Gifting FPU Classes?

[trummynme]

My sister and brother-in-law have been asking me for money lately. They've done stupid in more ways than one. Last Christmas I gave them the Total Money Makeover book and workbook. Their biggest 'complaint' is that they have to do it at home, by themselves, and that there is nobody holding them accountable. I suggested that they hold each other accountable, but that turned out to be a really bad idea and I'm still getting griped at about it.

There's multiple churches in their area that offer FPU classes at varying times. I'm thinking about paying for them to go to FPU classes. This would be their Christmas present for 2008. They've expressed some interest in taking FPU classes. I can pay for the classes without going into debt. It would take a little time to save up the money, but I can do it.

I just wonder if this is a good idea or not? I've never been to an FPU class so I don't have any real life experience on this.

Thanks!

[busyizzi]

We did this last Christmas... Haven't heard if they actually went or not, though. I guess we should check in with them to "see how they liked it".

[rolo4evr]

They are griping at you still for the gift of a book and a suggestion that they hold each other accountable. It is not your problem that they can not get along and work the plan...although it sounds as though they are making it your problem.

If they would go to FPU they STILL have to do the hard work, make the sacrificial lifestyle changes AND hold each other accountable.

If they couldn't get to first base with a book, they probably will not commit to a 13 week course.

My experience has been if a person/couple pay for their own FPU they are more committed to getting something out of it. The two that were paid for through "scholarships" dropped out immediately, and are still mired in bad choices and Murphy attacks.

Mail them some FPU class info and leave it at that.

You have planted the seed. It is up to them to water it, and tend to it, to make it grow.

Isn't it so frustrating when we have discovered this awesome plan and different way to live that gives us this sense of peace even while in the midst of the TMMO and we can't "make" those that need it to get on board?

As Dave would say, "Those convinced against their will are of the same mind still!"

And please don't lend them money. For you own financial peace, you need to direct every single penny to your TMMO.

[BzyBee DH]

I agree with rolo4evr -

Buying their FPU classes will not have them engaged in going.

Perhaps - you give them a gift of a 'scholarship' upon completion of the course?

I too have been bad about giving money to people who "needed" it, but end up no better off with the money. I am still working on learning that lesson

[cjohnston4]

Ok, I'm going to be the contrarian to the do not buy the kit for them philosophy.

While in general I agree, I had something very unique happen this past winter.

Our church had began it's promotion of FPU and it looked as if it was going to be a bust. No one showed up for the preview orientations and no one called me or the minister to inquire about the class after he made several mentions at the close of worship and it was displayed a number of times in the news letter and weekly bulletin.

The minister confided in me that he knew the program was worthwhile and that he knew many in the church were hurting. He asked that I show up the first night of class and if 3 people and/or families showed up, the church would scholarship them. We ended up with 5 families that first night.

I was in a quandry about what to do. Do we make everyone pay? He offerred to scholarship 3 but who do we choose? I explained the first night that we would charge the $90 dollars and asked whether everyone was committed. They all said they would commit, so we ordered kits and the new videos. I showed the old video and had a xerox of the workbook as a handout the first night.

The next day I called and asked if the three scholarships were still on the table. He said yes. I explained we had 5, but that DW and I had discussed it after the first class and if the 3 were still available, we would scholarship the other two ourselves so everyone who showed would be scholarshipped.

About 2 days later, I read on the TMMO forums about it wasn't wise to pay for someone to go because they had nothing invested in it. I suddenly began to doubt my actions.

To make a long story short, this is the first class where all in attendance graduated, did all the homework, took an interest and bottom line.......got it.

We've done 5 other classes and have had problems keeping people especially after the investment classes. Yet in everyone of those cases, the people attending had paid to go. The totally comped class was the sucessful class.

Will that work all the time? I'm smart enought to know it won't.

[JimFPU]

I'm with BBDH here. If you really want to help them with FPU, tell them they have to pay for it, complete it, and then you'll pay the back with a successful completion of however many classes you chose (I'd personally only pay them back if they went to all 13 classes).

This gives them mandatory accountability, and you know they will at least get the info. Tell them if they don't get any thing out of it (but you know they will...) then they've only given up some time...but if not-tell them to pay it forward just like you did.

[JimFPU]

CJ: I wonder if you felt more invested in the class knowing that you had paid for it?

I've seen other small group leaders in some classes, that I wonder if they are just doing it as part of their 'duty' simply because they've been through the classes before. I have a passion for FPU, but I've also seen others that lead that do not. Funny isn't it? It's almost as if they don't really believe they will help people, yet they know it's good info...

I dunno.

[cjohnston4]

CJ: I wonder if you felt more invested in the class knowing that you had paid for it?

I've seen other small group leaders in some classes, that I wonder if they are just doing it as part of their 'duty' simply because they've been through the classes before. I have a passion for FPU, but I've also seen others that lead that do not. Funny isn't it? It's almost as if they don't really believe they will help people, yet they know it's good info...

I dunno.

I don't know. I'm pretty low key in person. Almost painfully shy. I didn't do anything we haven't done in the past.

I've heard Dave give kits away on his show and have often wondered if the people followed through and took the class. I've sold a ton of kits at live events. There have been many times when I've commented to DW that the money just spent was going down a rat hole because they bought because of the pitch before the break and not because it was what they were going to do. They got caught up in the moment.

I've come to the conclusion it really isn't as much about whether they financially invested in the materials or not. It's whether they are invested personally and emotinally in making a change. The purchase of the kit is simply a sales charge to do it.

Using the "investment in the kit determines outcome" is sort of like concluding that every treadmill purchased or health club membership acquired will end up in the purchaser being healthy instead of just gathering dust in the basement or the membership going unused.

Making that personal and emotional change is where it's at. Not the monetary investment.

[JimFPU]

Totally agree. I've sold a ton of kits myself at the events. Right after the FPU push. Huge buying frenzy at times! I've often wondered if the people get it and let it sit in the back of their car for ever...

But this is so true:
Making that personal and emotional change is where it's at. Not the monetary investment.

[trummynme]

Thanks everybody. It's a good idea to give them a 'scholarship' of sorts AFTER they complete ALL of the classes. Plus, if they don't complete all the classes, that money isn't lost on anything.

Thanks for the great advice!

[go_illini]

we made them absolutely commit to going (one is excited, one is skeptical, so it was a bit of a sales job on our part). told them we thought they'd really benefit from the class, not just the 'book knowledge' (we've helped them with budgeting & the envelopes in the past), and that being around other couples going through similar struggles and holding each other accountable would be very beneficial.

once they committed to us, we sponsored them at a church near their home. had to find a class that met their work schedules, so couldn't get the closest location.

Classes start end of Aug. will post again & tell you how they're doing.