Dave Ramsey says: Keep house and tighten belts with baby No. 2 on way
Aug 25, 2019, 5:07 AM
(Pixabay Photo)
Dear Dave,
My wife and I are on Baby Step 2, and the only debt we have is $90,000 in student loans. We bring home about $90,000 a year.
In addition to this, we have almost $60,000 in equity in our home. We also have a toddler, plus another baby on the way.
Do you think we should sell the house, and rent for a few years, while using the money from the sale of the house to pay down our student loan debt?
— Chris
Dear Chris,
No, I wouldn’t sell your home in this situation.
You’re going to be out of debt in a couple of years or so, anyway. You’ll just have to lean into it, and make sure you’re living on a strict, written budget.
I’m talking about no vacations, and no eating out. You shouldn’t see the inside of a restaurant unless you’re working there.
And the new kid’s crib may have to come from a garage sale, but so what? Mine did, too.
Want to know something else? I survived without having a rich kid’s nursery, and so did my kids.
There’s a price to be paid anytime you decide to get serious about gaining control of your money and cleaning up a financial mess you’ve made.
You’re going to have to work like maniacs and have no lives for a while. That might even mean picking up a part-time job at night or on weekends.
You’ve got a tough couple of years ahead of you, but I think it’s worth the trade-off.
Keep your house.
— Dave