For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.- Timothy 6:10
Money. We need it and can’t do without it to survive in this world. It behaves like a double edge sword and can harm you deeply if you do not know how to handle it properly.
It is really easy to get caught up in the pursuit of hording material things and keeping up with the Jones. There are countless of new gadgets and products released into the market on a periodical period which seem as a “must buy” for many.
Sometimes the desire to be able to “show ” that one is being in possession of the item makes one obsessed. It clouds ones ability to think and reason. It lands one in a vicious cycle of debt which is extremely hard to escape from due to the compounding interest rates.
Money can cause relationships to make it or break depending on the circumstances that one is currently in. It is the fastest way that one can make friends or distant themselves from friends and relatives .
I’m sure that you have heard stories of long lost relatives suddenly appearing at the door when they hear that you had just received a windfall from the lottery. They disappear equally fast if they know that you are neck deep in debt as they do not wish to be implicated in your financial woes.
My concept of money has changed a lot since I got married. Back then when we were both working full time were able to save up enough to put a down payment for our own apartment and car.
Even though both of us do not splurge on luxury or branded items we do spend quite a bit on dining and travelling.
We were both rather young when we got married and were not too bothered about taking up a 25 yr loan for the house or a 10 yr loan for the car . Paying the minimum would mean that we could have what we wanted and still live quite comfortably with our limited income.
Little did we know then it had resulted in us wasting a lot of money just paying off the interest on the loans. ( I admit we didn’t have much foresight back then or else we would be in a better financial position today. )
Fast forward to today R and I are trying our best to clear our loans as soon as possible so that we will be able to save up enough for our retirement and the kids college funds.
With the exponential rate of inflation nowadays I’m not sure if there will be ever enough money set aside to tide us through our twilight years.
It can be a very worrying thought about the future for one. However with my faith and trust in GOD,I’m sure that everything will work out somehow.
What I have learnt throughout the years that it is really important to have a budget and to stick to your budgeting goals to be able to live within your means.
Save at least 30%- 40% of your monthly earnings if possible. Out of this proportion of money which you set aside, 10% -15% is to be put into investment while the remainder is held as an emergency fund.
There are many physical things which are not necessary in life. After some time even the latest fad will pass and become outdated. It becomes a liability rather then an asset to you. It is very important that one does plan how to use the limited funds that we have properly so that we can get the maximum benefit for our dollar.
What is your attitude towards Money?
Post in this series.
1) You and Me Equals US ( An Introduction)
2) You and Me- Where Do We Begin?
4) You and Me- Love (Part Two)
5) You and Me- Anger and Frustration
6) You and Me- Talking about GOD
Money makes or unmakes a person. As what the Bible says, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” So as for me, what really counts is how the money is earned and how it is spent. And I know the surest way of getting the best of it after earning it is to give back what is due to the Lord. Give Him back through paying one’s tithing to the Church and in return He will even be giving you back more of what you need in return.
I agree that money can ruin relationships.
At home, Mommy and I never argue when it comes to money. This is one of our belief that couples should not have any misunderstanding when it comes to money.
Daddy is right, we do our best not argue about money. I have experienced that money conflict with my family side already. That’s why I promised myself that that won’t happen with my own family. But we do talk about money and how we can save and invest more. We are always thankful that God is blessing us a lot and we don’t encounter money problem as much as we did in the previous years. Maybe also we are getting smarter when in comes to handling our finances.
We are in the same boat. It seems like every time we turn around the cost of xyz is going up and wages are staying the same. I am unable to work a regular job due to medical issues and this wasn’t something we were expecting a few years ago. It has been tough but like you we are relying on God to take care of our needs.