Financial Peace University Comes to Area Churches

Financial Peace University, created by financial guru Dave Ramsey, is designed to teach people sound financial strategies. The program has had more than one million students who, on average, pay off around $5,300 in debt and save around $2,700 in the first 90 days.  Paul Brundage, Financial Peace University coordinator at , explained the benefits and structure of the classes.  

Snellville Patch: What is the purpose and benefit of Financial Peace?
Brundage: Financial Peace University is a program that enables people to learn about money.  In a lot of cases, people haven’t learned about money or perhaps have a different idea of what money can do.  Life happens.  They use credit cards to keep up with the Jones’ or keep up in general and lose discipline.  One of the things I’ve been amazed about is the people who have never used a budget.  People live paycheck to paycheck, especially in tough financial times.  Money problems are the number one cause of divorce in America.  

Patch: Can you share any success stories?
Brundage: We have a person, a single mom, who went through FPU as part of a scholarship.  She didn’t have the money to take the class.  At the end of the program she felt so compelled that she funded the scholarship for someone else.  That’s a person who, 13 weeks prior, didn’t have $100, and 13 weeks later had a plan.  A friend took FPU with a financial background.  He does accounting, and took FPU, and about 6 months after FPU he lost his job and didn’t have a full-time job for a year and a half.  He had a plan and didn’t lose anything.  The best part is when people look dejected, scared, don’t know what to do.  They feel ashamed about taking the class.  Thirteen weeks later they are walking tall and happy because the stress is gone.  People go through a total transformation.  

Patch: Is there anyone this program does not work for?
Brundage: The program doesn’t work for people who do not want to change how they do things.  You get out of it what you put into it.  It works whether you’re 60 or 20.  It gives you building blocks that have been absent from the education system.  

Patch: How quickly can people expect to be out of debt?
Brundage: The average couple takes about 18 months to be out of debt, except for the first mortgage.  Average $5,300 in debt reduction and $2,700 in savings is what the average family realizes over 90 days.  

The class costs a little over $100 for thirteen weeks and includes all of your supplies.  , on Webb Gin House Road, hosts classes beginning September 7.  recently began classes, but there are still spots available.  For a complete list of classes, visit Dave Ramsey’s website.