I felt compelled to review Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey due to recent life circumstances that have nudged me to re-assess my life when I realized that I could achieve financial freedom for my husband and I by the time I am 50 as long as I stop financially digging even with just having a minimum wage job and figure out some creative ways to double down my saving and LEGALLY increasing my income (due to the fact that it is just my husband and I). Ramsey does advocate  making sure to stop digging. However, I understand that I am going to have to make some other tough choices when it comes to following the principles in his book. For instance, he advocates the cash cushion amount needed before one pay extra towards what they owe. However,  a person such as myself is obviously going to have to figure out a way to ensure I have an 8 month financial safety cushion in order to pay extra towards what I owe and set a timeline on when I would move to a place with a lower cost of living and at least a somewhat healthy job market for at least minimum wage jobs. The main reason why I rule out living with my family members is mainly because both my biological and adoptive families live in states where a native born U.S. citizen obtaining even a minimum wage job is extremely difficult (in the adverse job markets in those areas (such as those in Illinois and Wisconsin). Im actually surprised that there is little media mention on if there is an adequate number of politicians focusing enough attention on the American states hardest hit when it comes to job creation. Anyhow back to the review of the book, inspiring stores are covered by people who are successfully making financial progress strides sprinkled throughout the book,(for instance the story of Brian and Tammy McKinley pages eighty-four to eighty five), Sandra and John Marsh (pages ninety two to ninety three), and Autumn Key (pages one hundred thirty eight to one hundred and thirty nine). The only other caveat to this book is that he is against the taking out of student loans for college. I reluctantly confess that I would like to continue to take one college class each semester directly related to a career that I intend to pursue (even though I already have one bachelors degree). I have reconsidered taking out a student loan to help pay for my first class. However, in light of my realization towards attaining financial freedom by age 50 and the spirit of this book, I realize now that I must only allow myself to potentially borrow (as a last resort) towards paying for the first class, but make a decision on whether to temporarily halt my studies if Im still looking at borrowing as the only option for my second or third class.