Fantasy Football & Budgets - and all sorts of new questions

Hey Y'all! Yesterday I had my first fantasy football draft of the season and it is one of my favorite things of the year. This particular draft is an auction draft allowing us owners to bid on players so you have more choice of who you get. The league from yesterday is one that I co-manage with my best friend - Greg Manz. We do this as a reason to force us to talk each week and catch up, while talking some football. Two more snake draft leagues take place tonight - wish me luck!

Along with the draft, I got the annual harassment from one of my cousins asking if fantasy football, a few beers at the bar, and a slew of other things are in the "budget" and "allowed". Simple answer - yep!

Remember, I'm not here holding this Dave Ramsey torch to say you can't have fun. I'm here doing it because it changed my, and our, life for the better. It isn't about saying what you can't do, it's about having a plan for what you're going to do. My example is fantasy football. I love fantasy football and have played every season since I was about 14 years old. This month I'll have entry fees of about $250 depending on how many or which leagues I play. We've planned for this in our budget as a "lifestyle expense" and knew it was coming when we made the August budget. There are some things that are expenses because you enjoy doing them - basically any hobby. Now I wouldn't justify other hobbies that are super expensive, expenses every single month, or expenses that keep you in debt, but it is important to have a life, while living on a plan.

Last year, this same scenario played out. From that conversation, three things happened:

1. I continued my same financial plan and made a ton of progress in another year.
2. One of the guys hanging out with us asked a few questions that day, over the next week, and on his own, chose to purchase Dave's book "The Total Money Makeover" and has begun transforming his family. More details below.
3. Another league member didn't change anything, but has now asked to borrow a book this year and asked a bunch of questions yesterday.

I try to explain the plan in the most simple terms I can so that new or interested parties can understand the "7 Baby Steps." Here are the things you need to know:

• It's about living on a plan
• You should have a plan for all things you try to do in life
• Brief examples - You leave for work in the morning and take a planned route to get there, not random turns and extra streets you don't need to get there, OR, when cooking, you don't put in random ingredients that are not part of the recipe, unless it is ranch. You always add ranch. There is plan for driving directions and cooking, why not another area like your finances.
• The plan is to prevent trying to do everything at once.
• The plan is simple and makes it easy to follow. Some of the behaviors may be more difficult, but anything worth having, is worth making some sacrifice. 
• No matter where you are financially, this book has a plan for you - broke and behind on bills, trying to do more than just 'get by', about to have a baby, in debt, out of debt, saving for a house, planning for retirement, saving for kids college, paying off your house, how to spend/give/live with money when you have too much.

Questions about the book - statements or questions followed by my answer:

1. "How long is it?" 272 pages of easier reading than you think. There are stories and testimonials, blank pages, etc. Or get the audio book and listen to it.
2. "Do I really have to read the whole thing?" Probably not, make sure you get the info you need for where you are, and start with that step.
3. "Can I borrow a copy?" I'm currently out of books, but have about 10 in circulation or have given to others and asked them to give to someone else when they are done reading. If you are interested, let me know and I'll put you on the 'waiting list' which is about 3 deep right now. Try your local library for a free copy.
4. "His website seems really religious, is the book? I don't even go to church, why would I give 10% to a church? If so, I don't think I could read it." There may be some religion mentioned, or some religious undertones, but zero parts of the book require you to be religious to follow the plan.

One misconception yesterday was when I was told "I don't make as much money as you" or, "your situation is different than mine." These may be true or false, but I wanted to explain to the others there, this isn't about me living a plan and stealing your money to do it, we can all live on a plan and make progress to be excited about where we are.

Yesterday, another friend asked about something he had seen on a previous blog about mortgages. I explained that it is much more than just the type of mortgage you have, how fast you pay it off, and following a bigger plan instead of trying to do everything at once. 

Back to last year's friend from the fantasy football league that asked questions and started his family's total money makeover:

• He uses the envelope system (having an envelope for each category in your budget with the exact amount of cash in it that you budgeted. When it is gone, it is gone (for the month)).
• He saved $25 a month for 3 months to pay yesterday's fantasy football $75 entry fee.
• He gave Total Money Makeover books as graduation gifts to his daughter's friends and told them "I know you expected cash, but this book will be more valuable to you than any cash I could give." - This blew me away and I was so excited for him, and the young adults that received the books. 
• I think he reads the blog so shoutout to him for all this progress! Keep it up!

Oh yeah - in case you made it this far and were wondering all about how my draft was - it went pretty well and I think I've built a winning team this season. I'll be adding that to the income category around January budget time :)

Comment below with something to share - hobbies that cost money, free hobbies, progress you've made, or a question you have!