1. Give. Ask God for a "Spirit of Gratitude". It has been said that you are only truly rich when you can give it away. Giving from the "first fruits" of what you receive and are blessed with. Grow your giving to at least 10% of all you take in.
2. Save. Put some money aside in a savings account, because Cash is King. Some say that the number one rule in business is to never run out of cash. Why?... because when you run out of cash it's like running out of gas - you may have a great car but without gasoline you won't go far. The same is true with personal finances. Having extra cash can help you from depending upon credit cards to pay for emergencies. Saving money is putting it aside in a special account - it's not merely spending less as in saving money at a clothing sale. Grow you monthly savings to 10% of what you make.
3. Enjoy Your Life. Live on 80% of your net income. You can reduce your spending - just a little in each and every part of your life. Look for the some of the big money vacuums like eating out multiple times per week and credit card spending. Also look for ways of increasing your income - like having a garage sale or sell your unwanted items over eBay. You may be surprised on how much you can make!
4. Credit Cards. Don't get sucked into thinking that you need lots of credit through credit cards. If you decide to be debt free you will be spending cash for the things you purchase. Leave your credit cards at home so that you don't use them, especially if you are carrying balances on them. Use a debit card instead - it looks like a credit card but it takes money out of your account as opposed to putting you into debt. There are very few places that a debit card can't do what a credit card can.
5. Debt. After you have eliminated all your credit card debt, use the monthly payments from your credit cards to pay down other debts - like car loans, medical and yes your mortgage. We call this the snowball effect. Like a snowball rolling down a hill it grows larger and larger and travels faster and faster the further it goes. If you stay on course, many report that they are able to be debt free including their mortgage in about five to seven years.
6. Cash. As you make your purchases with cash you will find that you will spend about 30% less on the average - if you are like most. We tend to treat money as if it is real (it is), but seem to lose reality with the fact that credit card purchases will cost us even more - especially when we have unpaid balances.
7. Awareness. You will find yourself looking at your statements and tracking your spending as you take on this plan. Running financially blind has never set anyone financially free.
8. Get support. You need to know that you are not alone - we are here to help you. What can we do for you?
Dr. Peter Robbins
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We
do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom
of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No,
we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God
destined for our glory before time began.
I Corinthians 2:6
It
is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of
faith we also believe and therefore speak
II Corinthians 4:13
On
the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.
We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.
I Thessalonians 2:4
Jonathan,
David's uncle, was a counselor, a man of insight and a scribe.
I Chronicles 27:32
Ahithophel
was the king's (David's) counselor.
I Chronicles 27:33
"To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.
Job 12:13
And
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you
forever - the Spirit of truth.
John 14:16-17