Recession Busting Tips Pt. 3

1.  Plan ahead when making purchaes. For example, this was especially handy when buying my children’s clothes for the summer.  I waited for deals and promotions before going to buy their clothing.  Along with saving money, this also helps because you can really budget and manage your spending when you plan ahead.  Buying in a crunch can often cause you to pull money from areas where it is needed.

2.  Watch credit card purchases. After I paid my cards off, it was a feeling of relief and freedom.  Uncessesary debt can be such a burden!  If you can’t pay the balance at the end of the month, evaluate if you are making the right decision of purchasing with a credit card.  Remember, the less debt you have, the more freedom you have with your money.

3.  Watch eating out. As stated in Pt.2, this is an area where money can really be saved.  As we know, many Americans are now realizing that eating (and cooking-no takeout) dinner at home saves money, can be healthier, and builds the fanily unit.

Recession Busting Tips: Pt. 2

1.  Pack your lunch. Think about it, if you spend $5.oo a day on just lunch and an average work week is 5 days, that’s $25.00 a week, $100.00 a month!  What can you be doing with that money?  It’s alright to treat yourself, but it can be expensive doing it every day.

2.  Use your leftovers. It makes a great lunch the next day and it saves time, as well as, money.

3.  Carpool. If you have someone who works in the same area, rotate carpooling duties.  This is a tried and true way of saving on gas and giving your car a break.

4.  When shopping, make a shopping list and STICK TO IT! This is a challenging area for me.  With two toddlers, I use a lot of my energy just trying to get them in the car!  Sometimes it’s hard to avoid impulse shopping (that’s an area I am working on), but preparing before you go to the store can help streamline your purchasing.  Go ahead and go thru the sales flyers and have your coupons ready, it makes for a more productive trip.

5.  Distinguish between needs and desires. We often justify our “extra” purchases by saying, “I really need this.”  But, in fact, it is something you really want.  Look at what it  takes for you to live.  Yes it is alright to enjoy some of the “extras” in life, but in moderation.  Furthermore, plan for the extras-entertainment, cosmetics, electronics, etc.,whatever it may be.  Look at what you need and what you can realistically afford.

6.  TITHE, TITHE, TITHE. “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.  “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’   “In tithes and offerings.  You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me.  Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.  I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty.  “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty.”  Malachi 3:8-12 (NIV) We must never neglect our obligation to honor God with the first fruits (10%) of our labor.  As believers, there are some bad things that God doesn’t allow to happen, because we are faithful in paying our tithes.  It may not all be monetary, but it will be what we need at that time.

Christian Perspective: Lessons from the Ant

Good day everyone!  I read this blog entry from www.beingfrugal.net and I found it very insightful.  There are so many lessons to be learned from God’s creation.  As we strive to live a life that is fruitful, let’s take a look at lessons from the ant.  Please read and be enlightened!

On Sundays I write specifically from my perspective as a Christian.  Since my faith is central to who I am, my blog would not be genuine, if I were to try to separate my writing from my faith.

Yesterday as I was thinking about what to write about today, I came across a great list of scriptures pertaining to personal finance at ChristianPF.  (If you haven’t read the ChristianPF blog, you should.  It’s a good one.)  I thought it might be interesting to focus on a scripture a week.

Please remember that I’m an everyday, average person who loves God and is trying to to the best with what I’ve been given.  I’m not a pastor or theologen, and I’m only posting my reflections on the Bible passages.  If you have any questions about what I’ve written, please study the passages for yourself, or consult your pastor.

The passage I’d like to focus on today is Proverbs 6:6-8.

Go to the ant, sluggard; consider her ways and be wise; who having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provides her food in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest [...]

Continue reading…

7 Things Women Wish Men Knew About Money

I ran across this blog entry on www.beingfrugal.net  and I found it very enlightening.  It may not fit your marriage “to a T,” but there are some things that are really helpful and can aid you in your marriage and finances.

 

On Tuesday, Ron at The Wisdom Journal posted 7 Things Men Wish Women Knew About Money.  Today I will give you the woman’s viewpoint.  My husband and I have been married for almost 13 years, and in that time, we’ve learned a lot about each other and our views of money.  Though our financial road hasn’t been super rocky, there are a few things I wish my husband had known right off the bat that would have made things a little smoother along the way.

1.  Being there is more important than having money. As a woman, it’s important for me to feel like our family is the most important priority in your life right behind God.  I know that it’s important for you to feel like you’re providing financially for us, and financial security is important.  But emotional security is more important to us.  We really do appreciate that you work hard to provide for us and give us financial security, but we would prefer that you cut back your hours, so you can be at the kids’ baseball games, school plays, band concerts, and have a free day to spend with the family once in a while.

How you can help: Be there.  If you’re working 80 hours a week, realize that cutting back your hours would be beneficial to your family.  Set aside one day on the weekend to spend with your family, even if you’re all working together in the yard.  Just be present, physically and mentally.

2.  You’re not less of a man because I’m better with the finances. In my marriage, I’m better at math and my husband is better with people.  In the early years of our marriage, we experimented with Jim being the one to balance the checkbook and pay the bills, and we soon realized that I was much better at doing the day to day money management.  It takes me less time, and I rather enjoy it.

But just because the woman is talented in that area, doesn’t mean you’re inadequate.  You have talents in other areas, such as dealing with people or fixing cars, or doing the yard work (I’ll admit…I kill almost any plant I try to grow).  It’s best to divide up the tasks for running the family according to each person’s talents and preferences, rather than sticking to gender stereotypes.

How you can help: Don’t resent me for taking charge of paying the bills.  And feel free to use your talents.  If you’re better at dealing with people, even though that’s frequently considered the “woman’s domain”, feel free to line up a babysitter, so we can go out.  Take charge of the gardening, if that’s what you like.  And if you love to cook, feel free to step right into the kitchen!

3.  Day to day actions speak louder than expensive gifts. You see the commercials on TV.  A man gives a woman a diamond ring, and she flips completely head over heels for him.  While I concede that most women appreciate a diamond, it’s the day to day stuff that’s more important.  A woman won’t notice that you’re not buying her expensive gifts if you’re giving her the gift of your time day in and day out.  And if you give her a gift that she knows you can’t afford, she will worry about the money you spent.

Far more important than spending a lot of money are the little things that tell your woman you appreciate her.  When I’m tired in the evening, my husband frequently offers to wash the dishes, so I can relax, and it’s an action that doesn’t go unnoticed.  Kevin Leman wrote a book called S*x Begins in the Kitchen, and it’s true.

How you can help: Don’t overspend on gifts.  I’m not saying that you should never buy gifts, but focus more on the day to day things that make a difference in your loved one’s life.  Helping out with the chores, the kids, and even a handwritten love note speak far more clearly than a trinket picked up at the last minute for Valentine’s Day.

4.  Spending money on decorating the house is important. A woman’s home is important to her.  Women see their homes as a reflection of themselves.  When people come over to visit, they look at the things hanging on the walls, the things displayed on the shelves, and the general state of the house.  And when they make a judgment about the state of the house, a woman takes it personally.

It’s important to allow us the freedom to spend a little money on wall hangings, throw pillows, and curtains.  To a man, it may seem trivial, but to a woman, these are the things that make a house feel homey.  It’s important to let us splurge on these things once in a while.

How you can help: Remember that a house is to a woman what a car is to a man.  We know you men love your sporty cars or rugged SUVs.  You like to shine them and keep them looking nice.  Women are the same way about their homes.  Indulge us and let us spend a little money on our homes without grumbling about the way we spend money on unnecessary things.  To us, the little things that make a house homey are important.

5.  Even if I manage the checkbook, I want you to be involved. It’s important for both spouses to be involved with the family finances, even if it is determined that the woman is the better overall money manager.  There’s nothing more frustrating to a woman than to feel like she’s left alone to deal with the monthly budget and bills.  There’s no worse feeling than to have to tell your husband, “You need to cut back on the lattes, because it’s not in the budget.”  Women don’t like to be the bad guy.

Open communication about money is important in marriage.  It’s important for us to know that you are supportive of the budget, and if you’re not, we need to know why.  The budget needs to be a cooperative effort, so it’s acceptable to both of us.  We also need to know that if something happened to us, you’d be OK to take over where we left off.

How you can help: Set up a weekly budget meeting, like Gibble does.  Ask how we’re doing with the budget.  Make suggestions.  Be involved.  Just because you’re not the one writing the checks and paying the bills doesn’t mean that you can’t be an active participant in the family finances.

6.  It’s OK to say no to me sometimes. I’ll admit.  Women can be very emotionally driven sometimes.  And I’ll concede that sometimes we come up with crazy ideas that cost a lot of money.  Sometimes those ideas are brilliant.  But sometimes they just cost a lot of money.

I know that your desire is to make your spouse happy.  But when we suggest things like buying all new appliances for the kitchen, and those appliances are nowhere near within the boundaries of the budget, don’t be afraid to suggest that we save the cash first.  Sometimes women try to fill emotional needs by shopping for new things.  Try to get to the root of the problem.  Say no to the stuff, and start paying more attention to what your wife really needs.

Women like strong leadership qualities in men.  That doesn’t give you the license to be a dictator, but women like to feel like a man will take the lead and make decisions that are in her best interest.  I remember in premarital counseling our pastor told my then fiance that at times he would need to make decisions that were in my best interest, even if I didn’t see it that way at the time.  On rare occasion, my husband has had to do that. And though I sometimes get angry at the time, I’ve always come around to respect my husband even more in the long run.

How you can help: Recognize the difference between needs and wants.  When you find your wife wanting to blow a lot of money on a want, ask her why.  And if you can’t afford it, don’t be afraid to insist that you save the money first.  The big purchase might provide short term gratification, but if you can’t afford it, it will cause problems in the long term.  Better to think long term in this case.

7.  If I know that you love and cherish me, I will bend over backwards for you. It all comes down to this.  Women want to feel loved.  Cherished.  Treasured.  Needed.  Appreciated.  It doesn’t take a lot of money to convey these feelings to a woman.  A love note.  A hug.  A squeeze of the hand.  Assurance that you are there for her, even when her emotions are out of control.  If you provide a woman with the knowledge that she is cherished and treasured, you will be the king of the castle in her eyes.

Last year my husband lost his job.  We went through some really hard times, yet all through that time, I knew that he was there for me.  That he cared about me, and that he would do whatever it took to keep our family afloat.  I never stopped respecting and loving my husband.  And when he landed the job of his dreams, I fully supported him, even though it meant a huge pay cut.  We don’t need the money.  And he gives so much for our family, I don’t mind sacrificing a little bit of money, so he can pursue a career he loves.

How you can help: Make sure your wife knows how much she means to you.  Show her every day how much you love and appreciate her.  If you do these things, she’ll likely support you in whatever you do.

Looking back over these 7 things, I realize that most of them have to do with letting a woman know that she is loved. Contrary to popular male opinion, women are not really that hard to understand.  We just want emotional security.  As long as we know we can rely on you, it’s not hard to keep us happy.  And we’re pretty strong and will stand by you when the going gets tough, if we know that you love us.

Read more: “What women wish men knew about money. | beingfrugal.net” – http://beingfrugal.net/2008/02/08/marriage-and-money/#ixzz0BGXRWFRg

Recession Busting Tips: Part One

Well Sisters,  I have spent the last few days pondering more ways to tighten my family’s belt.  I like to think that for the most part I can be pretty frugal although my husband and I both have our guilty pleasures.  We had a tremendous lifestyle change after I stopped working near the end of my second pregnancy.  We suddenly snapped from two incomes to one.  We did not prepare as well as we probably could have but we certainly learned the difference between necessity and desire.  At any rate, here are a few tips to help us all ride the economic wave.  And, of course, please share any tips you have with your SISTERS!

Recession Busting Tips: Part One

1. Buy whole chickens. All of the poultry eaters out there have already noticed the rising prices.  A great way to combat this is to stop paying for convenience.  Instead of purchasing chicken parts or whole cut-up chickens, purchase whole chickens and cut them yourself.  In most cases, you will save between $.75 to $1.00 per pound!  That is savings that can add up!  You’ll need freezer bags and a good pair of poultry shears to do the job, but it’s worth it.
2. Make your own cleaning supplies. Not only is this better for the environment, but you can save a ton.  There are several websites dedicated to do-it-yourself cleaning supplies and tips.  We even have several articles dedicated to it.  You can check them out here.
3. Bye-bye acrylic nails. I know a great deal of women just refuse to cut back in the area, however doing so can save a bundle.  On average, acrylic nails will cost $22 (plus $4 tip) every two weeks.  That’s a cost of $676 a year!  Many women attempt to do it themselves at home but that increases the risk of infection and fungus even more.  Try a healthy diet with vitamins and at-home manicures or barter with a friend.  It’s worth it!
4. Turn off that fan. Use the kitchen and bathroom ventilating fans sparingly during cold weather. In just one hour, these fans can blow away a houseful of heated air. Turn them off just as soon as they have done their jobs.
5. Have a garage sale! I admit I’m still getting my nerve up to try this tip, but from what I’ve seen the benefits are great.  You clear out unwanted or underused items and make a little cash in the process.  Alternatively, you could schedule a pick-up with Goodwill or the Salvation Army and tax the tax write-off.  Either way, you save.
6. Clip those coupons. Use coupons whenever you can.  They are especially great in combination with in-store promotions.  You can save as much as 80% on some items and more if you catch a BOGO.  Sign-up with websites like CouponMom.com and SmartSource to get a heads up on the coupons that will be featured in Sunday’s Paper.

Stay tuned for more tips….

Family, Faith and Finance

It’s all over every news outlet today, if the government doesn’t push money back into the economy through us this recession could last for quite some time.  The good news is that the people God need not worry, right?  Is it really that easy?  According to the Word of God it should be but, all too often our humanity reveals how weak and vulnerable we are, especially in the areas of family, faith and finance.    Family, faith and finance are all areas where Satan attacks us.   Our reaction to these attacks is usually one of the following:

1.  we allow ourselves to be distracted by the challenges of life allowing our eyes to be taken off the finished work God has already     begun  in us

or

2.  we remain focused on the promises of God and not allow our present circumstances to deter us from the will of God for our lives.

We must defend ourselves in every situation by fighting back.  How, you might ask, by sowing the Word of God into each situation.  We must become strong in the Word.  (Eph. 6:10-11, 13)

We must put our trust in God!  In tough times God will deliver us.  Just last week a young man I know did not know how he was going to pay for his next semester of school.  School started in five days.  He prepared to go and try to take out a loan without having consulted the Lord first.  He finally resigned to give it over to the Lord and he only had to pay a quarter of what he thought he would!  God will deliver us.

We have to always stay focused on the finished work, the end result.  Never focus on how long it takes or how it might look.  That is how the enemy gets to us.  He places those seeds of doubt in our minds.  We begin to look at our calendars and our watches or what people must be saying or thinking about us.  Isaiah 58:11 tells us that, “The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”

We must not fear!!!  The work of our great and mighty God is not hindered by present circumstances.  The enemy will try to trick us but, God knows how to get us through tough times.  Believe the report of the Lord and go against what you see in the natural.  The post God Still Heals shares the testimony of my youngest daughter.  I will never forget how I felt when I saw my daughter intubated and sedated day in and day out.  The doctors continually gave us little hope.  It was difficult to look past what I saw in the natural but, I could see her getting up.  Our family chose to look past our current circumstance and chose to take God at His Word.

Matthew 6:33-34 tells us to,”But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” God knows what we need and when we need it.  He has already promised to sustain us.  Put your trust in Jesus and be encouraged!

Money Matters: Budgeting

Check out this website for Guilt Free Budgeting: http://financialplan.about.com/cs/budgeting/a/GuiltFreeBudget.htm

Be sure to share how you budget your money.

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