Imagine with me two armies coming together over a valley rich in resources. The pasture is fertile, plenty of grass for both armies, there are orchards of apple trees, the water is pure and sparkling. There is room for both multitudes of people and horses, yet the commanders have grudges and preconceptions. Peace talks are tried, but they fail miserably. Horses are mounted, swords are drawn, and the battle is about to begin.

No, I’m not talking about a new fantasy novel that I’m writing (though, that might be a good introduction). I’m talking about dealing with your spouse about money. When a couple gets married, they both have preconceptions and ways of dealing with money. One may be a spender, one a saver. Getting rid of debt might be the goal of one, yet the other doesn’t care if they spend money they don’t have.

How To Deal With Finances In Marriage: What You Need To Know!

Here are several things that have helped Brianna and I with our discussions about money. They can help you too!

1. Get on the Same Page

This means you need to figure out your differences and make a solid commitment to change the way you deal with finances in marriage. First and foremost is to remember this money, regardless of who makes it, is both of yours. Start using the word “Our.” It’s our debt, our income, our cars, our student loan, our future. Second, make some compromises: If you’re a spender, this means you agree to have a limit. If you’re a saver, this means you actually loosen up and spend some money. Realize that you need to include your spouse in most financial decisions.

Brianna and I both had debt when we entered marriage. We made the decision to proactively change the way we referred to the money. We have a joint checking account and have made sure we remember that everything is ours.

2. Dream Together

The future is wide open. If a couple will talk about what they want to do, in regard to finances, this will align their hearts together and go a long way to unifying their views of money. Talk about why you’re paying off debt, the giving you want to do, the house that you want to buy. Talk about starting a business. Be open about your dreams and listen to your spouse’s dreams too.

This was one of the first things Brianna and I talked about. It was one of the topics we used to get to know each other during our courting period. We have dreams of giving, dreams of owning our own house, of ministry and doing things together. We also have a dream of celebrating when we get debt free and have the money to save: We want to go on an Alaskan Cruise. Yep, It’s a big dream, but it’s what we hold out to motivate us.

3. Take Action Together

This is the hard part. This is the commitment to sitting down and making a budget (or a cash flow plan if you prefer to call it that). The nuts and bolts of dealing with your money. Find out who is more inclined to crunch numbers (Dave Ramsey calls this person a nerd. I prefer the term organized. Grins). That person takes the responsibility to sit down every month and make that spreadsheet where every dollar has a name.

Then you have a meeting. This is where you have to make sure you communicate well. Each spouse has a voice and can give their opinion. Once you make your decisions on where the money goes, each spouse has to stick to it. The envelope system really helps in curbing spending; something about parting with cash hurts.

Brianna and I have figured out a good system for our budgeting. Since I’m the more detailed person (at least in this regard) I’m the one who makes the spreadsheet. On the last day of the month, I have every dollar assigned from that month’s income.

Then we sit down and talk about what the budget looks like. Sometimes I have to move some money around, because I didn’t know we were getting low on toilet paper or detergent. That’s why we talk about it. Since we’ve been doing this for almost 6 months, most of the amounts and categories stay the same, but occasionally we’ll add or remove a category. The goal is to be flexible while we talk about the budget. Then we stick to it through the whole month.

4. Pray Together

Remember, you’re dealing with God’s money, not yours. If you both take the time to set aside the worry about money, remember that He has your back and cares deeply for you, then that allows for a huge weight to be taken off.

Also, pray about the little things. Brianna will regularly ask for sales and cheap prices for the items on her grocery list – and God answers! There’s many a time she’ll come home and tell me that she found everything on sale and spent way less than she estimated.

Being married is a good thing and as a married couple our financial journey can be exciting and joyful. Enter into marriage as a team and not as opposing armies. Imagine the valley you will have to enjoy . . . together.

How do you talk about money with your spouse? What preconceptions have hindered your communication? Leave a comment below, won’t you?

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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Hi guys! Let me introduce myself: My name is JC. My wife Brianna and I are a lot like a majority of young couples. We have thousands of dollars in credit card, car loan, and student loan debt.

We are recently married and that means that we are now unified, not just in spirit and body, but in all things – including our debt! Not only do we have debt, but we also have the added challenge of my moving to Canada and not being allowed to work until I have certain papers in my hand. This having only one income has made things tight.

This can seem depressing to some, but we knew that God brought us together and that His will and His promises will win out. He says in Proverbs 22:7b that “…the borrower is the slave of the lender.” This is a core verse for us.

We have no desire to put our lives under the control of the lender anymore. The money that God has given us to be stewards of is not MasterCard, or Visa, or Sallie Mae . . . . No, this money is to be used to glorify God and to help others.

Our Dreams

That said, let me introduce you to our dreams:

1. Giving a vehicle to someone in need.

Both Brianna and I have had dreams of walking up to someone who has an obvious need for transportation and at God’s prompting, give them the keys to a vehicle.

2. Random gifts of cash.

We want to be open to the Holy Spirit and be able to give generously in whatever amount we think He is leading us in. (We are doing this now and will continue to do it). This includes big or small gifts.

It says in 2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”

We want to be living a blessed life so that there can be no limits to what God can use us for financially; a financial abundance for every good work. We want to be ready, so that if He says “Give $10” or “Give $100” or “Give $500” and on up, we can do it.

3. Buy a house with a very large down payment (if not 100% down).

This will be a place for us to raise kids, have Bible Studies, and generally be a gathering place for others to be blessed at. We often spend time together talking about our dream home and what our ideas are for it. It really gives us a sense of purpose and drive.

4. Be free to go whenever and wherever God wants us and to be able to do whatever He wants us to.

We want to be free of the pressure and bondage of debt so that when God says it’s time to step out into our ministry in a really big way, there is nothing financial holding us back. If we have no debt and lots of savings in the bank, we are virtually able to do anything and go anywhere.

Those are just a few of our dreams that motivate us and give us momentum. Now you may ask how practical they are, especially in our situation.

We know that we are in a season right now and that God’s grace and love pulls us through. There are some action steps that we have been led into.

Our Action Steps

1. Pray!

There is immense value in praying about your finances. Pray for wisdom in how you steward your money. It only makes sense to handle your money as God would want you to. Also pray for His provision. We have been leaning on God throughout this whole process and we are constantly seeing His provision come through.

2. Make a budget!

We are making a budget every month off of the previous month’s income. This allows a buffer, and an exact amount to break into categories.

3. Beginning Dave’s Baby Steps!

We have started Dave Ramsey’s 7 Baby Steps and are still working on the $1000 Emergency Fund.

This will allow us to deal with small emergencies (like a car radiator exploding or small things like that). We’ve sold pretty much everything we can, so now it’s just getting fed from the little amounts we have extra each month.

4. Debt snowball time!

The debt snowball will start once I’m able to work. We are going to put the majority of my income into bashing the smallest account and on downwards.

5. Continue to tithe.

The most important thing that we are doing on this journey is to continue to give God the tithe. Every month, that 10% is the first check we write. After all, this is all for Him!

There you have it! A few of the dreams and the actions that are making the Reagan house tick!

My challenge to you is to dream big, set goals, and get intense!

What about you? Do you have dreams that are stopped by having payments? What could you do if you weren’t paying $300 or more a month to the car or that credit card? Meet us in the comments!

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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It’s going around the blogosphere that my husband and I are both unemployed. With no emergency fund and very little alternative income streams, this is going to be one of the toughest times in our marriage, and we were just married 3 months ago. I could be depressed, upset, and freaking out, but that’s not going to help any. Instead, I’m choosing to have faith that God will bring us through it. We’re not the only couple experiencing a rough time. We’re also not the first, and won’t be the last.

During this time that my husband is laid off, since it’s supposed to be temporary, we’re going to focus on building our faith, our marriage, and our income. The first place we’re turning to is the Lord, because we both know he’s more than good; he’s able. There’s several bible verses that have already proven that things will be okay for us:

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19

We’re humans and one of the things humans do is stress about things we need. “Are we going to be able to keep a roof over our head?” “Will we be able to keep food on the table?” These are things that we need. This verse tells us that God will meet these needs. It may not be in our earthly vision how it’ll happen, but it’s going to happen. I have faith that this is true, so I give that burden to him because he’ll take care of our needs.

On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. – 1 Corinthians 16:2

This is where we made a mistake in the first place. We were so focused on living paycheck to paycheck, we did not allow for savings, which could’ve acted as our emergency fund. We will be sure that even with the small amount we’ll have coming in, we put some money aside for inevitable expenses. Every little bit will help; it’s all about keeping it consistent.

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. – Romans 13:8

Being in debt is hard for anyone. Someone compared debt to a form of slavery, which could be a bit extreme, but understandable. The feeling of not owing anyone anything is incomparable. My husband and I love each other, and we will rely on that to stay together during this time of financial struggle.

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? – Mark 8:36

My personal favorite verse in the Bible, it speaks volumes. Many people would rather be rich and not have to worry about struggling with bills or getting by day to day. While yes, this is a difficult position to be in, I’m still me. I’m not going to change who I am, compromise my values, for some money. This means I’m not going to go against my morals if an opportunity for a large amount of money comes about. If I’m not comfortable with it, I’m not going for it. The money isn’t worth it.

A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn’t, and even brags about it! – Proverbs 13:16

I’m known by many people as being a planner. I hate not having a plan, and admittedly, we did not plan ahead for this possibility, of us both being out of work with rent, car notes, credit card bills, and food to put on the table. But, it’s not too late. We can brainstorm a plan to how we’re going to deal with this with the resources we have. We won’t be caught without a plan in the future!

Like I said, this is going to be a difficult time, but God has already let me know that He will keep us, He will make sure we’re safe, He will take care of what we need. All we have to do is believe in Him.

Are you going through a difficult time? Or perhaps you’ve been through a financial struggle and God has seen you through it. Meet us in the comments and let us know your story!

Briana Myricks

Briana Myricks is a 20 something freelance writer and blogger. Striving for financial independence as a newlywed, she blogs about staying committed to marriage at 20 and Engaged.

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Greg and Erin Smalley are relationship speakers who have written this book, Before You Plan Your Wedding…Plan Your Marriage, with the engaged couple in mind. The writing style is very conversational, telling stories about how their engagement and marriage worked, giving good examples of how not to solve problems as well as how to solve those problems.

We took a long time working through this book, just because we wanted to read it aloud to one another. In the middle of wedding planning was both a good time and a bad time to try to read this book. A good time because we were dealing with some of the examples they gave. A bad time because we were simply too busy, especially the last week, to finish it. That said, we did get most of the book done before the wedding and just now finished it up.

Book Review and Key Points

A few of the points that I pulled from the book:

• Make a safe place. Don’t be harsh to one another and cause walls to go up. If you are in a safe place relationally, that allows you to hold your heart out and trust the other person.
• Know yourself and deal with your own problems. Don’t expect your spouse to solve your issues. You have a responsibility to yourself and to your spouse to be healthy, both emotionally and spiritually.
• We all have buttons that get pushed. Get to know what your buttons are and why they hurt. Deal with it and don’t get caught in a fear dance. Fear dancing is basically entering into a conflict and letting your buttons get pushed and then you push the other person’s and the dance goes on.
• Find ways to be a team and make decisions in a win-win way. What does a win look like for you in this situation? Sorta a compromise but not in a one-person-losing type of a way.

A lot of this book promoted good discussion between Brianna and I. I have good memories of reading a section in the car and then discussing the topic for many a mile. I definitely recommend this as a conversation starter, and it’s a good communication building tool when you read it out loud to each other. I would recommend this for both engaged couples and those who are already married! There are concepts in here that would benefit all couples.

Five Stars!

Did you plan your marriage before you planned your wedding? What steps did you take to prepare? Meet us in the comments and let us know!

This is a guest post from JC Reagan, submitted at the request of John. It was originally published on his blog at God, My Weird Spouse, And I. You can also find JC on Twitter!

Looking for more books? Visit our Bookstore!

Guest

Recently, on ChristianPF.com, I wrote how we’re at a crossroads on Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps. You can read that article here. Because of the sheer volume of responses, I decided to take some time to respond to each of the commenters directly. However, I believe that the comment was too long for the site, so I decided to post my responses here on The Christian Dollar. Please read the article on ChristianPF, then come back to learn what we’ve decided regarding Dave’s plan!

Responses to Suggestions

TC: Thanks for your suggestion to refinance the house. Yes, the ARM we currently have is scary, and I wish we had a 15-year fixed, but the value of our home is not high, and we are so intense on the Dave Ramsey plan that we think the cost to refinance would outweigh the benefits of a fixed. We’ve talked with several professionals about this, but it is something that we are revisiting every few months to see if it makes sense. Thanks for the reminder! Appreciate it!

Kathyrn: I’m thinking you’re right about the matches. Courtney and I have begun the process to contribute 6% to our 401(k)s. I like your advice about putting the goals that put us in a better financial position first. You’re right, more income helps us with the long term stuff.

Tim: We’re currently giving 10% of our income to the local church. We believe at this time this is all the Lord has for us to give until we have more of a grounding. But VERY important point! Our goal is to give like no one else! Great job on the order of priorities, some ARE just as important as others!

Sheila: I pretty much “know” Courtney will get a job. She has the drive, talent, and I’d be shocked if she didn’t. She actually already has a job in the same field, but just isn’t being paid as much as she would. The dental work would most likely never become an emergency. Great point on asking about whether we really need a bigger home. I’m thinking we wouldn’t, unless children are in the future. Read my response to TC about the ARM.

Mike D: Courtney is working nearly 40 hours a week. She is the sole provider of our health insurance and dental insurance. Plus, she’s going to school part time now. She’ll get a job when she’s out of school. We are tithing 10% of our net income. I like your order of priorities, and the point that we can do a bunch of this stuff at once! I LOVE the idea about the FSA for the dental work. I’ll keep that in mind when the dental work becomes more pressing. Thanks!

Amy: So glad you could relate! I mean, I know it’s a difficult situation to be in, and I wish you weren’t in it, but I’m glad we can relate. Please read my response to TC about the ARM. As for working on paying off the mortgage before reaching 15% into retirement, we’re not so sure we’re going to do that. Still thinking it through. My wife and I are going to sit down in a few minutes and discuss this . . . you can read what we come up with at the end of this majorly long response!

20 and Engaged: Awesome list. I love it. We’re not cramped where we are living, but when we have kids (probably 5 years down the road), we’ll need a bigger house. Thanks for your help!

Claire: We don’t have any children. Within 15 years, we will want children. Kids are probably 5 years away.

Kacie: Dave’s radio show speaks to renters a lot, if you didn’t know already, it might be something to check out! Thanks for your list. I see that you put college at the end of the list. That’s an interesting perspective! I’d love to hear more. Thanks!

Pat S: Your comments were very helpful. It’s interesting that you didn’t suggest a refinance as so many others did. But, I noticed, you also didn’t suggest contributing more than 6% into retirement (perhaps the purpose was to pay off the ARM mortgage as quickly as possible)? Please follow up so if I can see this is what you were suggesting.

Matthew: To answer your question, either way it would be years before we are able to pay off our mortgage. I think the key to paying off the mortgage is more traffic to TheChristianDollar.com and Courtney’s new job after her education. Thanks for the list!

Nate Hall: I like that giving is at the top of your list. We’re giving 10% of our net income to the local church. I’m glad you agree that college can potentially have a great ROI. Keep me in your prayers!

Derrik Hubbard, CFP: I like your approach. The thing that was most striking to me was your suggestion to find out how much each goal actually costs and work backwards. That makes so much sense! In many ways, we are doing just that. But there comes a point where you realize that you must not only depend on your savings to get you through a situation, but your income as well. For example, we have allocated a certain amount of money for college, and when our income exceeds that amount (even though the amount is not all we need for college), we proceed to the next step in a given month. I’ll remember to be more detailed in my planning though. Thank you!

LifeAndMyFinances: Key words: “My wife and I.” Keep it up, communication is key! Congrats on almost being out of debt! I suggest working on an emergency fund if you haven’t already . . . .

Randy: Not sure about the refinance. We’re looking into it, but our mortgage is so small the cost associated with refinancing may not be worth the potential savings. Most people in ARMs should refinance though, so I believe you are right in that regard. I love that you put giving as first priority. Our plan will be very close to what you suggested. Thanks Randy! PS: I’m under 30.

Anne Marie: Love your advice. We’re looking into new income stream options. Possibly an eBook at thechristiandollar.com? What do you think?

Roddy: Thanks for your advice! (a) I’ll probably be staying home with the kids while I blog (www.thechristiandollar.com). (b) We’ll need a bigger home when we have kids, our space is extremely small. Let’s put it this way: the living room is completely open to the bedroom. The ARM is in question. I’ll have to write more about whether to refinance. (c) Dental work is mostly structural. I believe it can wait for many years however. Thanks so much for your help Roddy!

Dan @ BlueSkiesFinancialCoaching.com: I think Dave would agree with you 100%! But I’ll have to pull out The Total Money Makeover and see about that refinance.

Debbie Thompson: I understand what you’re saying about dental work! I’ve had quite a bit of dental work myself, and it wouldn’t been bad if I didn’t! However, Courtney’s situation is not very severe, and we believe our income will go up substantially in the next few years. Thanks so much for your solid advice! Hey, come and say hi at TheChristianDollar.com anytime!

Devin: Not asking for Dave’s permission, just advice. Dave’s name is a brand which he must promote – along with the countless other non-affiliated names he promotes on his website, online store, radio show, and in live events. Not asking for permission, just advice. Thanks for your concern Devin!

Roberta CFP: I have a feeling Courtney and I are going to closely follow a plan similar to yours. Stay tuned, and thanks for your advice!

Marie Groves: Thanks for pointing out that dental work is crucial because work left undone might turn into something worse in the future. We’ll consider this in our plan.

Trent Wheeler: Begin and end with prayer, right? I totally agree. Thanks for your advice sir. Awesome!

Claxton: I don’t know if we’ll be traveling to Slovakia anytime soon, but what an insight into expenses in other countries! Thanks so much for writing Claxton. I really enjoyed hearing from you sir!

Our New Plan

After much time and effort, while struggling with Dave’s advice both on radio and in print, and with help from your comments, Courtney and I have come to agree on the following prioritized plan*:

1. Tithe 10% net income. Giving is crucial. It teaches us that we are not managing our own money, but God’s money.

2. Maintain 6-months worth of expenses emergency fund.

3. Ensure college savings are at least $4,000. This is the maximum cost for a term that Courtney would incur.

4. Contribute 6% of gross income into 401k matches. Free money! Amazing!

5. Ensure college savings are at least $10,000. This ensures wiggle room if income dips, and ensures fluid college funding.

6. Pay off mortgage. This step is being prioritized above further retirement funding because of several reasons: (a) the mortgage is an ARM and due to increase our interest rate soon, (b) the mortgage principal is much lower than the average household in our area, (c) a refinance according to several professionals is not worth the costs incurred, and (d) it helps Courtney and I sleep at night!

7. Contribute 15% of our gross income into 401k and Roth IRA retirement accounts. We’ll be better able to accomplish this with a paid-off mortgage and higher income by the time this happens.

8. Build wealth and give!

* There are a few exceptions to this plan. If we were to have children, we would have to reevaluate everything and will need a bigger home. Otherwise, we’d probably live here if children were not in the picture for a good long while. If a major emergency were to occur, we’d have to reevaluate everything. If the dental work were to become more pressing, we would get Courtney’s dental work done after she graduates and my dental work done after 5 years (we consulted our dentists on these timeframes). We are going to reevaluate ARM soon to see if it would actually be a good idea to refinance, so that might change this plan, but I doubt a refinance would make sense in our situation. This plan needs to be reevaluated after Courtney graduates from college.

Thanks to all of you who submitted responses. I’m sorry if I missed one of you. I’m sure I’ll be getting more responses on this topic. Please leave a comment below to tell us what you think about our new plan! But please read the ChristianPF post before you do so. Thanks!

Photo by sean dreilinger

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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When it comes to money, John and I are two entirely different people. I have never been a saver, and until we got married and I was forced to take part in the once-dreaded budgeting process, money wasn’t something I ever put much thought into.

It’s not that I didn’t make any money; I got my first job at 15 and worked nearly full-time throughout highschool, which turned into over full-time during college. While nearly all of my friends were living off their parents money and spending their time doing who-knows-what, I was starting my career paying for the gas in my car, the clothes in my closet, and anything else I wanted. But I worked HARD for that money, gosh darn it! Shouldn’t I be able to blow a month’s income on a Coach bag if I wanted to? I felt a sense of financial entitlement that many hard-working people feel. It’s not wrong, but if left unchecked, it can spell disaster.

When I met John and we started dating, he was Prince Charming in person. He had also worked several jobs during highschool and college, as well as dabbling in the stock market which proved to be extremely lucrative. John treated me like a princess and paid for everything we did together, so why should I start saving now? I continued to spend my money haphazardly, never even dreaming of setting financial goals or writing a budget.

We got engaged, got married, and bought our condo. Throughout that process, we learned a LOT and grew up awfully fast economically! At least one of us did . . . John’s financial lightbulb lit up almost overnight, and it was as though all the flowcharts and income/output graphs he had been puzzling over for years suddenly gave way to a financial breakthrough. He continued to discover new truths and exciting concepts, and with me halfheartedly agreeing to the plan, we wrote our first budget.

John will tell you that that first budgeting experience was like pulling teeth. I argued. I cried. I threw a tantrum and cried some more. I didn’t WANT to keep track of the money I spent, and I wasn’t even sure that I WANTED financial peace! This didn’t sound like any fun at all. The first few months were rough, and although I complied to the budget we agreed to, I wasn’t thrilled with it. It hurt! I couldn’t just pick up that cute new dress at Nordstrom and a pair of shoes to match whenever I had a bad day. I missed my Starbucks. But I was starting to feel like a baby. Gradually, I came to the realization that all of this was sort of silly. I had a beautiful home, a husband who loved me, and not just one but two jobs I truly adored. What exactly was I complaining about?

Once that blessed epiphany came and went, things got much easier for me and for my sweet husband! I started to look forward to our little budgeting meetings. I took comfort in knowing how much we planned on spending in each category that month. I was the one asking John when we could go over our transactions for the week! He nearly passed out the first time I begged him to allocate funds with me. Now over a year later, our financial situation and plan for the future is literally coming to life, and I feel such peace and joy. It seems insane to me that it was ever any different.

Over the past 14 months, I’ve learned so much about myself. I know that I can form sound financial habits, when before it seemed laughable. I know that some material things that once seemed so essential just aren’t important now. I have seen the value and fun in setting goals together, reaching those goals, and celebrating. During a conversation with my uncle several months ago about this topic, he said something that I will always remember. “If you can learn to be happy and one hundred percent content when you have nothing,” he said, “then when the money comes pouring in, it’s great. When it doesn’t, it’s great. You’re happy.” That contentment and satisfaction is the most important thing I’ve gained in this process. We have so much. And I’ve learned to truly love it.

Courtney

Building a financial foundation is a lot like building your own custom vehicle – you have to have the right components. Everything must be working together in unison to get you where you want to go. Each part is important. Each part is essential. The only trouble is where to begin.

I’m going to attempt to list some of the most crucial components for you. All you have to do is rearrange them in the order that best fits your current situation.

A Few Core Components of your Financial Vehicle:

Click one below to learn more:

• Emergency Fund
• Monthly Budget
• Widespread Insurance
• Strong Income
• Debt Elimination
• Sound Investments
• Unconditional Contentment
• Joyful Giving
• Transparent Communication

These are only a few of the core components you need, but they are some of the most important. Some components will be more important during certain times than others. If you have a baby on the way, build up that emergency fund! Got a fat car payment? Discover more money by paying it off!

Throughout the years, you’ll be able to fine-tune your vehicle to travel faster than you ever imagined. Keep these areas ever-healthy, and you’ll avoid the wrecks that can lead to you financial ruin. Start your journey by reading a few classics from The Christian Dollar above.

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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I’ve noticed something profound. Every time I choose to take care of someone, love someone, be there for someone, I discover a new dimension of freedom. This may seem a bit abstract, so all I ask for is a moment of your time to explain.

Is it just me, or are there a lot of hurting people in the world? I deal with a variety of different personalities, backgrounds, attitudes, and temperaments daily. The more people I meet, the more I realize that people fall into two groups spiritually: the healthy and the unhealthy.

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” -Mark 2:15-17 NIV

A couple of things leap off the page at me:

1. I think it would be fair to say that Jesus was referring to the Pharisees’ belief that they were self-righteous (they believed that their works made them righteous). Why would Jesus need to speak with them? They knew it all already!
2. I also think Jesus was showing that he was willing to give his time to those who knew they needed help. Jesus’s grace really shows through here. He was willing to give his time to those who were looked down on by the rest of society.

Here at The Christian Dollar, we talk a lot about financial freedom. The truth is, unless you have the freedom to love others, you are in chains. Financial freedom can never be felt unless true freedom is achieved. There are a lot of people out there in chains. Can’t we take the initiative to reach out and love people as God’s creation? I think we can.

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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Have you ever thought you had it right only to find that you were dead wrong? For the longest time, I thought I would become financially successful through careful math, but later I found that I was severely mistaken. I was always looking for better interest rates, crazy and wild ideas for making more income, and new investments that promised to yield unbelievable returns.

I’ve changed my focus. I started realizing that in order to be financially successful I had to change myself; change my behavior. Through experience, I’ve learned that being successful is not so much about finding the best deals, it’s about being honest with yourself and sacrificing any love for money (or possessions) you might have.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. -1 Timothy 6:10 NIV

In other words, you need to let go! Don’t let yourself be so consumed with money that you forget it’s not really about money, it’s about how you live your life. You’re just a manager of God’s money!

With all that being said, I’ve found three unforeseen benefits of financial behavior modification. These will happen for you if you decide to change that person in the mirror!

What are the 3 unforeseen benefits of financial behavior modification?

1. Your income will skyrocket. It’s true. I’ve experienced an amazing increase in income over the past year because I decided to let go of my desires and let God do as God purposes. I got uncomfortable intentionally. I stepped out in faith and moved away from a job of comfort into a new field of the unknown. I think there are points in our lives where we have to let go of what we have so we can embrace what God has in store for us. Agreed?
2. Your emergencies will turn into inconveniences. As you turn to more conservative investments and build your emergency fund, you will experience a peace like you’ve never known. You won’t have to worry about dishing out money when your refrigerator goes out because you need to “hold on” to your prized stock investment. Instead you can just write a check from your emergency fund.
3. You’ll be in better health. Think about it. If you’re constantly worried about your finances, don’t you think that results in more stress, higher blood pressure, strained relationships, unhealthy eating, and more horrible consequences? Of course it does! Improve the way you handle money and you’ll change your health for the better.

This is only the beginning. There are more benefits to financial restraint than I could possibly list. Stay disciplined and you will see results. Push yourself to change your financial habits and you will succeed. READY? SET? GO!

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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Money can bring people together. Money can separate. Money is a point at which relationships can crack or bind. So when it comes to those who are married, how should they store their money? In different accounts? The same one?

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. -Genesis 2:24 NIV

When it comes to my wife and I, I believe that the more areas of our lives we can combine the better. We feel very strongly that keeping a joint checking account keeps us accountable (no pun intended) to each other.

3 Advantages of a Joint Checking Account:

1. It keeps things simple. No longer will you have to keep track of two accounts (were you keeping track in the first place?). Just reconcile your account and make sure that you are both communicating on the transactions that are taking place.
2. It pushes you to be accountable to your spouse. There have been many times that I wanted to eat out or buy something off of iTunes, but didn’t because of the close accountability Courtney and I have. Having one account that you both have access to will force you to talk about your budget!
3. It reduces greed. Keeping things in perspective, a joint checking account will disable you from claiming your money is only YOUR money. From now on, it will be both of yours. This will allow you to give more freely, since it was mutual money anyway!

I know our marriage has grown strong through the use of a single checking account. Believe me, it wasn’t easy at first combining our accounts! All of the sudden, I had to consider the implications on my family when I spent money. I wasn’t accustomed to that! But oh, was it worth it. We have saved so much money and pursued more income because of our close communication and accountability.

Are you married and have a joint checking account? Please share your experiences in the comments!

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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