More Money

More money seems to be the solution to everything.

If kids are doing poorly in school, let's spend more money on education.
If we have a drug problem in our state, let's spend more money on police, prison, and drug education.
If I had a fight with my wife, I'll spend a lot on a nice evening out to appease her.
If the kids throw a fit in the store, I'll buy them something to keep them quiet.

And when we are in a financial bind, the solution is more money! If I don't have the things in life that I want, I just need more money to be happy. If I bill collectors are calling, I just need more money.

What if I told you that more money is not the solution to any of those problems?

Most people don't know how much they spend on any given area per month. Of those who do know, very few plan how they are going to spend their money. Expenses just happen.

No matter who you consult for advice about finances or money management, one of the first steps they will ask someone to take is to figure out how much he is spending in every area of his life - home, cars, medical, etc. One of the next steps is to determine how much he can/should spend on each area - a spending plan.

More money is not the answer, but managing the money God has given us is the answer.

The concept is not rocket science but it is often hard for people to navigate on their own. We didn't have anyone to help us. We made one attempt, couldn't figure it out, went back to it five years later. We were so excited about what a spending plan did for our money, our state of mind, and our marriage that we told all of our friends. Then we trained in how to teach others this great concept.

We are offering a class at a special price, just $10 for the notebook, starting Sunday, February 20th. See this page for more details on the six-week class.

If you answer any of these questions with a "yes," this class will benefit you.

• Does it put you in a bind to have unexpected expenses?
• Do you wonder where all the money went?
• Do you ever argue with your spouse and/or parents about money?
• Do you owe money, other than on your mortgage?
• Do you ever arguments in your marriage over money?
• Do you want to tithe and/or save but don't feel that you can afford to?
• Do you worry about having enough money to pay the bills?
• Do you live paycheck to paycheck?
• Do you worry about having enough for retirement/college?

More money is not the answer but we will help you find God's solution.

Benefits of Budgeting

We believe a budget is the single most powerful tool for successful money management.

Most of us have no problem with budgets when it comes to the government, business, church, or our employer; we find ourselves skeptical of any entity that is not accountable to a financial budget. However, our thinking often changes when it comes to our personal finances.

What are the benefits to having a written spending plan, a budget?

A budget:
1. Gives us more knowledge of where are money is going, so we can spend more effectively. Properly prepared, with a steward’s attitude, a budget is designed to help us maintain “self-imposed” boundaries. A budget is a simple device to keep us from stumbling over the boundaries that guard us from financial dangers, which can threaten our families - a tool that allows us to spend with wisdom.

2. Gives us peace. Not knowing where your money goes each month can create great fear and anxiety. The budgeting process is really quite simple and takes very little time to maintain. The goal is this: to establish a level of spending for each expense category you have, allocating spendable income to those categories, and knowing where you stand at all times.

3. Reduces marital strife. Creating and utilizing a spending plan provides confidence that funds are available to pay bills on time, that funds are available for those inevitable emergencies, and that you will know how much you can spend for the things you need and want. Agreeing on and spending according to a predetermined plan eliminates much of the emotion associated with finances in marriages.

4. Brings a sense of security. Contingency funds built into your budget gives you the security of knowing you can meet your financial obligations without going into debt.

5. Gives us freedom. Financial bondage can result from a lack of money and overspending, but it can also be caused by the misuse of an abundance of money. True financial freedom requires that we all, regardless of income level, be good managers. Budgeting brings our finances under God’s control and avoids debt that result from uncontrolled spending.

Our Managing Money class will prepare you to navigate the financial roadway – finding God’s plan for Living Well. (Info on the class)

More articles on Money and forms for creating a budget.

What God says .....

God owns all that we have and wants us to be good managers of His possessions. He wants us to seek Him about how to spend all that He has given us, then to follow His plan. He wants us to see Him in every area of our life, even the way we use money.

The Bible contains lots of examples of the importance of good planning. Here are two:

The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty. Proverbs 21:5

For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying ‘this man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Luke 14:28-30