My husband and I seem to be recovering financially from Christmas. We were more than reimbursed by the wonderful gifts from our family and friends in the form of clothing, movies, etc. But our bank account remains a little parched.

It’s a little difficult to remember to put gifts as a category into the budget. Families are constantly growing so the number of birthdays increases as does the gifting budget. Buying gifts is a beautiful thing and it really shouldn’t be a financial burden. So how do you make it so?

Well, gift giving seems to be an increasingly difficult art to perfect. Everyone has access to almost everything now. Not only is it difficult to buy a nice gift and stay within budget, but it’s difficult to buy gifts that will be liked. Keep fighting for that look of delight on your loved one’s face by giving to them! Here are some smarter giving tips that will help you stay within budget while getting something they are sure to love.

3 Smarter Giving Tips

1. Listen.

If you’re around the person you’re buying for a lot then listen for tips as to what he or she has been wanting. Sure, you won’t really surprise them, but a gift they genuinely want and will use will be appreciated.

If what he or she is wanting is way out of budget, don’t sweat it! Look for a cheaper alternative or follow the other tips. An inexpensive one-of-a-kind gift is the kind of gift everyone wants to give, right?

2. Make it.

I’m not talking about finger painting a turkey. I’m talking about putting a personal touch on your gift; magnify your skills. Can you sew? Make the birthday girl a purse, wallet, or headband. Are you good at graphic design? Design an edgy print for the birthday guy to hang on the wall. They will think of you every time they look at it because it has your stamp on it.

3. Search the web.

But please, not Amazon or eBay! Check out sites like Modcloth and Etsy for homemade items of all categories. These two sites are the perfect places to look for that person that seems to have everything.

There are price range icons according to your budget and shipping costs are very reasonable. The sellers at these sites are talented people so don’t feel bad if you’re not crafty yourself! There’s a plethora of vintage-style jewelry and homemade fashion at your fingertips! And for guys? How about some custom made cell phone cases or cool tees?

Oh, by the way, don’t forget to save your gift bags and tissue paper! It’ll save you money and a trip to the store!

Should I Really Give?

If it’s an especially tight month and you just don’t think you can afford a birthday gift for someone, that’s a difficult situation. I strongly believe, however, that you should find a way to buy one anyway.

The Bible mentions the word “give” more than 1,400 times. Remember the widow who gave away her last copper coins in Matthew 12 and Luke 21? We should be willing to give past our own means. Our willingness to give to others demonstrates our love for Christ. There are so many things we can learn about giving.

How do you choose to give? Meet us in the comments and let us know how you budget for gifts – and let us in on your giving tips!

Holly Jenkins

I'm a 21-year-old recently graduated newlywed finding my place in the real world. Writing has been my only consistent passion throughout my life and my dream is to make of a career of it. I also love reading, watching movies, spending time with my husband and family, playing sports and playing board games. For now I'm enjoying the path God has me on and can't wait to see what His future holds for me.

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As Christians we want to serve God with all of our hearts, minds, and body. How do we serve Him with our money? There are four words: Tithe, Give, Save, Live, that we will explore in relation to handling our money. These are vital concepts to apply to our financial lives and the way we approach money.

What is Money Anyway?

Money is a necessary part of our lives here on this world, used to buy goods – both needed and wanted. Back in the day the barter system was used with sheep, cattle, or camels; then eventually the denarius, the gold, silver, or copper coins made the world turn. Now, a hundred dollars is represented by a piece of paper with a picture of a person on it. But this isn’t just a piece of paper. This represents time.

We earn money from our job, eight, ten hours (or more) a day and that piece of paper is given to us as the reward for our labor. Think of it, every time we buy a $4 caramel macchiato, we are spending half an hour of time. An xBox is 30 hours (on a $10 an hour wage). Makes you think a bit about what you actually spend.

The 4 Aspects of Handling Money

1. Tithing – God’s Place in Money

This world was created by God. He owns it. He owns the animals and the trees and the hills. This is His Creation. He owns time as well. As Psalm 50:10,11 says “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.” If God owns everything, and we’re stewards of it, then the hundreds and thousands of dollars that we earn are his. They represent the time that He owns and gave to us.

Tithing is giving a tenth back to God what He gave to us. Really, it’s an acknowledgment that He is the Ultimate Giver, the one who gives us time, who gives us shelter and strength. He’s the one who gave us His Son so that we might join Him in eternity. What a treat to come into His House and give back a part of what He has given to us.

2. Giving – Out of Our Hearts

Giving falls right in line with that. Really, this money, this time, needs to be given away. It’s healthy to set aside that hard earned cash to be a blessing to others. The best way to hold our money is with our hands open. We can receive, but we also are able to give. We are commanded to take care of the poor and those in need around us. It’s part of being a Christian, of being a child of God.

We’re in the season of Christmas, where we give gifts to bring joy. It’s a reminder of the Ultimate Gift, of Jesus and His death and resurrection. What if we used part of our time, part of our wages to give year round? To represent Him to those in need?

What if we regularly bought groceries for a family in our neighborhood? What if we gave our time to mentor young people? What if we cleaned our church without wanting recognition?

3. Saving – Storing For Future Giving and Living

Saving is also a part of being a wise steward of our resources, of our time turned to money (or cattle, whatever currency you use). It means to store up, to set aside, and to redeem.

Saving is key to our lives and our stewardship of what God has given us. If we can save a portion of this money and put it in our storehouse (mutual fund, saving account, whatever) this money will grow. Then this savings, this grain, can then be used later for living, for giving and for bringing more glory to God.

As with tithing and giving, you have to do it with the right attitude. Saving and investing is a good thing, and it’s important that you remember that you’re investing it for God. This is all His and is to be given and used for His Glory. That said, there is a warning that needs to be said: It’s easy with savings to turn it into hoarding; becoming greedy and grabby. That’s where the sin of loving money comes in. Don’t allow your storehouses to become your god.

4. Living – God Provides in Our Lives

God is our provider. He will provide for us in all circumstances and we will see His Hand in everything we do in living a life for Him.

This is where budgeting comes in. We give our money purpose – from rent, utilities, food, and all the various important categories; to all those fun categories of movies, hobbies, and books. The key is to make sure your living has balance, that you’re moving the money to the right buckets at the right time. You should always have money in the rent, food, and utilities buckets before you move any to the movies, hobbies, and books buckets.

We have this money to be able to give glory to God, thus we need to remember to give Him the glory with what we spend.

These are not original principles, but they are sound. My challenge to you is to put God first in everything you do. Remember that He is King of all and we are stewards in this world.

That said: Meet us in the comments and tell us about how you’re applying these principles to your life. What has God done as you put Him first?

JC Reagan

JC is a writer over at God, My Weird Spouse, and I, where he writes about life, marriage, and God’s place in all of it. He believes that being weird is a good thing in this world of mediocrity. He and his wife want to stick out for strong marriages and the priority of God, as well as a Biblical worldview.

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All of us should have, by now, realized the dire situation of the world in which we live.  People who cannot get enough food, or clean water to survive, and millions, without a single blanket to keep them warm, a pair of shoes to protect their feet, or a roof over their heads to ward off the weather. Here are some reasons charity should be on your budget, and some ideas on where you can donate.

1. Starvation

The numbers of people who are starving total one-third of the population.  In a world that just reached a population of 7 billion, that’s millions.  And these are just the numbers of people who are slated to die, or have died because they could not get enough to eat.

2. Homelessness

The statistics of people who are homeless are astronomical.  It is believed that over 1 billion people do not have suitable housing, and that around 500 million or more, are without any home whatsoever.

3. United Nations Shame

The U.N. – in a blaring headline: Millions of Starving Shame the World, U.N. Says.  The U.N has stated that they are simply ashamed at the hunger and famine widespread in Africa and Asia that the international community is in violation of the universal human right of food, as a basic right to all who live on our planet.

In the article:  ”Despite promises to eradicate hunger, there has been little progress in reducing the global number of victims of hunger,” said Jean Ziegler, the U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food.

“It is a shame on humanity that in a world that is richer than ever before, six million children die of malnutrition and related illnesses before they reach the age of five,” Ziegler said.

4. Basic necessities

This is not what life should be about for anyone, on a planet that is driven by compassion and love, not to mention wealth.

There isn’t a balance in our world when not every single human being is receiving the basic necessities of food, clean water, warm clothing, and a decent place to lay their head.

When I think about Athletes and Movie Stars receiving millions of dollars for their performances, it sickens me.  Some of those millions could be keeping others from starving to death, and at least provide some sort of housing. But we pay to watch them, cheer them on, and fall in love with them on the ‘big screen’.

5. Biblical reference

The Bible says in Deuteronomy 15:11: For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘you shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

6. Abundance

Those of us who live a life of abundance, in any form, such as having plenty to eat, nice clothing to wear, a nice car or beautiful home should consider themselves very lucky indeed.  You probably worked hard for everything you have – and are entitled to a good life.

But why not share some of that abundance with those who don’t even understand what the word abundance means?

How You Can Help

There are thousands of ways to help, and being a Christian means that you have a special relationship with God – and the inborn desire to help others.

• Christian Charities / USA
• Christian Charity for Children in Need
• Ministry Watch
• International Orthodox Christian Charities
• World Vision
• Feed the Children
• The Hunger Site

These sites, among many hundreds of others – wish to ease the pain of starvation, homelessness and poverty.

Why don’t we all forgo the iPod or new car this year, in an effort to help some of these people who don’t even know what a car or iPod is, much less a healthy meal.  Imagine how much they would appreciate someone to care.

As a nation under God, we must fight this injustice together, and bring attention to this dark corner of our world.

If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. – Isaiah 58:10

This guest post was written by Andrianes Pinantoan, a personal finance enthusiast hailing from personal finance sites that provide tips on how to save money and provides budgeting spreadsheets.

Guest

Over the years, I’ve discovered my nieces and nephews consider me to be the best of all their Aunts and Uncles within our family. That’s right; among the dozens of other Aunts and Uncles … I’m the favorite! How can I make such as statement? How can I be so sure? Easy, every year when they go back to school they tell me so! I hear time and time again … Uncle Chuck you’re my favorite! … Don’t let a little fact like they’re selling something for a school fundraiser get in the way of the purity and truth they have spoken. After all, their love and admiration is a true reward … for only $10.99!!

Back to School

For those of you who have school age children within your family you know the pressure you can feel to buy something from a little niece or nephew who has big puppy dog eyes or a purr as sweet as a kitten. You may not even have young children in your family, but you have a close friend in the office who always shows you little Johnny’s pictures. However, unfortunately for you … you may have unknowingly gushed one too many times and are now considered prime fundraiser grounds! Or perhaps you simply picked the wrong place to live. You know, one of those family friendly desirable neighborhoods we all love.

Of course, all the kids will regale you with stories of how they want to win the cheap sparkly thing their teacher is giving away or having their name written on the board. The parents see the fundraising sales as harmless and the mega guilt trip as cute. After all, it’s “only a few bucks” … right!

Through a Parent’s Eyes

When my own kids started approaching school age I can honestly say the thought of pay back crossed my mind a few times. “They had their turn … Now it’s MINE! Let’s go get’em kids …CHARGE! (Or for those using Dave Ramsey methods … CASH!)”

However, now as a new school year begins to unfold and my oldest begins her journey into kindergarten, I’ve become keenly aware of something. Parents always want the best for both their children and the schools they attend. As a parent, I recognize the sincere desire to provide a great academic environment for our kids.  All parents I believe feel this.  We want the best teachers, classrooms, computers, athletic facilities, and curriculum. Unfortunately sometimes yearly school budgets don’t allow for this.

I’m sure we could all argue about a school district’s poor budgeting skills, mismanagement of resources, or overpaid employees. Yes, there is good and bad with every school system. So what’s a parent to do? What’s the family member to do? What’s the friend or neighbor to do when they’re being hit up for these purchases?

Suggestions to Overcome Puppy Dog Eyes: School Fundraising Ideas

1. Stick to the budget.

Always be honest with your budgeting! Remember a budget is not a tool to constrain you. A budget is a way of giving every dollar a purpose. If you want to give or donate something to various schools then plan for it in your budget.

2. Pick the least expensive item.

This is not a shopping trip and you’re not picking up a great sale item. Many times all the items being sold for a fundraiser have a standard profit margin. So buying the most expensive thing doesn’t necessarily mean you’re giving more to the school.

3. Know what you’re giving to.

This is a particular pet peeve of mine. I always make the parents (or kids if they’re old enough) explain what the fundraiser is for. While I love my family and want to support our local schools I also want to know what I’m giving my money too. And this is giving! I can always buy a tub of cookie dough at the grocery store.

4. Offer a cash donation.

Many of the items offered for sale can cost over $10, and yet only raise $1 of revenue for the school. If you really don’t want any of the items being offered, then check with the parents or the school and see if you can give $5 directly to the fundraising effort. This would have the same effect as buying $50 worth of products!

A Real Man’s Takeaways

As a good provider and community member I want the best for the next generation. I believe there are very few people who would want to see any child or schools fail. However, if you can’t afford to buy an item say no. Preferably let parents of smaller children know ahead of time. This can save the child from a potential awkward moment. Remember both the parents and the children don’t know the ends and outs of your budget.

Finally, I want to emphasize that I love the kids in my family! I have enormous respect for their teachers and their schools. I’m blown away constantly by the job teachers do on a daily basis. I freely admit I give whenever I can, but I never give more than I can afford. Please feel free to do the same if you see a new little kindergarten student of mine ever coming your way … She has a purr as sweet as a kitten and a compliment to follow. Maybe you can be a favorite too!

How do you plan for school fundraisers? Do you feel schools are taking advantage of the children? Do you feel the pressure to sell the stuff yourself? Meet us in the comments!

Chuck Detwiler

Chuck formed RealManMoney.com in 2010 to give Real Men a place to talk about money and finances. Like many other people, he's made plenty of financial mistakes, but has also enjoyed financial success. Chuck started writing as a way to document his own personal journey to Financial Manhood. With his supportive wife JoAnna on board they tackled the financial monsters of debt, budgeting, and spending. Somewhere along the way his efforts turned into something more . . . a passion for personal finance and a desire to help others. You can visit Chuck at RealManMoney.com or find him on Facebook.

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Giving isn’t easy unless you have practice. It’s starting that’s the hard part. If you have trouble giving, trust me I understand.

There is a certain level of faith required when you’re giving something to somebody. You’re entrusting them with something you’ve worked hard for, and that’s no easy feat.

But there are so many benefits to giving, there is no excuse for those of us who don’t give. Here are a few results I’ve seen in my own life when I give:

1. Giving elevates God over money.

When you give money, it elevates God’s plan over your plan. It elevates God over money!

When we started tithing as a family, we found tremendous value in it because it was making a tangible statement to ourselves that all money is God’s money. We’re simply managers of what God has entrusted to us, not owners.

Think about that for a moment. You’re really not a owner of anything you currently possess. You’re a renter. Everything you “own” is actually rental equipment: your body, your possessions, your money.

Giving keeps money in the right perspective: that it’s lower than God.

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. – Matthew 6:24 NIV

2. Giving is so much fun.

Giving can seriously be a blast. Chuck Detwiler wrote a great article on one of his giving adventures. I highly recommend you read it.

When you give to others, whether it be a monetary gift or a present, there is a lot of joy to be found. You’ll find that it is more blessed to give than receive!

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ – Acts 20:35 NIV

3. Giving is easier when you’re on a budget.

Dave Ramsey notoriously puts giving at the top of all of his budgeting forms. Why? Because it should be a priority!

And in the midst of working a budget, giving is much easier to do. You’ll be able to see how much money you have to give, and won’t worry when you give because you know that you planned for it!

I recommend that you get your budget started today!

Do you give? What results have you seen from giving in your own life? Tell us about it in the comments!

Photo by Tim Green

John

John officially launched TheChristianDollar.com on January 1st, 2010 with the intention to provide an excellent financial resource for biblically-minded individuals and families. Influenced heavily by Dave Ramsey, John started researching how he might better handle his money and help others in the process. John enjoys reading, writing, playing with gadgets, and spending time with his wife Courtney.

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How much does it cost to make a difference in someone’s day? Would it cost more to make a difference in someone’s life? Think hard about this one. Do you have to invest more money to make a lasting impact on someone else?

With the onslaught of Christmas advertising and outrageous spending, I thought it would be beneficial to discuss giving. I’m not talking about doling out for some $1,000 televisions, $300 video game stations, or $200 tennis shoes. I’m not discussing the power of tithing or giving to a large charity organization; both of which are great reasons to give, however. No, I’m speaking about the impact of giving to another person in your community. In today’s fast paced world, it’s not uncommon for a person to spend 4-6 hours Christmas shopping in the mall. You’ll be squeezed so tight you can barely walk down any corridor. You’ll begin to question the architects short-sighted design and lack of holiday shopping foresight. Surprisingly, even in these close quarters with thousands of people around us, most Men would be lucky to speak with more than one or two cashiers. How did we get so numb to our fellow Men? Today, even making eye contact has become taboo. Think about it! As you walk down any aisle most Men intentionally try not to make eye contact. Of course, there are times when we quickly look away from one man and accidentally lock eyes with another. What’s our reaction? Usually it involves a mild grunt or nod. For the very outgoing personality, it might even involve the formation of two whole words . . . “Good day.”

The Plan

A few days ago, I decided to buck the trend and interact by giving. It was a simple enough idea. I would give to a perfect stranger. I would give to a person anonymously. The person I was giving to would never know who the gift was from. This wasn’t because I was fearful of the gazing eyes, but it was a decision to let the recipient enjoy a gift. Not a gift given by Chuck, but a gift given by a person in their community. All the recipient would know is that their fellow Man was still generous in spirit and in action.

The next question was where to give and how much? I decided on a great Texas fast food restaurant . . . Whataburger! I simply went in and ordered a cup of coffee and a breakfast biscuit for myself. When the polite young lady behind the counter asked, “Will that be all?” I said, “No, Please go to the drive-thru and let me pay for the next person’s meal.” You should have seen the baffled look in this girl’s eyes! Not understanding what I just said she simply looked back at me perplexed and asked “What?” So, once again, I calmly explained that in addition to my meal I would like to buy the meal of the next person in the drive-thru. With a slightly growing grin on her face she looked back at me and yet had another question . . . “Why?” For me, this was starting to feel a little bit funny now. This was supposed to be a simple gesture and a quick blessing for the person in the drive-thru. However, I took another moment and explained to the cashier how I wanted to just show a person a giving spirit this morning. No strings attached to the giving and no limit on the price of the meal.

After my explanation, she looked back at me and said “Can you wait just a minute.” She next went to her manager not knowing what to do, but grinning the whole time. Her manager came to speak with me and asked me again to explain what I wanted to do. I have to admit I was starting to smile pretty big at this point. I never thought giving could be so comical or require so much explanation. However, it seemed my purpose had finally sunk in and both the manager and cashier were on board. Just one problem . . . with ALL the explaining, there were NO vehicles left in the drive-thru. The manager and the cashier asked ME what they should do?! I think I laughed just a little, and then I told them to just wait as I was sure another vehicle would be through at any moment. While waiting, other customers began to see what I was doing and smiles seemed to break out all around me. The cashiers and manager began spreading the story around to other employees. And finally just 2 minutes later while sipping my coffee I heard the drive-thru cashier yell to the front of the store “A car’s coming!” The young woman helping me raced back to me and said “There’s a car!” . . . I simply smiled and said “Just let me know how much and I’ll pay.”

We Did It!

After all this time it struck me: I had never put a limit on the cost of the meal. I now realized I might get nailed with a guy picking up breakfast for a shop of 50 guys or a van full of kids who eat like little monsters. But right then a calming peace came over me and I silently said to God . . . “Whatever the cost, I’ll pay. You decide.” About that time my faithful cashier came forward to report the news. “The total was $4.10.” I smiled at her and handed her a $5.00 bill. She said she would bring the change right back. I told her not to worry about it and to just put the change in the bag with the food. The cashier returned in a moment with an enormous smile as she said “WE did it!” The last thing she told me, before I left, was she had never seen anybody do something like this.

A flash of wisdom hit me like a tidal wave. $4.10 had just impacted at least a dozen people around me! Giving became an infectious attitude and source of joy.

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. – Luke 6:38 NIV

I had absolutely no doubt I had just received every word of this simple Bible verse. For the entire day, I felt a sense of joy and happiness over my little gift. I never did see who actually received their morning breakfast for free. The recipient will probably never know just how many people were affected by this simple gift. But for those of us inside the Whataburger, we shared a common sense of purpose that day. We experienced an excitement which only comes from giving freely to your fellow Man. This Christmas season, stretch yourself just a little and pass along a blessing to someone in your community. You may just be surprised how many people you can effect with as little as $4.10.

A Real Man with Money GIVES!

This article was written by Chuck Detwiler III, creator of Real Man Money where it was originally posted. Visit his site for pictures of the happenings! Chuck loves engaging with other Real Men about Money. http://www.realmanmoney.blogspot.com/

Guest

My friend Bob over at ChristianPF.com will be hosting the 10 Day Give, a great exercise in giving that many personal financial blogs will be participating in. What’s the 10 Day Give? God calls us to be a giving, non-selfish creation. The 10 Day Give is one way for us to get our minds off ourselves and focus on helping others. It starts October 1st, 2010!

Some people give time, others money, and others free work! I recommend watching the video below and then clicking on the following links to learn more! Join us!

• 10 Day Give Homepage
• 10 Day Give FAQ

John

John officially launched TheChristianDollar.com on January 1st, 2010 with the intention to provide an excellent financial resource for biblically-minded individuals and families. Influenced heavily by Dave Ramsey, John started researching how he might better handle his money and help others in the process. John enjoys reading, writing, playing with gadgets, and spending time with his wife Courtney.

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Rick Dancer has been in the television news industry for over 23 years, and I remember watching him on our local news station. I’ve always respected this man, and have enjoyed his YouTube channel where he frequently discusses life and faith. Here’s one of his videos which he cleverly entitled “God’s Wastefulness.”

Rick makes some great points here. God abundantly creates and allows us to do the same. The beauty of this world is truly remarkable, and Rick insightfully points that out in this video.

Check out his website when you get a chance. For you bloggers out there, you can learn a lot about marketing and social media from his endeavors online.

John

John officially launched TheChristianDollar.com on January 1st, 2010 with the intention to provide an excellent financial resource for biblically-minded individuals and families. Influenced heavily by Dave Ramsey, John started researching how he might better handle his money and help others in the process. John enjoys reading, writing, playing with gadgets, and spending time with his wife Courtney.

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Now comes the fun part. You get to build wealth and give! If you’re not accustomed to building wealth, this article will give you some practical areas where you can invest and some great ideas for giving stuff away!

Dave Ramsey’s 7 Baby Steps

• Step 1: Save up $1,000 to start your emergency fund.
• Step 2: Pay off all non-mortgage debt using the debt snowball.
• Step 3: Save up 3 to 6 months of expenses to complete your emergency fund.
• Step 4: Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement accounts.
• Step 5: Work on college funding for children.
• Step 6: Pay off your mortgage early.
• Step 7: Build wealth and give!

Congratulations!

If you’re on Baby Step 7, you’ve come a long way! At this point, you should have paid off all your debt (house and all), built a solid emergency fund, are contributing 15% of your income into retirement, and are planning for your child’s college education. Wow! You’re REALLY come a long way!

But now what? You’re raking in the dough and don’t know what to do with it! According to Dave, money is good for three things . . . .

After years of studying, teaching, and even preaching on this subject across America, I can find only three good uses for money. Money is good for FUN. Money is good to INVEST. And money is good to GIVE. Most anything else you find to do with it doesn’t represent good mental and spiritual health on your part. – The Total Money Makeover

Have Fun Like No One Else

Dave makes it clear that now is the time to have some fun. You’ve done an excellent job at building your financial health! Why feel guilty for spending money?

Having fun can be difficult for some people who have spent so many years trying to save as much money as possible. Dave reminds us that once we are wealthy, going on cruises and buying expensive clothing really don’t affect our cash position that much. Indeed, we should use money for fun. You’ve lived like no one else so that now you can LIVE LIKE NO ONE ELSE!

Invest Like No One Else

To grow and maintain wealth, it is important to keep on investing BEYOND your retirement investments. Surround yourself with knowledgable people to ensure your success.

Dave invests in two main categories:

• The Stock Market: Dave asserts that you can make 12% annual return on your investments if you diversify within mutual funds. See Baby Step 4 for a template of how to invest properly.
• Real Estate: Dave also buys rental properties with cash (never mortgaging). He looks for killer deals and has a lot of faith in the necessity of shelter in the market.

Beware of risky single stock investments. Volatility is your enemy in this game. Instead, seek out sound and steady investments. The reward is almost sure-fire in the end.

Give Like No One Else

Dave tells a great story of a secret santa who gave away money in an extraordinary way:

USA Today has followed a guy who calls himself Secret Santa at Christmas for several years. Secret Santa walks the streets around Chritmastime and gives away $100 bills. Nothing required, nothing expected. Sometimes he gives to people in need, and other times he just gives. Every year he gives away around $25,000 in $100 bills. He started this tradition years ago in his hometown of Kansas City and has moved out across America. He gave in New York after 9/11 and in the Virginia/Washington, D.C., area after the sniper attacks. He just walks around and hands people $100 bills. He gets some fabulous reactions and hears some wonderful stories. – The Total Money Makeover

Isn’t that inspiring? There are so many ways to give, you can be really creative about it! Try giving your waitperson a $100 bill at the restaurant. Help out a friend in need with a generous, anonymous gift. There is something so innately good about giving, it’s sure to be worth your hard work to achieve financial freedom.

Only The Beginning

I’m convinced that after we all move through the Baby Steps, we’ll only have just begun our journey. There is so much to do and accomplish for this hurting world. Money is one factor in this journey. Let’s trust in God throughout the process, and we’ll reach our destination.

How have Dave’s 7 Baby Steps helped you? Where are you at in your journey?

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John

John officially launched TheChristianDollar.com on January 1st, 2010 with the intention to provide an excellent financial resource for biblically-minded individuals and families. Influenced heavily by Dave Ramsey, John started researching how he might better handle his money and help others in the process. John enjoys reading, writing, playing with gadgets, and spending time with his wife Courtney.

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