Last Friday, I saw what Gazelle Intensity looks like when a spouse has it. I did not know what it was at first; I saw Felicia getting mad and frustrated and I tried to step in. Felicia and I were talking about not being able to go to the Taste of Dallas or not being able to buy something that we needed, and she got frustrated. What I was expecting from us was that we would temporarily lose our minds and do what we wanted to do. But before I could react, Felicia pulled out the envelope system and started placing cash in the right envelopes according to the budget. She was getting frustrated because she thought that the math was not working out, but she ended up being right on with the figures.
I saw her saying that this was too hard to do so I took over the envelopes and checked the math. She had it right. I started to say something like "it's going to be tough but we need to keep at it" or something to that effect that could come off as encouraging or lecturing. I stopped myself because I realized that she was still going on with the plan when in the past we would have just said "forget it." This anger and frustration she had was what Dave Ramsey calls the "Gazelle Intensity." This intensity allows you to gear up for saving money and attacking debt. She is fired up and ready to go!
We are now counting every dollar that comes in and leaves our hand. We budget money called "BLOW" which is money that we can use for whatever we want without feeling guilty. This month we budgeted $50.00 for BLOW and Felicia got her half of it on Friday and went to Barnes and Noble to spend it. When she got back home, she told me that even though it was classified as "BLOW" money, she still felt guilty for spending it. She didn't spend the whole thing, only buying a paperback book and a drink from the cafe but she felt bad. I have been listening to Dave Ramsey off and on for a year now, and recognize that Felicia has the Gazelle Intensity. I am going to keep the pace with her and not stand in the way of the Gazelle.
Go Felicia Go!!!
I saw her saying that this was too hard to do so I took over the envelopes and checked the math. She had it right. I started to say something like "it's going to be tough but we need to keep at it" or something to that effect that could come off as encouraging or lecturing. I stopped myself because I realized that she was still going on with the plan when in the past we would have just said "forget it." This anger and frustration she had was what Dave Ramsey calls the "Gazelle Intensity." This intensity allows you to gear up for saving money and attacking debt. She is fired up and ready to go!
We are now counting every dollar that comes in and leaves our hand. We budget money called "BLOW" which is money that we can use for whatever we want without feeling guilty. This month we budgeted $50.00 for BLOW and Felicia got her half of it on Friday and went to Barnes and Noble to spend it. When she got back home, she told me that even though it was classified as "BLOW" money, she still felt guilty for spending it. She didn't spend the whole thing, only buying a paperback book and a drink from the cafe but she felt bad. I have been listening to Dave Ramsey off and on for a year now, and recognize that Felicia has the Gazelle Intensity. I am going to keep the pace with her and not stand in the way of the Gazelle.
Go Felicia Go!!!
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