5 Dave Ramsey Rules That’ll Save You $1,000 This Month

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1. Stop Buying Things You Can’t Afford

You know that “just this once” Target trip that somehow costs $200?

Yeah, Dave Ramsey would call that “budget sabotage.”

If you can’t pay cash for it right now, you can’t afford it. Period.

Here’s how to stop those sneaky impulse buys:

• Wait 24 hours before buying: Most of the time, that “must-have” feeling disappears overnight.
  
• Unsubscribe from temptation: Emails and texts from stores are just digital traps.
  
• Delete saved cards: Make it just a little harder to buy things on autopilot.
  

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Before every purchase, ask yourself, “Would I still buy this if I had to use cash?”

2. Create a Plan for Every Dollar You Earn

If you don’t tell your money where to go, it’ll wander off like a toddler with scissors.

That’s where the zero-based budget comes in.

Every dollar gets a job. So none gets wasted.

Here’s how to make your paycheck actually work for you:

• List your income: Write down every source of money you’ve got coming in this month.
  
• Assign every dollar: Rent, food, savings. Everything gets a category.
  
• Adjust weekly: Life changes, so tweak your plan as needed (because kids = unpredictable).
  

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Write down your income and expenses, then give every dollar a purpose before payday hits.

Make It Easy: Use a budget binder with labeled envelopes to organize where your cash goes each month.

3. Stop Financing Things

Financing feels easy. until the monthly payments start eating your paycheck alive.

Dave Ramsey’s rule? If you can’t pay in full, wait until you can.

Debt-free is the new fancy.

Here’s how to stop paying interest on things that lose value:

• Avoid “0% APR” traps: They’re designed to make you spend more.
  
• Buy used, not new: Cars, furniture, phones. Everything depreciates faster than you think.
  
• Save first, then buy: It feels way better to own something outright.
  

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Skip financing deals and start saving cash for the next big thing instead.

4. Focus on One Financial Goal at a Time

You can’t sprint in five directions at once.

So instead of half-finish everything, go all in on one goal until it’s done.

Dave calls this “intense focus.” Moms call it “survival mode.”

Here’s how to stay focused and actually see results:

• Pick your biggest goal: Maybe it’s paying off debt or saving for a cushion.
  
• Ignore distractions: Skip side goals until the main one’s complete.
  
• Track milestones: Progress = motivation. Always celebrate small wins.
  

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Write your top money goal on a sticky note, slap it on your fridge, and keep it front and center.

Make It Easy: Try a goal tracker whiteboard to visually mark your progress and keep your family inspired.

5. Switch to a Cash-Only Budget

Swiping your card feels painless. until the bill comes in and your jaw drops.

Cash, on the other hand, keeps you honest.

When it’s gone, it’s gone.

Here’s how to make the cash-only method work for your family:

• Withdraw weekly: Take out what you need for groceries, gas, and fun.
  
• Label envelopes: Each one gets a category, so nothing overlaps.
  
• Stick to it: Once the envelope’s empty, no sneaky card “exceptions.”
  

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Withdraw your weekly budget in cash and separate it into labeled envelopes by category.

Make It Easy: Get a cash envelope wallet to carry your labeled categories wherever you go.

📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌