My hope is that our new president will instill some confidence in people, not necessarily set out to fix everybody and everything.

There are some bogus government strategies floating around to stimulate the economy and "save us from ourselves." Just because they’re all everyone talks about doesn’t make them true! Here are a few of the big issues:

Tax Breaks

Patriotic Duty

If you have your full emergency fund and are in a position to buy something, now is the perfect time! You can get some fabulous deals, but don’t let the deals entice you if you haven’t planned ahead and don’t have the cash!

National Deficit

Debt started the problem, so what is the current plan to fix the problem? More debt!
What really drives the economy? Is it D.C.'s programs or small-business people scattered throughout the country? This down economic time will begin to heal itself. Do we have to go $1 trillion in debt to do that? No way!

The good news is that our future as an economy isn’t coming out of Washington. Our future prosperity is coming out of the hopes, dreams and individual freedoms of the American people. When left alone, we have a tendency to prosper.

The healing of the economy will begin and end with you. Yes, you, the person you see in the mirror! You have to make your decision as to whether or not you’re going to take part in the recession.

As for our new president, if you’re not a fan, pray for him. He’s your president. If you are a fan, pray for him. He’s your president, not your savior. Your hope will be crushed if you wait for him and his administration—or anyone else—to fix your life and give you money.

Related:

• The Dave Ramsey Show Call: A Salute to the Real Superheroes
• Recession-Proof Yourself: Your Economy is up to You
• High-Performance Achievement: Take This Year to the Next Level

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Valentine's Day on a Rice-and-Beans Budget

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and you may be on a rice-and-beans budget. So how do you celebrate this day of love without forking over a wad of your hard-earned cash? Check out our memorable, fun and inexpensive ideas.

Take A Hike
Get those hearts pumping by doing some physical activity. Hit the trails at a nearby park. Bring along water bottles, snacks and a camera to make your hike more enjoyable. Remember to stop and document your Valentine’s hike by taking pictures.

Breakfast In Bed
Surprise your sweetie with a scrumptious breakfast in bed. Most breakfasts can be made with basic ingredients found in your home. Do a little research the day before to find a recipe that your loved one will enjoy.

Community Concerts
Instead of paying a steep price for a professional concert, save some cash by going to a locally sponsored show. Many towns have community bands that do concerts throughout the year. Check out local theaters, schools and civic groups for a free concert.

Take A Class
The library offers various free classes. Check out the schedule, and sign up for one that sounds interesting. Consider one that neither of you would normally attend—you might just find a new hobby!

Write A Love Letter
Put your love into words. If you find that writing a letter is too daunting, create a list of things you love about your sweetheart. Or, make a timeline of your relationship, noting all the special, significant things that have happened to the two of you.
Get more creative date ideas.

Perhaps the best Valentine’s gift to give your sweetie is the sense of financial security. Financial Peace University (FPU) has helped strengthen thousands of marriages, as couples learn how to handle their money together. Ana from Illinois wrote to tell us how FPU has done just this in her marriage:

My husband and I have had issues with financial togetherness ever since we married six years ago. We went through FPU almost a year ago, and I have continued to fight against applying the principles. About three months ago, I finally realized the blessings I had of a wonderful husband and a financial blueprint. Together, we started our emergency fund, paid offour cars, and began saving for a vacation. I never imagined I would be looking forward to going to the mailbox instead of dreading it.

Whether your marriage is flourishing or struggling, FPU can help you make it even better! Learn more now.

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We Did It!

Fired Up To Become Debt Free!
By Bryan in FL

The economic situation has been a real eye-opener for me. I make a good living but was not being as careful with my money as I could have been. I want to get rid of the feeling that if I lose my job, we lose everything.

I paid off one car two months ago, and it felt awesome. I'm working on the other one. My wife is in her last semester of school and will be a special education teacher next year. When she graduates in May, we will not owe a dime in student loans!

We owe $5,500 on the second car and have about $9,000 in credit card debt. The plan is to have the car paid off in six months and then put $1,000 a month toward the credit card until it is done.

I never want to use a credit card again!

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Stupid Tax

The Bailout Plan That Backfired
By Barrett in MD

It sounded like the mathematically sensible plan.

My father-in-law loaned us $7,000 to pay off our credit card so we could pay him back and save the interest on our 7.9% Visa card. What's not to love about that?

Here we are a year later with a $7,000 personal loan and $4,000 on the credit card.

Dave says it well when he says, "If you throw money at stupid people, they do stupid things with it." Our habits had not changed and our "bailout" freed up more of our credit to spend.

Specifically, I'm the stupid person. As an accountant/mathematician, I'm always looking at how to shift around assets and liabilities to maximize returns. If you also do that, stop! Stick to the Baby Steps. Saving the interest on the credit card is nothing compared to the discipline we would have learned if we would have paid it off on our own.

Today we're on the right track, starting Baby Step 2 and planning to be out of debt by December. We're even going to pay the interest my father-in-law would have made on the $7,000 if we hadn't taken the original loan.

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Don't Miss These Four Tax Deductions

If you search the internet, you’ll find all types of deductions you could claim this year. Sadly, though, your everyday Joe doesn’t qualify for a lot of them. However, we dug up four deductions most of you can qualify for.

State sales taxes
This makes the most sense for people who live in a non-income tax state. For those who have to pay income taxes, it’s usually better to skip this deduction and take the income tax deduction.

Charitable donations
You can get a deduction on charitable donations. For instance, deduct the mileage put on your car for charity work or the meals you prepare for a nonprofit organization. This deduction is just one more reason to donate to a worthy cause!

Student loan interest (if paid by Mom and Dad)
We don’t recommend student loans. But if you already have one, you can deduct the interest if your parents paid back the loan. You see, the IRS treats it as if mom and dad gave their kid the money, who then paid off the debt. The only catch is that the kid cannot be claimed as a dependent.

Last year’s state tax return
Last year, did you owe your state instead of getting a refund? If so, you can deduct the amount you paid the state in your 2008 return.

Let’s face it, taxes and deductions are flat out confusing. Even Harvard graduates have trouble trying to figure out all the deductions they deserve. But do you know who isn’t confused by all these rules and numbers? Our tax Endorsed Local Providers (ELPs).

Our tax ELPs are professional CPAs and Enrolled Agents who can get you every deduction that you deserve. Click here to contact your tax ELP. Hey, it’s your money; make sure you get everything you deserve!

Source: Kiplinger.com

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Ah, the bad first date. We’re not talking bad dinner service. Or a flat tire. Or that it was too icy and you slipped. We mean the kind where your date decides to stand on a chair in the middle of the restaurant and sing to you (it happened … read below!).

Think your bad dates measure up to these? In honor of the upcoming Valentine’s Day, check out these first dates gone horribly wrong, courtesy of My Total Money Makeover members.

Phrase Overuse
I once went on a disaster date with a gorgeous girl. We had met through friends, and she seemed pretty cool. It turns out she was dumb as a post. She had just gotten back from her first year of college, and had become very "sororitized." Apparently her sorority had a catch phrase, "Shut it!"

After the first few times, I started counting. During the three hours it took for the dinner and movie, she said it 23 times. I've never driven a girl back to her house faster than I did that night!
—Brent from Alabama

Undercover Drug Dealer
While in college, I went on some good dates with a particular guy. He was applying to law school and had some pretty solid life plans. I went on spring break to Florida with my friends, and the first night we're there, I got a call about 10:30 p.m. on my cell phone from the Georgia state police. The guy had decided to surprise me by coming to Florida and got pulled over for speeding. They searched his car and found a lot of weed and drug paraphernalia!

I had no idea he was even into that stuff. A couple of us drove to Georgia, spent the night in the parking lot of the police station, talked to a bail bondsman the next morning, and had to call his mom to wire money to bail him out! I found out later that he was one of the biggest drug dealers in that part of the state.

Last week, he called me and he's now in law school. He supposedly straightened up his act and asked if we could go out again! I laughed so hard I fell out of my chair!
—Jennifer from Oklahoma

She Was Married!
During the drive to dinner for our second date, the woman informed me her husband was in Iraq! I immediately flipped a U-turn and took her home; she couldn’t believe I didn’t want to go out with her anymore. I cut all communication immediately. I meet her online and never knew she was married.
—Paul from Colorado

Restaurant Serenade
My worst date started with a car accident right after we left my house. While we were waiting for a farmer to get a tractor to tow us out of a ditch, my date pulled out a toy race car that he said was only 50 cents at Wal-Mart, but he was embarrassed to be seen paying for it so he stole it!

Eventually, we got to the nice restaurant for dinner. For some reason, the guy suddenly stood on his chair and serenaded me in the restaurant. He couldn't carry a tune, and the only song he apparently knew was "Doe, a Deer, a Female Deer" from The Sound of Music.

I wanted to die.
—Terri from Missouri

Read more and submit your own.

If you think a date can be bad, try dealing with the loss of a loved one without a Love Drawer. Whether or not you’re married, compiling a Love Drawer for your loved ones is essential and what responsible people do to show they care. Take the time to provide in this way for your family.

Learn how to set up your Love Drawer

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We're on the Road Again

This year is certainly going to be a year full of difficult decisions (just like any year, right?). Which road will you take?

No matter what happens in Washington D.C., learning how to take control of your money for yourself is the only way to prosper. Good news—we’re here to help you!

The Total Money Makeover LIVE Event is on the road again! (Are you singing the classic Willie Nelson song yet?) This spring, Dave will criss-cross the country bringing the message of financial peace to thousands of people across our great nation. Will you be there?

This event has something for everyone! Whether you’re married or single, young or old, Dave will teach you how to create your own bailout plan for lasting financial peace.

The Total Money Makeover LIVE will be in:

• San Antonio – January 31
• Grand Rapids, MI – February 19
• Dallas, TX – March 28
• Colorado Springs, CO – April 18
• Kansas City, MO – May 1
• Salt Lake City, UT – May 16

In addition to learning God’s way of handling your money, you will receive a 30-day free subscription to MyTotalMoneyMakeover.com with any ticket purchase. This website is Dave’s online community where you’ll be equipped with the tools you need once you get home after the Live Event, including setting up online budgets and getting encouragement from other Dave fans across the country.

So take the next exit in a city near you and don’t miss this opportunity to change your family tree forever!

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Useful Tools

There are plenty of free resources available at daveramsey.com to help you with everything from setting up a budget that really works to getting a free annual credit report. Here are a few highlights this month:

• Rent vs. Buy Calculator
  Should you rent or buy a house? This calculator will help you compare the costs so you can make an informed decision. (Remember, Dave recommends you be debt free before you purchase a home. A house can be a blessing or a curse.)
  Use the calculator now!
  
  
• Dave's Investment Quiz
  Think you know investing? Take this short quiz to find out how much you know. Don't worry; we'll explain the correct answers after you take the quiz. Good luck!
  Take the quiz now.
  
  
• Free, High-Interest Checking on CheckingFinder.com
  Dave says, "Start making your money work harder right now on CheckingFinder.com. Enter your ZIP to find and open a free, high-yield checking account with no minimum balance. It's easy to do, and you're done in just minutes. I've never found a better checking account."
  
  
ZIP Code:

Get more useful tools here

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Dave Ramsey Updates

Where's Dave?

Magazines, websites, LIVE events, TV - Dave's everywhere! Get all the up-to-date info.

Upcoming 2009 Live Events
Here is a list of Dave's upcoming events in 2009:

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New Radio Affiliates

Check out our newest stations!
There are over 375 affiliates nationwide.

City & State	Radio Station	Air Times
Bunnell, FL	WNZF AM 1550	M-F 8-10 p.m. CST
Natchitoches, LA	KNOC AM 1550	M-F 2-5 p.m. CST
Denver, CO	KLZ AM 560	M-F 12-3 p.m. MST
Columbus, OH	WTDA FM 103.9	M-F 1-4 p.m. EST
Brookings, SD	KBRK AM 1430	M-F 6-9 p.m. CST
Bridgeport, CT	WICC AM 600	Sun. 2-6 p.m. EST
Menominee, MI	WAGN AM 1340	M-F 2-5 p.m. EST
Wayne, NE	KTCH AM 1590	M-F 2-5 p.m. CST
Clovis, NM	KWKA AM 680	M-F 4-7 p.m. MST
Beaumont, TX	KLVI AM 560	M-F 8-10 p.m. CST
Omaha, NE	KOIL AM 1180	M-F 6-8 p.m. CST

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Quote of the Month

The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.
—John Scully

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