If you’re struggling financially, you’re not alone.
According to a Marist Institute study, 55 percent of Americans are worried about money some or all of the time, and 70 percent live paycheck to paycheck.
But North Syracuse Baptist Church has a program that may help.
The church is offering a seminar called Financial Peace University, a program run by nationally syndicated radio host David Ramsey. The seminar, which starts Sunday March 1, runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every week.
Roger Burdick, a member of the church, believes the seminar is so important in these tough financial times that he has offered a discount to his employees — of the $93 cost for the 13-week program, Burdick is paying $43 for Drivers’ Village employees.
“Mr. Burdick cares about his employees, including their financial health,” Marshall said. “That’s something you don’t see that often.”
Marshall is also a big believer in the program; he went through it three years ago.
“It asks you to use common sense as well as Biblical principles to manage your money,” he said. “It’s not a Bible study course, but it does use some ideas from the Bible. Basically it teaches you how to manage money.”
Established in 1994, Financial Peace University is the brainchild of David Ramsey. At the age of 26, through his brokerage firm, Ramsey Investments, Inc., Ramsey had built a rental real estate portfolio worth more than $4 million, but he did it by going deeply into debt. One of Ramsey’s largest investors was sold to a larger bank, who began to take a harder look at Ramsey’s borrowing habits. The bank demanded he pay $1.2 million worth of short-term notes within 90 days, forcing him to file bankruptcy. Ramsey vowed to never again borrow money and, after walking away from his debts, he eventually recovered his financial footing. After several friends asked for advice with their own financial troubles, Ramsey began counseling couples at his local church. Soon after offering private counseling services, Ramsey began attending every workshop and seminar on consumer financial problems that he could find. In 1992 wrote his first book Financial Peace. It’s the ideas from that book that fuel Financial Peace University.
The course is taught by DVD. Each week, participants watch a one-hour DVD led by Ramsey, then break into small groups to discuss it and work out solutions to their financial issues. They also have access to an online support system.
Tim Burtiss, an employee at Drivers’ Village and church member, has also been through the course.
“I was 32 years old and deep in debt,” Burtiss said. “Financial Peace University helped me reinforce all the things I wanted to do.”
Burtiss said he thought this was an ideal time for the church to host the program.
“People in this community are hurting,” he said. “They’re in need of this type of class. This will change your life.”
For more information or to register for the course, call the church at 458-0271. If you register before Feb. 22, the cost is $93 to cover course materials; after Feb. 22, it’s $100.
