Finances - Economy in the Home

The Proverbs 31 woman is fiscally responsible.  She is on top of the bargains, economical in her purchases, and makes a point to invest.

I have worked and enjoyed working for money since I was six years old running a lemonade stand from home.  I started a lawn mowing business in my neighborhood at the age of 10.  I entered the corporate arena at 15 and worked for a Fortune 500 company for 10 years until almost 2 years ago.

I love making money.  It is a good feeling to receive a paycheck for your hard work, is it not?  Though I can be creative and inventive when it comes to making money, spending it is another story.  A plan to spend money is CRITICAL.  If you don't have a plan for today, you are making a plan for your tomorrow that include debt, stress and hardship.

What are your life goals?  Do you want an education? A new car? A big house? Do you want to travel?  How are you planning to attain those goals?  Do you have a plan?  The extent of some woman's goals is clinging to a hope to win the lotto, marry a rich man or inherit wealth.  Really...you are too smart to wait for such things to happen.  Get a plan!

So what is debt?  Debt is essentially modern day slavery.  As long as you have debt, you must work for your credit card company, mortgage company, etc.  You are not free to use the money you worked so hard for as you choose.     
Live within your means.  Luke 16:13 "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money."  Budget.  Tithe, Invest and Save.  

Money is taboo in our culture, unless you have it.  As long as you appear to have it, you are accepted as successful.  The Bible warns against this sort of thinking/behavior, however.  It is critical to not have your vision skewed by the way our culture handles money, but instead look to scriptures and those who are wise with their money to teach you.  Luke 16 is great passage to read when considering this, but a snippet of it speaks volume, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can be trusted with very much, but whoever is dishonest with little will be dishonest with much.” 


Homework:

Create a budget.

Brainstorm ways to make money if you don’t already have money of your own.  Be creative!