You Need a Budget – Part 3

In every economic circumstance,  you need a budget!  

For the last few days, I’ve been sharing budgeting tips from my good friend Steve Brooks at DedicatedMoneyManagement.com. He cites necessary beliefs and behaviors to make a budget work well and he summarized basic Biblical financial principles for us. First, God is the Owner, and we are stewards of His possessions and money. Debt is bondage and should be avoided. We’re to be givers rather than getters. We’re responsible to teach and train others to be faithful stewards, We’re to seek counsel from God and others when making financial decisions. We’re to save and invest our money to meet needs and to build God’s Kingdom. We’re to work hard for the Lord in our God-given areas of strengths and talents, and finally, we’re to be absolutely honest.

Steve emphasizes the importance of keeping any budgeting tool updated and developing the habit of checking it before making any purchases. He recommends accelerating debt repayments. He says husbands and wives should make financial decisions together and refers to the Crown Money Map for guidance. In addition, they’re to seek counsel from the Bible and Godly family and friends. Well, thank you Steve! These are great tips! In addition, I recommend that you adjust your budget due to inflationary pressure. Reduce your variable spending in order to cover future expenses. Seek to increase your emergency savings, as you’re able. Remember, God is our refuge and strength.

And if budgeting is a struggle due to credit card debt, contact Christian Credit Counselors. They can create a debt management plan that will work for you. You can call the Crown Helpline at 800-722-1976 or visit online at crown.org/ccc.