Glorifying God in your - Amazon S3 · 2014-09-23 · finances and your marriage? Finances are the...
Transcript of Glorifying God in your - Amazon S3 · 2014-09-23 · finances and your marriage? Finances are the...
Glorifying God
in your
By The Team at A Biblical Marriage www.ABiblicalMarriage.com
finances
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Please visit Fount of Inspiration for cover design and formatting.
Disclaimer
This book contains some affiliate links. If you purchase through them, the author receives a
small commission which benefits our family. Thank you.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright ©
2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved.
All scripture taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted.
Jason & Jami Balmet © 2013 | All rights reserved.
ABiblicalMarriage.com | Facebook.com/ABiblicalMarriage | @BiblicalMarriag
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Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1: Scriptural Foundations Chapter 2: Laying the Ground Rules for Creating a Firm Financial Foundation Chapter 3: Start a Written Budget Chapter 4: Five Ways Preparedness Can Save Your Family Money! Chapter 5: How to Find Peace When Worried About Finances Chapter 6: Save Money by Shopping Online Chapter 7: Faith Regarding Finances in Marriage Chapter 8: Finances and a New Baby Chapter 9: Growing Together as a Young Couple Chapter 10: What Does it Mean to be a Good Steward of God’s Money? Chapter 11: 5 Steps to Managing Finances Together Chapter 12: Preparing for Holiday Shopping Chapter 13: Avoiding Financial Stress This Christmas Chapter 14: For Richer or For Poorer Suggested Resources About the Authors
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Introduction Finances. Whew, what a confusing and conflict-filled subject. Do you cringe when you think of
finances and your marriage?
Finances are the #1 source of conflict in marriage. Maybe you are the couple who has a blow up
fight every time money is mentioned. Or maybe it has turned into a taboo, high stress subject
that no-one mentions but it always simmers just below the surface. Or perhaps you get along
fairly well and are generally on the same page about money, but want to learn more about how
you can glorify God when it comes to your finances.
When it comes to finances, it’s important to go to scripture and see what God has to say on the
subject. We must align our hearts with His word and His teachings on money. Your heart
attitude is just as important as how you practically handle money.
Part of this book will cover the heart. How does God want you to respond to finances? What
does His word have to say on the subject? The other part of this book will be highly practical.
We will start with a theology look at finances, and from that framework we will move on to see
how that practically plays out.
All the members of the team here at A Biblical Marriage have had diverse life circumstances
and experiences in marriage. We have come together to share what we have learned and to
give you encouragement.
Collectively we have had times of great communication with our spouse about finances, and we
have had war-like times. We have gone through times of prosperity and times of poverty. We
have learned what it means to be generous with our funds and to be selfish.
We have gone through marriages, divorces, new babies, teenagers, grandchildren, tragedies,
and blessings. And we have come together to offer you this comprehensive resource.
We pray that you will be encouraged from God’s Word. We pray you will feel united with your
spouse and work towards reconciliation in this area if you need to. We pray that you will learn
practical tips to implement into your own family’s finances. We pray that this resource would
help you on your path towards an ever growing understanding and practice of A Biblical
Marriage.
Jason and Jami Balmet, A Biblical Marriage
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Chapter 1: Scriptural Foundations As with anything in life, our discussion of money should begin with what the Bible has to say on
the topic. We can read from popular finance experts and learn practical tips on managing
money, but our understanding of money should first and foremost come from Scripture.
Scripture is fully sufficient to meet our every need in this life. We do not need anything else in
this life to determine what truth is other than the Word of God.
Now this doesn’t mean that we can learn practical tips and find encouragement from other
sources, but to know the truth about something, we need to look to scripture. So what truths
can we find from the Bible about money?
And please really read the scriptures below, and meditate on them. Don’t just skim through this
part of the eBook, as it contains truth from the Bible that is foundational to the topic at hand.
7 Truths About Money 1) Do Not Love Money
There are over 800 scripture references about money, and most of them have this lesson at
their core: do not love money. God has given us money as a tool to use in this world, but we are
not to make an idol out of money. We come to love money more than we love God.
“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and
harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root
of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and
pierced themselves with many pangs.” ~ 1 Timothy 6:9-11
How do you know if you are making money an idol in your heart? Are you willing to sin when it
comes to your money? Are you willing to lie about it? Are you willing to sin to get money or to
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction,
and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every
good work.” ~ 2 Timothy 3:15-1
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protect your money? Do you spend more time thinking about your money and what you will do
with it than loving God and thinking about how you can serve Him better?
“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income;
this also is vanity.” ~ Ecclesiastes 5:10
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I
will never leave you nor forsake you.” ~ Hebrews 13:5
2) Don’t Be Anxious
Anxiety strikes us all at different times and in different forms. But money is universally one
thing that causes many of us to stress. Stress and anxiety over how to get money, losing money,
making more money, spending all our money, how much things cost, etc…
Sometimes we have anxiety and stress over unimportant things like feeling stressed while
trying to buy a new BMW. But many times we have stress over very important matters, such as
getting food on our table or being laid off. Yet Christ is clear on this subject, we are to put our
trust in HIM and not in things of this world. We are not to have anxiety:
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What
shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that
you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things
will be added to you.” ~ Matthew 6:31-33
Clothing and food are the most basic physical needs of man, and yet even in those things God
calls us to rely on Him and not to have anxiety. Oh, I’m not saying this is easy! I personally
struggle with anxiety and I know that it can be a daily struggle for some. But we should always
be striving to glorify God and to put our trust in Him regarding finances and money. Slowly, day
by day, we should be getting a little less anxious as our trust in Him grows.
“Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many
sparrows.” ~ Luke 12:7
“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to
be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every
circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can
do all things through him who strengthens me.” ~ Philippians 4:11-13
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“But the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter
in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.” ~ Mark 4:19
3) Give Freely
This is another struggle for many families. Most of us know that giving to the Church is
important, but as doctor’s bills pile up and the kids need new shoes for school, giving just slides
further down the priority list. One missed month of giving turns into two which turns into a
year. Before you know it you have gone years without giving and don’t think much of it.
But giving is so important to God. Does he need our money? Would His church fail without our
giving? Absolutely not! God is sovereign and the world would keep spinning without our giving.
So what’s the big deal about giving?
We give because God commands us too. Plain and simple, He wants us to give back. God has
entrusted us in this life with money, and all that we have ultimately belongs to Him. He has just
given it to us temporarily. Therefore we should give back to Him and the church.
“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce;
then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” ~ Proverbs
3:9-10
But this is not a commandment. The New Testament does not require that you give 10% of your
net income to the Church. Instead, God’s Word encourages you to give what you feel led to
with a cheerful heart.
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully
will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or
under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
Many people find 10% as a good starting point to be able to decide how much to give. But 10%
is not the hard and fast rule. Are you in a season of poverty? Give from your heart and
according to what you can give. Likewise if you are in a season of prosperity, don’t just write
that easy 10% check and be done with it. Search the scriptures, pray, and let God lead you in
how much to give. And always do it with a cheerful heart.
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“You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him,
because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.”
~ Deuteronomy 15:10
Giving should never become a cold ritual. It should be prayed about and given out of
cheerfulness and thankfulness to the Lord!
“The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives.” ~ Psalm
37:21
“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak
and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than
to receive.’” ~ Acts 20:35
“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is
doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
~ Matthew 6:3-4
4) Work Hard
Many times in Scripture, God calls us to work hard and to not be lazy. The Proverbs especially
compares the hardworking man to the lazy man. We are to work hard in this life and God will
bless us. Now this blessing may not be financial. God is not promising that if you put in a solid
day’s work you will become rich.
This is because receiving a blessing is not the same thing as being rich to God. But He does show
that working hard is conforming yourself to the likeness of Christ.
“Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks
sense.” ~ Proverbs 12:11
We are to work hard at our jobs. We are not to be lazy and sit around all day. Men, are you
working hard to provide for your family? Working hard means to work to provide for your
family, but it also means not being lazy in all areas in life. Are you working hard to spread the
Gospel? Are you working hard to become more like Christ in your everyday actions?
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“Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will
have plenty of poverty. A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be
rich will not go unpunished.” ~ Proverbs 28:19-20
A hard worker plans ahead and is always thinking about what they can do next for their family,
to spread the Gospel, and to be more like Christ.
“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or
ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.” ~ Proverbs 6:6-8
5) Be Good Stewards
God is sovereign over this world and our life. He has given us all the resources we have. I think
we often forget this because it feels like we are doing all the work. Wasn’t it ME who went to
college? Didn’t I land that job and later the promotion? Don’t I bring home the paycheck every
week? I don’t think many of us intentionally think these thoughts, but slowly they pervade our
thinking and we forget that God has given us everything we have.
“Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” ~
Proverbs 13:11
Because God has entrusted us with HIS resources, we are to be good stewards of it. But what
does that mean? We are to use His money wisely. That means learning how to save and not
spend it all. It means looking toward the future and planning instead of just living in the
moment. Ultimately it means being smart with our money and using it according to God’s
standards. We hope this book will help you in that endeavor.
6) Be Responsible
This goes hand in hand with being good stewards. God calls us to be good stewards, and to do
that we must be responsible with the resources He has given us.
“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether
he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to
finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to
finish.’” ~ Luke 14:28-30
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“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or
ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.” ~ Proverbs 6:6-8
7) Be Content/Not Greedy
This one is often the hardest truth to swallow. Oh, we know deep down that we are to be
content with what He has given us and not to be greedy…but that can be hard to live out on a
daily basis! It’s so easy to look at those around us and want what they have. Do you look at your
wealthy neighbor and wonder why you don’t have that wealth? Greed catches us all at different
times and in different ways. But God calls us to lay down our selfish desires and be content with
our resources, and even to be joyful in the midst of what we have.
“For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we
have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into
temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin
and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that
some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” ~ 1
Timothy 6:7-10
Remember These Truths
As you continue on to find more encouragement and practical tips through this book, keep
these truths in mind. As you open up your bank account tomorrow and have an anxiety attack
at the amount in there, remember to trust in the Lord with your finances.
As you eye the rich man on the pew next to you on Sunday, remember that God has given us all
different gifts and abilities and we are called to be content with what He has given us.
Remember to give with a cheerful heart and be responsible with what He has graciously given
us!
Resources:
To learn more about the Sufficiency of Scripture
Overcoming my Struggle with Anxiety
To learn more about Stewardship
Does God Require Me to Give a Tithe of all I earn?
A Biblical Model for Giving
Jason and Jami Balmet
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Chapter 2: Laying the Ground Rules for Creating a Firm Financial Foundation
Marriages are made of stories woven together, both good and bad, that form a foundation that
will either stand the test of time, or crumble like the sifting sand. Within some marriages, you
may find the following story ringing true.
The wife knows she is running late and her husband will be home any minute. She has to get to
the house before her husband, so she can hide her most recent purchases in the closet so her
husband does not yell at her for the umpteenth time for spending money they did not have.
Her heart is heavy; she knows she shouldn’t deceive her husband, but something deep down
tells her that this one more purchase won’t hurt anything.
She pulls into the driveway and quickly opens up the trunk and grabs her bags. As she reaches
up to close the trunk, she sees her husband walking out of the house with a sullen look on his
face as he approaches the car. He reaches for his wife’s hands and says, “Honey this needs to
stop, and it needs to stop now. This isn’t what the Lord has designed for our marriage. God
wants us to work together as a team, not divided with each of us looking out for our own
interests.” The wife hung her head in shame, she knew he was right, she knew she didn’t want
this anymore, but rather wanted to be unified with her husband, working together for the
betterment of their marriage with God at the center.
Finances can be such a difficult topic within marriages. In order to ease the burden that
financial discussions can bring, there needs to be ground rules for how money is handled within
a Christian marriage, each one forming a strong layer and bond between the husband and wife
in order to create a firm financial foundation.
1) Get on the same team.
When a man and wife are united in marriage; they need to remember that this puts them on
the same team, not opposing teams who are each jockeying for the best position within the
relationship. The Lord’s word states, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help
each other succeed.” Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NLT) When a couple decides to come together in unity,
each working for the common goal of honoring God, and seeing their relationship succeed and
grow, they will flourish in establishing a union that can handle any storm.
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2) God needs to be at the center of every marriage.
As with anything in life God needs to be at the center of all that we do. This is especially true
when it comes to the topic of finances within marriage. “Though one may be overpowered two
can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV)
The husband and wife need to go to the Lord in prayer seeking His guidance for how their
finances should be spent. They need to ask tough questions concerning what they want their
future goals to be and how this will affect their finances. They also need to seek the Lord’s
guidance in the area of tithing, making sure that the Lord is given what’s owed to Him. If these
questions as with many others are ignored, and God is taken out of the equation, it will create a
foundation with cracks that will haunt their marriage for years to come.
3) The wife needs to relinquish final control to her husband.
This can be a controversial subject for some wives. Many women in this current day and age
may feel that whether they earn part of the money or not, they should have just as much say in
how it’s spent. This type of attitude can cause serious discord within a marriage. This is not how
God intended marriage to be, God’s word lays out direction for the husband’s role in marriage.
“For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which
he is the Savior.” Ephesians 5:23 (NIV) Again, both husband and wife need to come together
seeking God’s will, as well as having the freedom to express their own opinions. However, when
the final decisions need to be made the wife needs to allow the husband to lead. She needs to
rest easy in her faith in her husband and the Father, trusting that the best decisions will be
made.
4) Recognize that God equips each person with distinctive gifts.
“In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well”. Romans 12:16a
(NLT)
God has granted us each of us with unique gifts that we excel at. In the area of finances, some
are better with math, and balancing the budget, while others may prefer to write the checks,
mail the bills, and make any needed phone calls. The point is to not force one person into doing
a job that they don’t fill comfortable with. Sit down as a couple and discuss each area that you
feel comfortable handling and work together as a team to take on that specific role that’s best
suited for each of you.
Whether you've been married one year or fifty, it’s never too late to create a firm financial
foundation. Leave the mistakes of the past in the past, and bring with you your success stories
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to build upon. You can start today to create a marriage that’s works together as a team, where
each member is working towards a common goal and moving forward in the Lord.
Shari Miller
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Chapter 3: Start a Written Budget My husband and I have huge savings goals this year. We have student loans and want to be
saving for a home! We need to watch where every penny goes and the only way to really do
that is to have a firm budget set in place.
Usually during the last weekend of a month we both sit down with our budget for that month,
get out our bills and check book, and pull up our bank account online. Then we get to
budgeting for the next month. During the month we refer to our written budget many times
and follow it all month long.
We set a budget for how much we will spend on groceries, eating out, starbucks (our favorite
place to read and write) and all our bills. This has been amazing and the months that we save
the most are months that we stick to our budget pretty much to the dollar.
Don’t Believe me?
5 Reasons to Have a Written Budget 1) Budgeting Shows Where You Overspend
There is nothing like going through you’re spending for the last several months and adding up
everything that you wasted money on. When we first began budgeting we went back three
months and added up our spending in different categories i.e. eating out, clothing, and things I
spent money on (Joann’s, Hobby Lobby).
What did we find? We waste so much money! I always thought we were good with money. We
don’t really go to the movies, we don’t usually eat at restaurants (just cheap fast food), we go
to Starbucks every once in a while but usually get a regular coffee. But boy were we wrong!
One of our biggest money wasters was in eating out. $10 here and there REALLY can add up
over a few months. When you see $100′s that you are spending in addition to your grocery
budget it can really help you get serious about saving money!
2) Budgeting Helps to Reduce Stress
We have had months in our marriage where we didn’t know if we would make rent. We have
had stressful moments when our bank account was already dangerously low when a surprise
bill hits our account or someone cashes a check you forgot you wrote.
We have all been there and it can be some of the most stressful times in our lives. But
budgeting can greatly reduce this stress. Now you will still get stressed if your account is this
low but hopefully after a few months of budgeting you can prevent these events from
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happening. Budgeting helps you to know where your money is at all times and should help
reduce those occurrences of surprise bills and payments.
3) Budgeting Puts You and Your Spouse on the Same Page
Many stresses in marriage come from money and how we spend it. We are firm advocates that
a married couple should not have separate bank accounts. Because of that my hubby has access
to everything I spend money on and vice versa, the way it should be.
I know I have spent money on something before thinking my husband won’t mind and he does!
The opposite is also true (though thankfully we have always been mostly on the same page
when it comes to finances) but having a written budget can help this communication even
more.
Typically I spend more in our marriage than he does. I have scrapbooking needs wants and
crafting expenses that my hubby just doesn’t have. Sometimes I NEED some more scrapbook
paper and he is looking at the cases full I already have (he clearly doesn’t understand). So when
the month starts we agree that I have $20 to spend on any crafting thing I want.
This way I can have some (affordable) fun and I can feel good that this money is supposed to be
spent on this. Likewise he likes to eat out for lunches more than I do because he often has a
working lunch. So at the beginning of the month we agree beforehand on a reasonable amount
he can have for lunches and he can spend that however he wants.
If he wants to splurge on an iced coffee during the month he can because he has that money
set aside. It’s a great way to eliminate fights about money and puts you both on the same page
before any money has been spent!
4) Budgeting Helps You To Save Money
This is probably the main reason that you started budgeting in the first place, to save money!
After you have sat down and realized how many ways you blow money it’s a great feeling to
decide before the month starts to only spend $25 for the month eating out and then to actually
stick to that amount! When you actually stick to your budget you know exactly where your
money is going and you make goals to save.
5) Budgeting Provides Motivation
Our most successful months with money by far are the months that we have an actual written
budget. Part of this is because we know where our money is being blown, we are on the same
page, and we are not as stressed throughout the month. But also, it helps keep us motivated!
When we have a goal of saving $200 in a month we have more motivation as we decide on that
at the beginning of the month.
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When we plan before the month we decide that we are going to save $200. So when I am
having a weak moment half way through I have a goal that I’m focused on and I know that if I
save this $15, it will add up in the end!
Budgeting takes time and determination up front, but you will be reaping the benefits all month
long. Do yourself (and your marriage) a favor and pull out the old calculator and your bank
statements and get to work!
Jami Balmet
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Chapter 4: Five Ways Preparedness Can Save Your Family Money!
We’re by no means rich or even moderately well off, but we do believe strongly in living within
our means. Granted, we’re probably not as strict on some things as noted Christian financial
guru Dave Ramsey would be, but on most financial matters we try to follow what we believe to
be the spirit of Dave’s financial ‘school’ of advice. While he teaches specifics that any family
who wants to get out of debt and attain financial freedom should follow, the basic things we
have done to get and stay out of debt (except for our house, unfortunately) include some of his
and even a few of our own – one of which is… prepping!
Prepping?!?! When most people think about prepping, they probably think about spending
gobs of money on doomsday bunkers, 30-year freeze-dried goods, solar panels, and other
expensive items. Sure, those are fun and, given a few truckloads of discretionary income, would
be great things to purchase; but prepping, ultimately, should be a money saver first. We firmly
believe EVERY family, on even the most modest of budgets, should take some basic prepping
steps.
It’s a crazy world out there, and it’s getting crazier by the minute. Economic uncertainty, war
rumblings, a shaky power grid, natural disasters, an out-of-control Fed, and a gazillion other
reasons attest to the probability that things aren’t likely to continue as smoothly as they have in
our relatively recent past. Doing our best, as wise stewards, to prepare our families for the
potential hard times to come is not only the smart thing to do, it’s the Christian thing to do as
well!
In case you’ve been considering these things but have been holding back for financial reasons,
we’d like to explore five ways prepping can actually save your family money over the long
haul.
1) No matter what you buy, buying in bulk is usually less expensive.
This is often true whether you are buying raw ingredients or your favorite canned, frozen, or
dried items. While it’s certainly important to check the cost per ounce, buying things in bulk,
especially from a wholesale retailer like Sam’s or Cosco, is normally less expensive than buying
things one at a time. Furthermore, seasonal, local, fresh vegetables from a co-op or local
farmer’s market can often be less expensive than the grocery store. Gardening yourself is even
cheaper!
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2) Raw ingredients are usually cheaper and store longer than processed foods.
Cooking from scratch is much healthier than buying chemical laden processed foods. The good
news is, for those with a preparedness mindset, cooking from scratch is a win-win. First of all,
it’s much less expensive than eating out or buying processed foods from the grocery store (OK
maybe you could make a cheap meal out of SPAM but who really wants that?). Basic rule of
thumb – the more ‘hands’ (or machines) that touch the food, the more it costs and the more
unhealthy it often is! Even buying that can of soup from the store is much more expensive than
making the soup yourself. Secondly, basic, scratch ingredients store easily and often for longer
periods of time – a real boon for those who want to prepare and save money at the same time.
For many families, the transition from convenience foods to a lifestyle of cooking healthy,
nutritious, wholesome foods from scratch can certainly involve a pretty dramatic lifestyle
change, but it’s well worth it!
3) Prepping allows you to buy almost everything on sale.
Except for fresh items like milk, eggs, fruit, and the like, we rarely buy a food item that’s not on
sale. Let’s say you want to make a nice chicken casserole from scratch one night for dinner.
Great idea, except you don’t have any chicken in your pantry – so you go to the store, only to
find out the chicken you need isn’t on sale. In fact, it’s marked higher than it normally is! Had
you been prepping all along you wouldn’t have run out of chicken in the first place, and the
chicken you have in the pantry would have likely been bought on sale. When you spot a good
deal on foods you would normally buy, clear the shelf (score!)! After all, who knows when that
deal will come around again?
4) Prepping saves time – and time is money.
How much time, gas, and vehicle wear and tear do those avoidable (see point 3) trips to the
grocery store take? If you have a grocery store in your pantry, and are stocking it up with bulk
and scratch items, how many trips to the grocery store do you really have to make? Not as
many as most people!
5) Prepping in this way will help you eat healthier, and eating healthier will save you money
in the long run.
The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates once said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be
thy food.” Cooking and eating healthy ingredients from scratch is certainly not something only
preppers do, but preppers who practice this will reap the same rewards. A healthier lifestyle = a
healthier family = less medical expenses = more money in your pocket! Win-Win-Win-Win!!
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It’s a no-brainer – prepping, properly and smartly done, can SAVE the average family money
over the long haul. Then, later, maybe there’ll be enough for those doomsday bunkers and solar
panels!
Scott Morefield
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Chapter 5: How to Find Peace When Worried About Finances
I think most people at one point in their lives have worried about their finances. We've
attended what I like to call, The School of Financial Suffering. Of course some have been
attending this school longer than others. Certainly the one person that holds a Doctorate in
this school is Job himself. Goodness, I think he could be the Valedictorian as well as the
President of this university!
I identify with Job in more ways than one.
We have lived through an IRS audit, were dragged through a lawsuit, had our home foreclosed
upon, couldn't afford to pay rent for the rental home we were living in, and then we had to live
with friends. So, yes, I do know what it feels like to attend the School of Financial
Suffering which, of course, led my flesh to feel overwhelmed with worry.
The worries came when...
We only had a few bucks in our pockets and there was no work on the horizon.
We didn't know where we were going to live.
We didn't know where we'd get the money for our medications.
Our electricity was turned off because we couldn't pay the bill. It was a cold, dark night!
We didn't have much food in our pantry and we didn't know when we could buy more. I
was hoping this problem would cause me to lose some weight! It didn't...but I didn't
have to cook as much since the cupboards were slightly bare! :)
We didn't have health insurance and a my Beloved was in need of medical attention. A
trip to the ER can really set a wife over the emotional edge and cause a great amount of
anxiety!
Parts were stolen off of my car which left it inoperable until we could come up with the
several thousands of dollars to fix it. Oh, that Enemy is a thief alright and I'd like to kill
him...but I'll let Jesus take care of that snake!
The transmission went out on my husband's truck which put him in a bind of driving it
home backwards for several miles. I was so glad I was not in the vehicle when that
happened!
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I lost my mind when I didn't know where my home was. I'm so not kidding on this one!
We moved so many times in such a short time period that I actually drove to the wrong
house! I was mentally spent to say the least!
My mind was consumed with fear and desperation as I thought, Is God's grace really
enough, like the song says, when in reality my boy needs shoes because he's got holes in
the bottom of his soles and it's raining outside.
I know what it's like to feel uncertainty, fear, exhaustion, anger, despair, apathy, and
frustration. I also know what it's like to feel forgotten and forsaken by God Himself. I
was well acquainted with all those words and emotions for years on end. And yes, I did
wonder where God was in all of this as we purposefully and intentionally lived a
righteous way of life only to have more heartache and pain from one financial problem
after another.
And then I look at Job....He was righteous too, yet God allowed him to go through one trial after
another. I take heart in Job's story and his faithfulness to proclaim the name of the Lord in
spite of all that he endured. He's a faithful man of God that I deeply admire.
I, too, want God's name lifted high even when my bank account is low and my health is failing.
So here's what God has taught me while I've attended the School of Financial Suffering.
Most Believers know the Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil. (1 Timothy
6:10) Now it's probably hard to think that we love money when we're just trying to pay the
mortgage/rent and put food on the table, right? Come on now, it's not like we're asking the
Lord to give us a boatload of money so we can buy a new car or go on some extravagant
vacation! Yet, looking back over the last 5 years of our financial storms, the Lord revealed to
me a few things about how I view money.
I basically put more trust in my husband's business, our savings account, wise spending and
budgeting, etc, that I felt more secure in that system, rather than finding my security in the
Lord. In essence, I was trusting in our riches, savings, frugality, etc. rather than in God. And I
was loving and trusting in what money was capable of doing for our lives rather than what
God wanted to do in our lives.
So my Father prodded me with following questions:
Daughter, do you love and trust money so much that you distrust Me?
Daughter, do you love and trust money so much that you deem it okay to take out your
fears and frustrations on your husband and children or those around you?
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Daughter, do you realize that your love and trust in money is causing you to lessen your
respect for your husband? This isn't biblical, by the way. So, is this the type of wife that
you want to be? Or do you want to be a faith-filled wife?
Daughter, do you realize that your love and trust in money is a threat to your marital
oneness? If you keep holding on to your fears and live in a state of worry then this
problem will come between you and your Beloved.
Daughter, do you realize that your love and trust in money can turn you into a snappy,
contentious and controlling woman because you lack faith that I will provide for you?
Yes, I was totally convicted by my Lord's words!
So why did I feel this way? Because I'm selfish.
Why did I distrust that God would provide? Because I lack faith and I was fearful of our future.
Why did I lash out or take out my frustrations on my husband or children? Because I lack
control over my situation.
So my Father taught me why I struggled with all of this...
The 3 Root Causes that Feed Our Financial Concerns 1) We Become Fearful
It's scary to lose what you're used to. You're not sure of what's going to happen to you. Where
are you going to live? Where's the money going to come from? What do you do when medical
attention is needed? What are you going to eat and will you have clothes to wear? Honestly, I
really think we need to look at birds more often like the Scriptures say.
"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:26
Peaceful thought: According to God, we are more valuable than birds!
2) We Become Controlling
You know, we sure do think highly of ourselves, don't we? We think we've got life all under
control when in reality, that is the furthest thing from the truth. God is the one who's got things
under control! Yet, we have a tendency to think if we've got money tucked away in our savings
or 401k we'll be okay. Well, I can tell you from experience that it doesn't matter how much
money you have in the bank....it's a false sense of security because you never know what the
Lord is going to take you through. If you don't believe me, then let me remind you of Job.
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So what does God's children start to do when the finances are becoming less and less? We turn
to the Lord in prayer, right? No, not usually. First we freak out and then we try to control our
situation. Then, if we're really controlling, we'll turn to our spouses and start to control them!
This right here is key to many marital problems when the financial trials start to rain in your
marriage.
3) We Become Selfish
Not only do I want a beautiful roof over my head, a soft bed to sleep in, blankets and covers to
keep me warm, but I want a nice fluffy pillow for my head too. Yet, when I reflect on the verse
below, I can't help but think I'm pretty darn selfish! And why do I say this? Because the Lord
has provided all of these things for me, however, I'm still not satisfied. I want more and I want
things my way! Take a look at how our Savior lived so you can have a better understanding of
this viewpoint.
And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has
nowhere to lay His head." Luke 9:58
Yes, the reality is, when we love and trust in money more than God, this causes us to do some
strange things! When our finances are low (or non-existent) we become more fearful,
controlling and selfish. Turning our eyes to Jesus is what we need to do in order to overcome
these issues....and this is where you'll experience the peace of God!
Jolene Engle
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Chapter 6: Save Money by Shopping Online If you're like me, then you do a lot of your shopping online. Not only does this enable you to
stay out of stores (come on, I'm not the only husband who hates to shop, am I?), but it can also
save you a lot of money. The trick to this is to know where to shop online. Now this is where
online shopping can start to look overwhelming to someone not experienced. There are so
many websites dedicated to shopping for clothing, electronics, furniture, or pretty much
anything you can possibly think of. How are you supposed to know where to go to get the best
online deals?
The point of this chapter is to compile a list of some of the best sites to shop at online in order
to save money. Granted, none of these websites will be groundbreaking to anyone who already
shops online quite a bit, but for those of us who are online shopping newbies, it should prove to
be very helpful.
Amazon
When people think of Amazon.com, they think mainly of books. However, Amazon sells
a lot more than books these days, and their prices are almost always the best. From electronics
to garden tools, from groceries to clothing, you can find nearly anything on Amazon. Plus,
Amazon also offers many used items at an even lower price. Their customer service is excellent
as well. If you are a bit uneasy about shopping online, rest assured, Amazon will take care of
you. They have a fantastic return policy, and if an item you purchase shows up at your house
damaged, or doesn't show up at all, they will reimburse you or send you a replacement item
right away. No questions asked. I've personally experienced their customer service, and I was
very happy with it.
Vitacost
Vitacost is a great place to shop for discount vitamins, supplements, and natural whole foods.
Their prices are very competitive, and they offer free shipping for orders over $49. They are
constantly offering new sales and deals on their products, so it's a good idea to check their
deals every so often.
This is my wife’s favorite place to buy things from Echinacea to toothpaste to safe cleaning
products to use with our babies. She gets so excited each time she does a Vitacost order. They
carry such a wide variety and often there prices are better than Amazon! Also, if you sign up
through this link, you can get $10 off your first purchase! It makes ordering from Vitacost a
great deal! So start shopping today and get $10 off!
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Overstock
Overstock.com is another site like Amazon that sells essentially everything. They differ in that
they have slightly less product variety, and their prices are sometimes a bit higher than
Amazon's. However, they are always worth checking to compare with Amazon, as they
sometimes offer sales on items that nowhere else can beat. I bought my wife a Cricut
Expression Die Cutting Machine from Overstock, and at the time it was at least $20 cheaper
than anywhere else I searched.
Home Shopping Network
Like the HSN channel on TV, the website carries many different products, including jewelry,
clothing, and kitchen appliances. While their typical prices don't compare to the prices on other
sites on this list, they sometimes offer bundles of related items for fantastic prices. For
example, their price on an Xbox 360 may not be the cheapest, but they may offer a bundle
including the system, 3 games, and 2 extra controllers for a price that beats the competition.
Costco
Everyone knows that Costco is a great place to buy high quality items (often in bulk). However,
not everyone knows that you can do it online from the comfort of your own home. Costco
always has incredible prices on pretty much everything from clothing to food to computers to
books to jewelry, and their store brand Kirkland Signature is very good. Over the years, I have
bought a number of computers from Costco, and have paid much less for them comparatively
speaking. Also, their return policy is fantastic. You do have to pay for a yearly membership, but
it is most definitely worth it!
Newegg
Newegg is best known for their electronics, but they actually sell a diverse range of products,
including home appliances, office products, and even automotive products. Like Overstock,
they don't always have the best price, but are worth checking because sometimes they have
special deals that beat even Amazon.
Academic Superstore
This website requires that you have a student ID of some sort. But if you do, then you can get
rock bottom prices on software, cameras, mp3 players, and much more. When I was in college,
I bought an Adobe software bundle worth approximately$800 for less than half price!
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Woot!
Woot is unique among this list, as it only offers one unique product per day, never to be
repeated. The price is always excellent, but the catch is you don't know what will be offered for
sale on any given day. For example, on the day that this chapter was written, Woot was selling a
laptop bag with a built in charger battery for $39.99. They've never offered that particular
product before, and likely never will again. A good idea is to bookmark their website and check
it daily while on your email or Facebook. They often offer unique items for low prices, and if
you have a particular item in mind, you may stumble across it on Woot one day. A couple years
ago, I was in the market for a blue-tooth hands free headset for my cell phone, and Woot was
selling the Jawbone brand for about 30% off list price. I snatched it up, and have been very
happy with it ever since.
Monoprice
Monoprice is the best place online to buy cables and accessories for electronics. They sell
components, adapters, ink/toner, speakers, keyboards, and more. I once purchased a 12 foot
HDMI cable for a fraction of the cost elsewhere.
Groupon
Groupon partners with companies and offers special limited time "coupons" for great deals on
services, getaways, and products. They may be offering a 50% off deal to your local nail salon
one day, and the next day they have a cheap coupon for 5 free movie rentals from Redbox. My
wife and I once purchased a coupon for 50% off a Segway tour on the beach.
LivingSocial
LivingSocial is just like Groupon in that it offers limited time deals for local attractions. They
often have deals on things that Groupon does not, so it's worth checking both out from time to
time. Coupons from both of these sites make great affordable gifts for birthdays or Christmas.
Jason Balmet
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Chapter 7: Faith Regarding Finances in Marriage
I'd like to share a few thoughts on trusting God during difficult financial times and how that
applies to the marriage relationship. I have no leg to stand on when it comes to talking about
tips for financial planning, or ideas for investing or long-term financial goals as a couple. I'll
leave that to someone else to address. But I do have a lot of experience in the faith category.
If you've heard of George Mueller and his life of faith - trusting God for all provision for the
orphanage he started - you will catch a glimpse of great faith, and great courage. I happened to
marry a George Mueller type, and though I now am very grateful at first I was in shock. Sam
would say things like, "In Africa they just put a plank of wood on two huge rocks to sit on. So,
why do we need a couch?" Or, "When it comes to investing, I like to invest in Heavenly stock
rather than earthly markets." Or, "Maybe we should just give all our excess funds away and
trust God to provide for our future."
Needless to say, these comments didn't sit well with me. We argued. We pulled out our Bibles
and prepared lengthy sermons for each other on different perspectives of financial planning
throughout Scripture. Want a glimpse of that? Okay, here goes:
"Abraham left his country with no idea where he was going - all because He was trusting God to
lead and provide."
"Yeah, but he was the richest guy in his vicinity. He took bucket loads of his stuff and had a
mini-empire to caravan with him."
OR:
"Proverbs talks about the ant - go study his ways and be wise - he stores for the winter, so
shouldn't we store away for our future years?"
"Look at the context - it's talking about lazy people - do you think I'll ever be lazy? No. So it
isn't specifically commanding us to save for retirement, or college, or whatever."
OR:
"Jesus didn't even have a place to lay his head. Do you think we should have more/better than
He did?!"
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"Well, yes, actually, I do. Did you notice he was hosted many times by people who must've had
a guest room - and provided a place for Him to lay His head - did you ever think of that? I'd like
to be one of those hospitable types who provides places for people to lay their heads!"
And on, and on, ad nauseum - it went - back and forth between us.
At some point, however, I became convicted of a few things I tended to fail to mention to Sam
in these debates. Because in all our arguing, God the Holy Spirit was working in my heart to
change me from the inside. I came to realize that we could argue our whole life long about
finances and how they should be run, and we could exhaust every nuance of Scripture, down to
chapter, verse and Greek translation to support our view. I had to concede that Scripture isn't
specific as to exactly how each home should run its finances. I had to see that there was
potential for diversity in these matters. And, painful as it was, I had to see that my specific view
of things wasn't necessarily the only right way. Oh, how it hurt to admit it.
Because while we can go back and forth on planning versus giving versus planning to give
versus throw-caution-to-the-wind and live radical lives - we cannot fail in seeing what is plainly
clear in Scripture. I was led to these verses in 1 Peter:
“Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the
word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see
your respectful and pure conduct...
For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to
their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if
you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. ~ 1 Peter 3:1-6
I didn't have much to argue about when I looked at Sarah. She submitted her will to her
husband - not out of trust of him, but out of trust in God. The temptation for her, and for me
many times, is to fear. If we give way to fear we stand on slippery ground. The call in all these
matters - whether from saving or giving or living high or low - is a call to faith - to trust God for
all we need.
For wives, this may mean putting our opinions and desires carefully aside. I believe it is right to
voice our concerns, and to live with circumspect wisdom. But beyond that (of course barring
extreme situations involving abuse and such), we are to trust in God to oversee not only our
finances but the heart of our husbands.
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For husbands, this may mean listening to your wife's concerns and seeking God to lead you
with the thought in mind that your call is to self-sacrificial love for her - even if it means living in
a way different to what you would selfishly prefer. If a wife has been so noble as to give up her
way, her preferences, her ideas, her opinions - out of respect for her husband - don't you think
you, as a husband, could graciously give her more room for her desires, more grace, more care,
more of yourself? Selfless love wins in the end. Your marriage will be the better for it, if you
honor your wife and see that her thoughts and ideas are heard, respected and worth your time
and interest.
And in our case, that is exactly what happened. I saw that Scripture was clear in it's directive to
wives. And I told Sam I would be willing to follow his lead, even if it wasn't my first choice. And
initially I was tempted to fear. But I prayed and told God my trust was in Him, not in my
husband. And as time went on, Sam changed too. He saw the wisdom in a measure of
planning. And in that process, I changed! Here we are 13 years later and I often find myself
arguing from Sam's initial perspective of 'give more, live radically' and he is giving more thought
to the future!
I know it doesn't work out that way in every case. Each couple has different dynamics. But
there is joy in the journey to unity and putting your spouse above your financial ideals goes a
long way to bringing stability and wholeness in the relationship. In the midst of many
arguments we would sometimes have to remind ourselves that we're married first and financial
gurus second (or not at all! :) )
As you look at finances in marriage, just be reminded simply that:
God is in control.
You can trust Him.
He is far wiser than you realize.
He is faithful.
He listens and answers prayer.
You don't need to have it your way.
And then, go from there to pursuing oneness in all things in your marriage!
Sarah Logan
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Chapter 8: Finances and a New Baby Welcoming a new baby into your home is an exciting time! But often, after the initial
excitement, reality starts to set in and men especially begin worrying about the cost.
Future thoughts of cars and college expenses quickly become replaced by thoughts and stress
over the cost of clothing, diapers, swings, cribs, and more! It can feel overwhelming, and the joy
at the thought of your new baby quickly diminishes in the light of this new financial panic.
When Jason and I found out we were pregnant for the first time, we were ecstatic. But I knew
in the back of his mind he was secretly adding up the costs of me quitting my full time job in
order to be a stay at home mom, the cost of hundreds of diapers, and everything else that goes
along with a new baby. And I admit, I was a bit stressed as well.
Fast forward 10 weeks and we found out instead of one beautiful blessing, we were getting
two! We were pregnant with twins! The phone calls were made to our family, the shock started
wearing off, and I demanded asked nicely to go to Babies R’ Us that night. You see, thus far I
had held off on going to any baby stores because I knew we had months left and didn’t even
know the gender yet. But the thought of twins was so exciting that I just needed to go look at
baby stuff {ladies do you know what I mean??}.
So we made our first trip to the baby store. As we walked around overwhelmed at the sheer
number of products and options, we started sweating at the thought of two of everything! Two
cribs, two car seats, thousands of diapers, and dozens of outfits just to name a few. We left the
store that night in complete sticker shock. How would we pay for all of this?
Thankfully I still had months ahead of me to plan and to figure out how we would pay for all of
this. And this soon to be mama is frugal, so I knew we would figure things out. I rarely pay full
price for anything, except maybe my weekly Starbucks treat. Thus began the Balmet family
adventure into all things baby. Now with two infants, we are continually finding ways to save
money. I hope to encourage you and share a few things we have learned from one set of frugal
parents to another!
7 Simple Ways to Save Money with a New Baby 1) Buy Used
Does the thought of buying used gross you out? Get over it. If you are going to be a frugal
mama and papa then you need to get used to buying used. Because babies grow so quickly and
use items for a relatively short amount of time, used baby items are usually in excellent
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condition! All those newborn clothes that people just have to have are used for only a few short
weeks (or even days), never to be worn again!
There are so many places to get used baby clothes, toys, and items! See the list below and try
and get creative where you can find baby stuff. My biggest suggestion: Ask, ask, ask! You never
know who might be selling (or giving away) used baby stuff. So spread the word and let people
know you are in the market.
Caution: You should be careful when buying some things used. You should never buy a used car
seat because you never know if it’s working properly or has been in an accident before. And
always check to make sure the items you are purchasing have not been recalled. You can check
if items have been recalled here: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/. You can search by name,
sort by date, and search within categories such as “babies and kids” or “toys”.
Great places to find used baby items:
Thrift Stores: Search through all your local thrift stores. Find the best ones and find out
when they get new shipments. Search often because you never know what great item
might be waiting there. Great items usually go fast so search often!
Second hand stores: We have a great little shop in town where you can sell your used
baby items. Their shop is full of gently used baby items for usually 50% off the list price.
We got a great swing in excellent condition for our twins there when we realized having
two swings was essential for us!
Online: If you are comfortable shopping online (which I suggest you become
comfortable with if you are not, because often the best deals on everything are online),
then you can find great used baby items! My mom ordered a huge set of gently used
baby boy clothes on Ebay.com. Craigslist.com is also another great site for finding used
local items.
Friends: Like I said above, ask, ask, ask! You never know who is giving away or selling
used baby items. We got both of our cribs for the twins from a friend of a friend of my
Mother-in-Law who had a crib and her sister had a matching one! We got a fantastic
deal on the two cribs and a matching changing table because we put the word out there
that we were looking.
2) Cloth Diaper
Eeew! Does this gross you out? That was my husband’s first reaction when I told him that I
wanted to use cloth diapers. But modern cloth diapers are super easy to use! They all have
snaps or Velcro and essentially function the same as disposables, except you have to throw
them in the wash.
It takes a little more time, but the cost difference is amazing! For anyone on a budget, cloth
diapering is definitely something you should consider! For $200-300 (or less if you are frugal
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about getting them) you can get all the cloth diapers you need for the entire time your baby is
in diapers. One blogger estimated that to diaper 1 child in disposable diapers until they are
potty trained costs about $2,000. Now the real beauty comes from the fact that you can use
that stash of cloth diapers for all subsequent kids! You may need to replace a diaper every now
and then but saving $1500 (a conservative estimate) per child on diapers is amazing!
You can find out more about cloth diapering here:
Confessions of a Cloth Diapering Convert – The Humbled Homemaker
Tips and Tricks with Cloth Diapering – Stacy Makes Cents
Cloth Diapering How To {Part one} – Christian Mommy Blogger
Different Types of Cloth Diapers and What I personally Use- Creating Naturally
3) Stick to the Necessities
The baby industry wants us to believe that we need every gadget and toy in the world before
our babies are born. We must be fully stocked with everything. But in reality there is very little
that you actually need for a newborn baby! And sadly, that fancy new swing, bouncer, walker,
and endless other baby gadgets you bought might not be loved or even liked by your baby! So
don’t rush out and buy everything because you “need” it in order to bring your new baby home.
Really you only need a few things:
Car seat to bring baby home
A pack n’ Play, Bassinet, or crib for baby to sleep
A few blankets
A few outfits
Some diapers
That’s about it! Everything else you can figure out as the time comes. Stacy explains why she
gave away a bunch of her baby stuff when she found out she didn’t need it in: Bye Bye Baby
Gadgets!
4) Make Your Own Baby Food
When your baby starts eating solid food around 4-6 months, many new parents rush out and
buy the expensive baby food in a jar. Oh it might not seem expensive at first, but add that up
over the time your baby is eating solid food and subsequent babies, and it gets expensive!
Instead make your own baby food!
Making your own baby food is simple. Just steam some carrots and then puree it! Mash up
some avocados! Take the food your family is already eating and mash it up for baby. Hilary from
Accidently Green offers a GREAT resource on learning how to make your own baby food and
knowing what to feed baby during their first year in her book First Bites.
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5) Finding Deals on Diapers
Does using cloth diapers just freak you out a little too much? Or you want to use disposables for
those days that cloth are not as convenient? You can still save money on diapers.
Join Amazon Mom and regularly save money by buying your diapers on Amazon! I’ve never
used this but I know some people who swear by this and only buy their diapers on Amazon.
Learn how to shop at drug stores and play the coupon game! By combining manufacturer
coupons, store coupons, and store sales you can get products for a fraction of the cost! Here
are some great guides on how to do this at CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid.
Money Saving Mom also has a section on her website devoted to diaper deals. If you follow
along and regularly check this part of her site, you can often find great diaper deals!
Being frugal with your new baby is all about taking the time to do the research and doing the
work. Talk to as many moms as you can and find out what their necessities are! Every mom is
different but you can get a good idea of what is really essential and what isn’t by talking to
other parents.
And when family and friends want to know what to get you as presents, don’t be afraid to tell
them what you really need! Maybe you don’t need any more newborn clothing but could really
use a couple cloth diapers to build your stash! Let them know how they can help!
Jami Balmet
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Chapter 9: Growing Together as a Young Couple
I want to stop and take a chapter to address the other young married couples. If you got
married later in life then feel free to skip this chapter. But if you have kids who may one day get
married young then please read this. And who knows, maybe you will pick up a little
encouragement as well!
Many people we meet, feel that getting married at 19 and becoming pregnant with our first
baby at 22 is ridiculous. Even within the church, many don’t understand why we would get
married so young and choose to start a family at young ages. They think we need to experience
the world more, travel, or start a solid career first.
Let me just stop right here and say that I firmly believe that God appoints the time you meet
and marry your spouse. Some meet him at 16 and some are 30. I fully believe that its God’s
timing and it will be different for everyone. Getting married young is not for everyone, but I do
believe it is for some. Moving on.
For those that God does call to marriage at a young age, there are a number of benefits that
help establish marriage on a firm foundation. I know it has for my marriage.
We have been able to grow up together with regard to money. We formed habits together as a
couple rather than separately, we developed our free time together, and we have learned what
it means to grow in the Lord together.
Our Financial Journey My husband and I had nothing when we got married. We had both completed one year at a
Christian University and had paid for everything ourselves. We both worked around our school
schedule and full time during the summer. We rented a great little one bed room
apartment. We didn’t have a lot, but we didn’t need a whole lot.
Eating out at fast food was a luxury for us. Mostly we ate rice and beans and loved every
minute of it! Of course there were stressful times when we weren’t sure if we would make rent,
but ultimately God provided every time.
A year later my husband graduated college and got a fantastic job that has turned into his
career. A year after that I graduated college and got a full time job at a Christian University. We
finally were building a savings, dreaming of buying a home, and paying off some student loans.
Fast forward 2 more years and my husband was offered a promotion and a job he can be in for
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the next 10 years with plenty of room to grow. I am now a stay at home mom to two adorable
twin boys.
Why do I tell you this? Because we have grown into our money together. We were together
when we both made minimum wage and had to scrape together money for a grocery budget.
But then we had the excitement of saving up to by our first flat screen tv. We had some
financially tight spots where a dollar couldn’t go uncounted. But we have grown and we have
had the freedom to walk into the grocery store and be able to throw some extra things into the
cart without worry.
We have learned how to deal with money together. We learned what it means to make a
budget and stick to it! We learned what it means to finally have some extra money and blow it
all on eating out and to get to the end of the month with nothing to show for it.
And most importantly, we always knew that money was both of ours. I have never felt that
money was mine or his. We have always been very transparent with money with each other.
We don’t have fights about money (usually). We share it very easily (usually, there are of course
occasional off days ;)).
I think the difference is that, since we both made minimum wage at our first job (where we
met), we have looked at money as both of ours. We never had money of our own to spend. We
didn’t live for five years by ourselves making all of the decisions on our own about money. I
wasn’t used to taking my own money and going clothing shopping whenever I wanted to with
no one to answer to.
We make money decisions together and we always have.
Even four years later, with more money coming in, it is rare to make a purchase larger than $20
without the other knowing about it before. We would never dream of spending $50 before
checking with the other first.
This has created a beautiful environment of accountability and trust. Because we are always
honest with each other, it is easier to allow each other the occasional treat without getting
jealous or uptight over the money.
They say that money is the biggest cause of strife in a marriage, and I can certainly see why this
would be the case. When we have been tight with money, tensions can run high and we get
stressed. But the beautiful thing is that we can always rely on each other to get through the
tough times and we do not have fights over who spent what money, because in reality all
money decisions are always made by the both of us. Do we have slight disagreements
sometimes about how to spend the money? Naturally. But we also know that we have to work
through it, so we always move forward and find a resolution.
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I am not saying that those who lived on their own for 10 years and had a great career with
money to spend how they want won’t have a good marriage when it comes to money. I just
know that, for us, it has made life easier. It makes me sad to hear of married couples who
have separate bank accounts and don’t discuss money together. If we are to be one within
marriage, why doesn’t that extend to money?
Jami Balmet
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Chapter 10: What Does it Mean to be a Good Steward of God’s Money? What does it meant to be a good stewards of god’s money? To be a good steward of the money
the Lord provides us with, we need to get (and keep) our finances under control.
“The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving.” ~ Proverbs
14:8
This also includes getting out of debt.
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the
law.” ~ Romans 13:8
God is allowing us to use His money. Finances are to be managed properly (and invested) so
they will bear fruit and grow.
“Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.” ~ Proverbs
21:20
We must develop a budget.
“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether
he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to
finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to
finish.’” ~ Luke 14:28:30
A proper budget allows for planning and awareness of what is currently occurring with our
finances. In addition to being aware of what is going on with our finances, a budget allows us to
be better stewards of the money the Lord has provide us with.
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“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows
bountifullywill also reap bountifully.” ~ 2 Corinthians 9:6
Being a good steward of finances will allow for you to save (1 Corinthians 16:2 “On the
first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may
prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come”.)
Being a good steward of finances will allow for you to pay off debt (Psalms 37:21 “The
wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;”.
Matthew 5:25-26 “Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with
him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard,
and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid
the last penny.”)
Being a good steward of finances will allow for you to invest (maybe in retirement? Or a
down payment for a new home or car?). Proverbs 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead
surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”
Being a good steward of finances will allow for you to give (2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one
must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God
loves a cheerful giver.
Now that we understand why we are to be good stewards of our finances we need to find a
tangible way to keep on top of all of this. How and what is the best tool to use in order to
manage finances?
Enter Mint.com
There are several programs that are out there but we can only recommend ones we’ve used
and have had success using. We transitioned to Mint.com early last year and love it. On
occasion we will use a spread sheet to give us a future reference if we are playing around with
different potential scenarios, but for the most part we just use Mint.com.
Without getting into too overwhelming detail here are some basics:
Free to use
Secure with the same 128-bit encryption and security that banks use. Verified by
TRUSTe and VeriSign, and they are supported by RSA Security.
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You can set up a budget for everything. Kind of like the envelope system but all virtual
and online. How can this work in your favor? Well let’s say you set a budget of 100$ per
month for clothing. If you go over it you will get an instant notification. You can also
choose to receive a notification if you are close to it. So if you want to know when you
hit the 80$ mark, you can set it up to alert you at that point.
You can also set up custom alerts to know when your account reaches an amount
defined by you.
Lists your transactions (they pull this from your bank account). These transactions are
classified in categories (food, paycheck, transfer, books, groceries, ect.). If you want to
rename the category you can if needed.
Trends is a great part of Mint.com. We love it because we can visually see in a graph
what is eating up most of our money. They make this graph based on your categories, so
make sure you have them set up to your personal preferences.
If you have a mortgage, credit card, or debt you can track it’s pay off in Mint.com too.
We think that can be kind of fun because you can see how much you have left, and that
can prove to be motivating.
So definitely go check out Mint.com if you’re looking for an easy, efficient and customizable
method to manage your finances and be better stewards of His provisions to you and your
family.
Michael & Marlene Griffith
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Chapter 11: 5 Steps to Managing Finances Together
Few of us were left unchanged by the economics of the last four years. Recession, recovery,
unemployment, housing prices...
Does the simple act of reading those words raise your blood pressure a little?
Now let's add toddlers, dinnertime, teenagers, weight gain, and dirty laundry. Is it really any
wonder that money can be one of the most difficult areas for couples to manage together? We
cannot ignore our finances in a Biblical Marriage.
If you and your spouse agree on how to manage your finances, have a complete understanding
of your goals, and work well as a team to accomplish those dreams - I am genuinely thrilled for
you! Now, kindly stop reading this chapter to go mentor someone in your life who has not
achieved those milestones.
For the rest of us, I'd like to suggest five steps to begin managing your finances together.
Pray. 2 Chronicles 6:28-30 says, "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew
or locust or caterpillar, if their enemies besiege them in the land at their gates, whatever
plague, whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all
your people Israel, each knowing his own affliction and his own sorrow and stretching out his
hands toward this house, then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to
each whose heart you know, according to all his ways, for you, you only, know the hearts of the
children of mankind."
I cannot stress this enough, pray before you move forward. Pray for a patient spirit, for a
graceful heart, and for honesty. Remember, God knows your heart.
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Bring it all together. Luke 16:11 asks, "If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust
to you the true riches?"
Gather up all the statements, checkbooks, and insurance documents to one place. If you are
not joint on your accounts, make it so. If you have a debt your spouse does not know about, be
completely clear about it. If you are the one receiving this surprising news, commit to being
completely involved from this day forward.
Total it up. This might be painful. List all of your debts. Yes, all of them. Do the same for your assets. What
are your cars worth? How much is in savings?
Consider what you have. Read Matthew 25:14-30 - remember the parable of the master who left his money in the charge
of three different servants? 29, "For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an
abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."
Do you both have life insurance policies? Can you understand the statements on your
investments? How much are you paying in interest on your current loans? Does your cash flow
well or do all of your bills seem to be due on one day of the month?
Agree on a plan. Again, see Mathew 25 - God gave us examples of handling the finances He entrusted to our
care.
Maybe you can only agree to put all receipts and bills next to the computer this week. This
might be the month you agree to a budget (making a plan for how to spend your money before
it arrives in your account). This could be the time to schedule an appointment with a financial
representative to understand those mutual funds or research life insurance prices. Whether
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you can agree on a plan for the next 24 hours or the next 24 months, determine what your next
steps are before you walk away.
These steps may be harder than anything you've faced as a couple. You may experience a
wide range of feelings, but they will not change the truth. The truth about your current financial
standing or the truth about what God can do through your marriage as you seek His Word for
wisdom in managing it. When we manage our resources well, we can meet the needs of those
God puts in our lives.
I am not a professional financial counselor and share only what has worked for us to date.
Tammy Skipper
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Chapter 12: Preparing for Holiday Shopping PayPal provides an excellent service which I have used for years. All you have to do is put in
your name, debit/credit card information, and then create a PayPal account. This then allows
you to enjoy the ease of online shopping without having to tediously enter all that information
into every single website you purchase from.
The other day however, I received an email advertisement from PayPal promoting their new
"bill me later" feature. The email went like this: "The holidays are coming! Be ready with bill me
later!" As I read this advertisement this thought came to mind: "Is having to "bill me later"
really being "prepared" for Christmas shopping?" The answer to this question is clearly no.
Unfortunately however, many people operate with this mindset. Last Christmas season,
I received a different advertisement saying: "Need fast cash for the holidays? Take out a title
loan!" Again, if you need to put your car up as collateral for a loan in order to buy Christmas
gifts, you are not prepared for Christmas shopping.
Christmas shopping has the potential to be a very stressful event. Here are some ways to
minimize the stress as a couple while shopping for loved ones this Christmas season.
1) Don't get into debt!
There is nothing that will make Christmas shopping more stressful than to having to pay off
debt after the gifts are given. In addition to the many biblical principles advising against getting
into debt, it has been the cause of many marital fights, as well as the stated reason for why
many marriages end in divorce.
Using credit cards is like playing with fire if you don't know what you are doing. If you cannot
make a purchase otherwise, you cannot afford it. They should ONLY be used if you KNOW that
you will be able to pay them off at the end of the month.
2) Budget for it!
Instead of getting into debt for Christmas gifts, figure out about how much you will need well in
advance, and then set aside a little more than that. When you go shopping, make sure you stick
to the budget.
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3) Plan how you will meet the budget
After figuring out how much you will need, ($1,000 for example) figure out how much you will
need to set aside out of each paycheck in order to have the money in hand when you are ready
to start shopping. For example, if you need $1,000 in 2 months, you will need to set aside $250
out of each paycheck if you get paid on a biweekly basis.
4) Make decisions together
Just as in EVERY area of marriage, it is so important that couples make decisions about
Christmas shopping together (i.e. how much to spend, who to buy for, what to buy, etc.). This
will reduce the level of stress because it minimizes the opportunity for one spouse to go behind
the other's back. This also helps to build teamwork.
5) Learn to differentiate between wants and needs
Because of the high cultural expectations place upon the exchange of Christmas gifts, it is easy
to feel obligated to buy gifts for people even when you cannot afford it. Christmas gifts are
wants, not needs. Even though there are high expectations, if a couple is going through a tight
financial time, it may be wise to either go really simple this year, or find a creative alternative.
We certainly don't want to offend or hurt our loved ones, but if using debt is the only way to
buy gifts, it may be a good idea to sit this year out.
6) Let the spouse who enjoys shopping handle it
Typically in a marriage, one spouse enjoys shopping more than the other, and is better at
finding bargains. While it is usually the wife who is more of a shopper, there are exceptions to
this rule. Once the budget has been decided on, the decisions have been made together about
who to buy for, and the money has been saved, then it is a good idea to let the spouse who
actually enjoys shopping take care of it.
Christmas shopping has the potential to be a stressful ordeal. However, as we have seen, by
following a few simple principles, the stress can be drastically reduced. But you know what?
Christmas shopping isn't the only area where financial wisdom applies. It is so important to
learn how to live within your means in every area. You can read more about this in a four part
series I wrote on that very topic by clicking here.
Chris Cartwright
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Chapter 13: Avoiding Financial Stress This Christmas
The holiday season-- that wonderful time of year (cue sappy violin music) when families gather;
peace and goodwill abound; misty watercolor memories are made; lovely parties are hosted
using your best linens and china in your perfectly-decorated, HGTV-worthy house; adorable
children in angel costumes can't wait to go to one last performance of the Christmas pageant--
What?... That doesn't sound like the holidays at your house? (Cue gigantic trainwreck sound!)
The holiday season can be the setup for the perfect storm of stress, exhaustion,
overindulgence, and disappointment that can make the best of marriages a minefield ripe for
explosions. Hidden landmines are all over the place, just waiting to detonate and maim
everyone within range: Mines of unrealistic expectations. Traditions. Financial bombs!
Exhaustion. Over-commitment. Add perfectionism or hormonal tripwires that get more and
more unstable as all the other bombs begin to get closer and closer together, and you have a
recipe that can spell disaster for your marriage.
Sound familiar? The holidays, which are ideally a time for wonderful family memories to be
made, can be the most painful time of year for many people, and making them great takes a
battle plan and serious follow-through. So let's get on our boots and battle gear, and get
started.
If you haven't already read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, I highly recommend it! He
presents simple steps in an entertaining fashion. There are lots of free resources on his
website as well. If you've been practicing Dave's principles very long, you have no debt besides
your mortgage, and you have money set aside for all the extra costs associated with the
holidays. However, if you haven't, don't despair! You still have some time. I suggest two basic
guiding principles here: Save up, and spend less. (And starting at the beginning of next month,
start a Christmas club account, and set aside a fixed amount in another account as often as you
choose.)
Tips for Avoiding Financial Stress Don't put holiday extras on a credit card unless you can pay it ALL off when the bill comes.
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Piling on debt will only make the Holiday Minefield stretch out into the new year! Dave
preaches using no credit cards at all, but we use them for convenience and pay the balance
monthly. We also like the cash-back bonus! However, if you have trouble limiting what you
charge, don't use them!
Decide ahead of time how much money you can spend for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
If you normally host the family gathering and provide all the food, and especially if you buy
paper plates and utensils, the cost can add up! Delegate others to bring food and paper goods,
or use real dishes. Be creative about how you can save money-- think outside the box! (Ask a
question or give your suggestions in the comments; there are some brilliant minds in our
community!)
Christmas can be more difficult, but you have a few more weeks to plan and put aside a bit of
money. My husband has two siblings, their spouses, his parents, and a nephew and niece.
Christmas got expensive buying gifts for all eight of them! Pretty quickly we began drawing
names, and as our kids grew up, we started doing a "Chinese auction," where everyone brings a
gift; we draw numbers, choose a gift, then the next person chooses or can steal from someone
else. It's great fun and not nearly as expensive as buying for everyone. Some families buy only
for the children, and some families don't buy gifts at all. If its a financial burden for you,
swallow your pride and have an honest conversation with your parents or whoever is
involved. I bet they will understand, and chances are, it will be a relief to others in your family
too.
Don't measure your worth as a parent or spouse by the amount of Christmas presents you
can buy.
Some children prefer a lot of boxes under the tree; others would rather have one or two more
expensive gifts. Know your kids. When mine were younger, especially, I bought toys and dress-
up clothes at garage sales. Now they make lists for me, complete with internet links to Amazon
or the store, of items in various price ranges.
Don't feel obligated to spend the same amount of money or have the same number of gifts
for every child. A 3-year old doesn't have the same concept of gifts as a 10-year old does. I
would often use the age of the child as a guideline for quantity or amount of money- $60 for
the 6-year old, $40 for the 4-year old.
So here are the rules of engagement to negotiate the Holiday Minefield without detonations:
1. No credit cards.
2. Get creative about how to adapt your holiday traditions to cost less.
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3. Calmly and unemotionally, plan a holiday budget.
4. Calmly and unemotionally, have discussions with relatives if you need to make a change.
5. Don't tie up the amount of money you spend with your success as a parent.
6. Set aside money between now and Christmas.
With a little planning ahead and conversation with your spouse, you can be on the same side in
the battle of the Holiday Minefield and come out victorious!
Melinda Stanton “Auntie Em”
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Chapter 14: For Richer or For Poorer Can the words of the Bible, penned to a society without master bathrooms and high speed
internet, define rich and poor for us? The federal government can define poor, middle, and
upper income households based on census data. Suburbanites might describe a neighbor as
rich, if they have more than the average household on their street. Maybe when you think of
wealth, you think of having investments or a second home.
Let’s flip the coin. Many families have experienced a time when they felt poor. Whether or not
you’re intimately familiar with the phrase living paycheck to paycheck, it is still likely you
understand the implications. Wondering how you are going to pay an electric bill or buy diapers
next week burns emotion into the memory centers of your brain. Having only one car for your
family or needing government assistance to buy food would be considered poor by many. If
you’ve experienced foreclosure or short sale on a home, you may believe you failed to achieve
the American Dream. These experiences can leave you reeling, maybe even resentful towards
those who never seem to struggle. That feeling may define poor more than your pay stub ever
could.
Do you believe that Jesus knows your exact financial situation?
He knows if you’re struggling to pay your bills and He knows if you failed to write a check to the
charity He placed on your heart. When the stories of the rich young ruler and the poor widow
were written down for us, Jesus knew what our circumstances would be today.
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor
widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in
more than all of them.
When the proverbs were first uttered, God knew that many of us would be ‘slave to the lender.’
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
Credit cards, anyone?
There are financial experts who can provide excellent advice on paying off debt, factors to
consider when buying a home, or investment strategies. What few address is the heart issue.
What emotions do you experience when you think about money and how do they influence
your definition of rich and poor?
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The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9
Instead of depending on our feelings then, let’s look to the scripture for the definitions. Job is
an excellent example to study when evaluating our attitudes about money. When we first meet
him, he has everything a man could want: a large family, vast resources, and good health.
God allows Job to lose everything. Consider the level of his grief, pain, and confusion. Job
experiences the loss of a child. He sees his wealth disappear into thin air. Ultimately, even his
health deteriorates to the point where he yearns for death. Where does all of this loss, this
poverty, take Job? Yes, he questions God, but we do not read of one instance where Job
condemns others for having large flocks or celebrations with their families. His lack was not
justification for passing judgment on others, any more than his wealth was a basis for others to
pass judgment on him.
Did your retirement disappear with the downturn in the stock market?
Are you struggling to hold your marriage together after losing a child?
Will you meet the staff at a cancer treatment ward this year?
Does it feel like you are the only one experiencing these trials?
God knows you are facing these obstacles. God knows that these things affect how you manage
your money. God knows your spirit is just as involved in your management of your finances as it
is in your Bible study or your family.
How do we trust God with our money the way Job did? I Samuel 2:6-8 reads,
“The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The Lord makes poor
and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the
needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the
pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world.”
According to a recent article, “even the poorest 5% of Americans are better off financially than two
thirds of the entire world1.” Knowing that there are literally billions of people surviving on less than $2
per day2 doesn’t make us feel rich when we have difficulty paying our bills, so why would we believe we
are justified in passing judgment on those who have more than us?
When we had children, we knew we wanted to provide the best possible education for them.
This meant when we prepared to buy our first home, we considered what school they would
attend. This influenced which neighborhoods we considered. We believed providing a good
education was important. This belief influenced our use of money. How others prioritize their
decisions about work, spending, and charity is ultimately an issue between themselves and
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God. We are called to make these decisions with our spouse under the wisdom and leading of
God’s Word.
There are thousands of verses in the Bible addressing money or its management. If you are
looking for verses to support the belief that God financially blesses individuals who are
obedient to Him, You can find them. If you are looking for verses that condemn those who are
rich, you will find them. What I challenge you to consider is how you define those terms at all. If
you could view your life through the eyes of a sponsored child, would you be rich or poor? If
you have $100,000 in the bank but have no love for your wife and children, are you rich or
poor? If your credit cards all have a zero balance but you don’t serve the body of Christ, are you
rich or poor?
Are we ready to cast aside the people and things of this earth as Ruth did so we can hear these
words from our Redeemer?
“All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully
told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people
that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be
given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” ~
Ruth 2:11-12
Consider the following questions to follow-up on this topic. Discuss with your spouse and
consider seeking the mentorship of another couple in your church if you don’t see eye to eye.
1. What makes a person rich? 2. If you had $100,000 extra at your disposal tomorrow, what would you do with it? 3. When have you felt poor? 4. What makes you mad when you think about money? 5. What makes you happy when you think about money? 6. Name one belief about money or its use that you share with your parents. 7. Name one belief about money or its use that you do not share with your parents.
Notes:
1. link: http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/04/news/economy/world_richest/index.htm
2. see Poverty Statistics under Resources http://www.theholeinourgospel.com/resource-
links/
Tammy Skipper
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Suggested Resources Blog & Website Resources A Biblical Marriage – Encouraging Couples to Form a Christ Centered Union
Saving Money by Freezer Cooking – Young Wife’s Guide
Feed Your Family – Healthy Eating on a Budget – Young Wife’s Guide
Living Within One’s Means: A Lost Concept? Series by Striving for Wisdom
10 Ways to Deal with Your Attitude When Faced with Financial Concerns – The Alabaster Jar
How to Obtain Financial Security – The Alabaster Jar
Are You Living in Financial Uncertainty? – The Alabaster Jar
Got Financial Concerns in Your Life? – The Alabaster Jar
Dave Ramsey {He has all kinds of great articles, a radio program, & terrific tools and resources}
John MacArthur {Respected pastor and Bible teacher} has several helpful sermons and articles
on finances:
Investing Earthly Finances with an Eternal Focus
The Christian and His Finances
God’s Plan for Giving sermon series
Mastering Your Money sermon series
The Danger of Loving Money sermon series
Whose Money Is It, Anyway? Sermon series
Biblical Principles for Handling Money
List PlanIt has some great budgeting forms and lists that are really helpful!
Money Saving Mom – An excellent online tool that is packed full of great articles, practical tips,
coupons, and more!
Christian Personal Finance – A website by Christians and for Christians on the subject of finance
Crown Financial Ministries – Another wonderful Christian ministry dedicated to finance
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Book Resources My Total Money Makeover & Workbook by Dave Ramsey
EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey
More Than Enough by Dave Ramsey
The Money Answer Book by Dave Ramsey
From Debtor to Better by Barry Myers
How to Manage Your Money by Larry Burkett
The Complete Financial Guide for Young Couples by Larry Burkett
Debt-Free Living by Larry Burkett
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About the Authors Jami Balmet
Jami is passionate about Biblical Homemaking and striving to be a woman of God. Jami and her loving husband Jason, have been married for 3 years and have just welcomed twin bundles of joy into their home. She has a heart for hospitality and making her home an inviting place that reflects Christ. She blogs about this passion at Young Wife’s Guide. Jami and Jason are also launching a joint vision to encourage couples to form Christ centered unions at A Biblical Marriage.
Jason Balmet Jason is driven to display Christ in all aspects of his life. He is particularly
passionate about marriage, and strives to encourage others to improve their marriage relationships and grow closer to each other and to God in the process. He is an avid reader and caffeine addict, which often combine to keep him up later than he’d like. He has been married to his better half Jami for about 3 and a half years, and has 2 brand new twin boys. He blogs his thoughts and beliefs on marriage at A Biblical Marriage.
Shari Miller Shari has been married to her best friend Bill for twenty years. They have two
children who are their precious gifts from God. Shari is a
stage IV breast cancer survivor who lives each day striving to
give God the glory for all that He has done in her life. Shari
has a passion for drawing others closer to Christ, being a
homemaker, helping others, writing and baking. You can find
Shari blogging about leaving a Godly legacy, hope and
encouragment in Jesus and her life’s journey at Leaving A
Legacy. You can also find her blogging at Woman to Woman Ministires.
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Scott Morefield Scott and Kim Morefield have been married for over ten years. They live in East
Tennessee with their four children (one boy and three girls),
ages 7, 6, 4, and 2, all of whom make excellent fodder for
their blog at A Morefield Life (connect with them on
Facebook at www.facebook.com/amorefieldlife), where
parenting is just one of the topics covered. They also enjoy
writing about marriage, nutrition & recipes, healthy lifestyle,
homesteading, and other topics, all from a Christian
perspective. Scott has also written over 20 articles for the natural health
website www.naturalnews.com.
Jolene Engle Jolene Engle was once a feminist who denied the existence of God until the Lord
transformed her life in 1996. In 1998 she married the man that God chose for her; her Beloved Solomon, also known as her husband, Eric. For 10 years of her marriage she battled chronic and debilitating illnesses at the onset of motherhood. For the past 5 years of her life, Jolene and her husband have faced financial ruin and they have lost their home not just once, but twice. Even though her tiara is broken and her gown is tattered, she still lives as a daughter
of the King. As a broken vessel herself, she serves her Savior through her on-line writing ministry of The Alabaster Jar where she loves to encourage, equip, and inspire other women to learn how to pour out their lives at the feet of Jesus like the perfume from an Alabaster Jar.
Sarah Logan Sarah has been married to Sam for 12 years during which time their family grew
to include 5 delightful children from 11 down to 1, and an equally delightful mother-in-law who returned from 46 years of missionary life in Africa. Both Sam and Sarah rejoice in encouraging other couples to grow closer together and to
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God and seeing strong homes emerge as a result of this spiritual union. She blogs at Bees in My Bonnet.
Michael Griffith Michael is married to Marlene, and they have three kids. He has a huge love and
passion for the Lord and seeks to live out His will each day. Michael is a computer geek and enjoys all things technology. He is about to get his blog up and going and hopes it will serve as an encouragement to men and husbands to lead a life in Christ.
Marlene Griffith Marlene is married to Michael and she is a stay at home mom/wife. She spends
her days taking care of their three kiddos and
homeschooling their oldest. Marlene enjoys crafting,
cooking, baking and a good chick flick. When she’s not
homeschooling or taking care of their home, she is blogging
over at A Diligent Heart. She loves the Lord and is
continually studying His word to gain a better understanding
of His will for her in life
Tammy Skipper Tammy has been around the world as an Air Force spouse, is happily married to
her high school sweetheart, and is navigating the teenage
years with their two kids. She holds a Bachelor’s in Business
Management and Leadership and is self employed as
a Beauty Consultant. When she makes time for the hobbies
she enjoys reading, photography and whatever adventure
her husband wants to try next. Her goal at Skipper Clan is to
encourage and empower women with practical strategies for life.
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Chris Cartwright Chris is a Flight Instructor at a major Christian University in Central Virginia. He
enjoys allowing God to use his gifts and abilities to not only
teach others how to fly, but also teach principles from God’s
Word. As a young man in his mid-twenties, Chris is seeking
wisdom in many areas of life from men who are older and
wiser than him. You can read more about what Chris is
learning at www.strivingforwisdom.com.
Melinda Stanton – Auntie Em Auntie Em is the bloggy alter ego of Melinda Stanton, who is wife to 1, mom to 3,
mom-in-law to 2, and choir teacher to hundreds over the
past 20 years. New to and very excited about the blogging
world, she feels like the old chaperone of the bunch, but
she’s just glad the “young-uns” invited her to the dance!
With a 30+ year marriage, a paid-off house, no debt, and
independent adult children who really like their family,
Auntie Em has learned some things along the way and is happy to help others
learn from her experience. She blogs at Auntie Em’s Guide to Life.