- Nothing is a good deal if you can’t afford it
- God isn’t behind every good deal
- Understand the difference between spending money and saving money
- Resist manipulative advertising
- Know that little things add up
“In the house of the wise man are stores of choice food and oil, but the foolish man devours all he has” (Proverbs 21:20).
- Set up a budget
- Do not overspend
- Stick with the budget
- Buy the basics. You will be able to afford the best later (think “stewardship”)
- Save, Save, Save (remember…”cash flow margin!”)
Start with establishing your income per month. Take yearly income and divide by twelve. Shoot low on commissions. Understand what the difference between your “spendable income” and your “total income” (total income is before tithe and taxes). List all your expenses.
To manage the affairs of another is to be ready at any time to give account.
“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me” (I Corinthians 4:2,4).
10 Principles of Christian Finance That Will Last A Lifetime
- God is the owner of everything in my life
- I am responsible to do my best as a steward of what He has entrusted to me
- I need to be faithful in my income and in my expenses
- I need to give to God in accordance with the Scriptures
- Set goals that reflect God’s heart and wise stewardship
- Live by a spending plan that flows out of your Godly goals
- Reduce and eliminate debt
- Make a covenant commitment with your spouse to monitor your financial lives
- Consider sharing your financial goals with others as a step of accountability
- Practice “Whole Life Stewardship” with your income, assets, time, talents
Sources:
- The Battle of the Budget (Larry Burkett)
- Practical Guidelines to Spending Money (Randy Alcorn, Money, Possessions and Eternity, Tyndale House, 1989)
