Dear Dave,

We are ready to start Baby Step 2, and we have about $35,000 in total debt. Our two smallest debts, a credit card and a truck we financed, are both $4,500 right now, and we have a combined income of about $95,000 a year. Since the credit card has a higher interest rate, my wife thinks we should pay it off first. To me, the truck is a necessity, and we should pay it off first for that reason. What do you say?

Grant

Dear Grant,

When the rule of paying off debts from smallest to largest doesn’t apply, I think you should attack the one with the larger interest rate first. In your case, that’d be the credit card debt.

I get what you’re saying about the truck. And I agree that transportation is a necessity. You guys might be in a bind if something happened and you lost a vehicle, but it’s also a situation you could probably work around for a little while if you had no choice. My guess is you have friends or relatives who could loan you a car in a pinch, and public transportation is an option for some folks. So yeah, knock out the credit card first, then move on to the truck.

Do you understand my reasoning, Grant? Going this route serves two purposes: First, it will save you a little money. And second, I’ve got a feeling it will fire up your wife, and get her on board with the idea of you two getting your finances in order even more than she already is.

She’s taking this whole thing pretty seriously if she’s eyeballing interest rates, buddy. She loves the thought of you two having control of your money. Use this momentum to work together as a team, and knock out that debt!

— Dave

* Dave Ramsey is an eight-time national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

Dear Dave,

What is the right age to begin giving children an allowance?

Ben

Dear Ben,

In my mind, there’s never a right time to give kids an allowance. Instead, work out a plan to pay them commissions, and assign them age-appropriate weekly chores.

This can be done with very simple tasks starting at an early age. When the work gets done, they get paid. If they don’t do the work, guess what? They don’t get paid. This helps teach them a healthy work ethic, and it introduces them to the idea that work creates money. 

Simply giving kids money is a sure way to plant the seeds of entitlement in a young mind. You don’t want your kids growing up with the idea they deserve money simply because they’re alive. Of course, there are things kids should be expected to do without pay, too. When you’re part of a family, everyone needs to understand they have a responsibility to pitch in and help out sometimes!

— Dave

* Dave Ramsey is an eight-time national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

Dear Dave,

My husband and I are debt-free. We are in our mid-20s, we also have a full emergency fund and we each have 401(k) plans with our employers. Currently, we are looking at life insurance. We do not plan on having children, so what length term policies would you suggest for a couple in our situation?

Ashlie

Dear Ashlie,

I’d recommend you both find good 15- or 20-year, level term policies, with coverage amounts of 10 to 12 times your individual incomes. If you two have a change of heart, and decide you want kids later, I’d recommend converting those to 30-year term policies, still at 10 to 12 times your incomes. Why? You’d want the insurance to be there to protect everyone in the family until the kids are out on their own.

Between now and then, and in the years after, your continued saving and wealth building will lead you to a place where you guys are self-insured. And that’s a great place to be!

— Dave

* Dave Ramsey is an eight-time national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

Dear Dave,

My wife and I just bought a new home, and we only need one or two more things to furnish the living room. Over the weekend, we found a couch and love seat set we both like for $3,000. The owner of the store said he would take 15% off the price if we get a store credit card and pay for it that way. We are in pretty good financial shape, and can afford to pay cash for the furniture, but what do you think about the idea of taking advantage of the 15% off offer, then paying off the card immediately and closing the account?

Jackson

Dear Jackson,

Playing with snakes is always a bad idea. Sooner or later, you’re going to get bitten.

Everyone thinks they’re the exception to the rule, or they’re somehow winning or getting rich by doing stuff like this. It doesn’t work that way. So, stop playing around with debt products. This guy’s just trying to hook you and make more money.

Your idea might sound good on the surface to a lot of folks, but the problem is the vast majority of those same people don’t have the discipline to follow through on a plan like this. Having that store account, even for a short period of time, would be too much of a temptation. Another issue is many places like this hit you with a fee when you pay off the card. They’ll fee you to death on other things, too, if you’re not careful, until you end up wishing you’d never even seen the place.

If it were me, I’d just talk to the owner again and let him know I’m taking my business elsewhere unless he discounts the furniture 15% on a cash purchase. There’s no way I’d take out a stupid credit card for a place like that whether I had the cash on hand or not!

— Dave

 * Dave Ramsey is an eight-time national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.