Now the correct answer is that it is important that you have BOTH. But you may be thinking you have neither! Okay, time for some coaching.

A winning sports strategy involves a strong defense and a strategic offense. When both of these tactics are in place, the results can be far greater than one without the other.

Think about it this way, how you earn your income is your offensive strategy and how you manage your expenses is your defense. You can focus all your energy to make more money and build a strong offensive strategy, but if you ignore your expenses they can quickly get out of control and exceed whatever income you bring in.

Depending on your circumstances you may need to concentrate more on one strategy than the other. If you need to focus your efforts on building your defensive moves, I recommend:

• Creating a spending plan and sticking to it
• Eliminating all of your consumer debt
• Paying off or refinancing your mortgage
• And developing a savings lifestyle

Once you have established a strong defensive approach to manage what God has provided, you will want to focus on your offensive strategy to maximize the return on your income. And I’ve got three offensive moves for you to make:

• First, think about working six days a week, not five. This extra day can make a huge difference.
• Second, consider working one full time job and one part-time job in the evenings or on weekends.
• Third, consider a part-time home-based business. You can earn more money working for yourself if you have a good plan and are disciplined.

Now that you are ready to create your financial game plan, we’ve got lots of resources to help you accomplish each defensive and offensive move. And if you need extra help tackling overwhelming credit card debt, our partners at Christian Credit Counselors are experts at developing debt management plans.