My friend Shellie shares her family's tips on living on a budget & saving money:
We often have new goals, such as losing weight/exercising, getting
organized, saving money and the list goes on and on! I’d like to share
some tried and true practices that can help you save money this year.
I’m not promising the following tips are easy (or popular) but they are
all possible!
1. Tithe Cheerfully! I want to save money and
you’re telling me to tithe? YES!
Malachi 3:10, “Bring the whole tithe
into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me
now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the
windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.” 2
Corinthians 9:7 teaches “Each one must do just as he has purposed in
his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful
giver.”
We cannot disobey in this area and expect the Lord to bless our
finances! I can testify to the Lord’s faithfulness!
2. Cut back on every bill possible:
a. Cable- reduce your plan or even disconnect service
b. Cell Phone Plans- it’s possible (even in 2012) to live without
being “connected 24/7”. Remove your data plans and save big dollars over
the course of the year!
c. Save energy- you know, the stuff your
parents taught you! Turn off lights when you’re not in a room, don’t
take a 30 minute shower, adjust your thermostat to come on less &
add an extra blanket to everyone’s bed during the winter. Use fans in
the summer.
d. Cut your grocery budget- make a week long meal plan
of economic meals then make a grocery list of only the things you need.
Once at the store, stick to the list! Use coupons and/or shop sales.
Stay with me here. You don’t have to start extreme couponing to save
money in this area! Simply shopping the stores sales will save you
money. To save even more money – plan your meals around the stores
weekly sales! Also, ask your store when they mark down meat &
produce.
e. Don’t eat out! Gasp! You can save some serious money
here! Just plan well and eat at home! Pack lunches for your husband to
take to work. You’ll be glad to see the extra money at the end of the
month!
f. Cut entertainment expenses- get the creative juices
flowing and plan free dates (ex: on your patio with white Christmas
lights strung under the umbrella) and fun family outings (ex: a new
park, hiking trail, game night, etc)
g. Shopping – if shopping is
your downfall, STOP going to the stores! You can’t spend money if you’re
not there! If a need arises, shop sales or at a local thrift store –
you may just be amazed! Buy clothes at the end of each season for your
kids’ upcoming sizes.
h. Do maintenance on your vehicles yourself & save the labor charges.
i. Make home repairs/ improvements yourself. There are many websites
out there to offer advice & there are helpful people at local home
improvement stores.
3. Extra Job - If you make all of the
above changes and still come up short, find a side job. There are
plenty of options out there; ex: pizza delivery, mow yards, clean
houses, making & selling goods such as jewelry, gift baskets,
candles, etc. If you’re a stay at home mom, look for a Saturday job or a
work from home job – but research these carefully to find something
legit!
4. Give your savings a boost by having a Garage Sale. I
highly recommend Dave Ramsey and Financial Peace University! If you
don’t have the extra money for that right now, I recommend setting a
budget. If an envelope system will help you be better accountable, do
it!
I urge you to give your finances to the Lord. Ask Him to reveal His will, listen, and then follow Him.
Matthew 6:25-34 says,
“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to
what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what
you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than
clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor
reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are
you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried
can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why are you worried about
clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor
do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his
glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the
grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the
furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 Do
not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or
‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all
these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these
things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all
these things will be added to you. “
34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Resources
www.daveramsey.com – Financial Freedom
www.diynetwork.com – Home project help
http://crockingirls.com/ - Great crock pot recipes
www.southernsavers.com – learn how to coupon & find coupon match ups for current store sales
101 Best Home-Based Businesses for Women, Priscilla Y. Huff
555 Ways to Earn Extra Money, Jay Conrad Levinson
BIO:
I am a child of the King, a wife of 10 years to my best friend from high
school and a homeschooling mom of three precious boys! I enjoy
reading, outdoor activities with my family and time with other moms! My
husband and I have lived through some difficult times financially, but
the Lord was faithful to see us through every time. He always provided
for our needs. His promises are true!
Luke 12:22-31 Then Jesus said to
his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more
than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do
not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.
And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying
can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little
thing, why do you worry about the rest?
“Consider how the
lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon
in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God
clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is
thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little
faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not
worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and
your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these
things will be given to you as well.
shelliebaum@gmail.com or shellie jones baum on FB
Making changes to our budget seemed monumental at first, even
impossible. The world tells you that you can't live on one salary
anymore--and I believed it! But the Lord showed me differently!
Learning to live on a budget has been a huge blessing to my family! We
know it is ALL the Lord's and want to be good stewards of what He so
generously gives us!
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the
world, and all who live in it (Psalm 24:1)
This sweet lil guy LOVES school! After 2 weeks of finishing 1st grade he begged & begged & begged to start up 2nd grade. I really did NOT want to, I needed a break! This past year was a whirlwind adventure in opening up about my past & the Lord opened many doors for me to travel & speak. As if being a full-time homeschooling momma didn't keep me busy enough, I was off doing events & press conferences a LOT! 
So in the midst of my tiredness & wanting a chance to relax I overloaded myself with more schoolin, not fully prepared & then stuck in the house with sick kiddos. I was at a breaking point. I cried out to God to show me what to do, where to go & He gave me peace, stillness, time to reflect. I asked Brady if we could please hold off on 2nd grade, Momma needed a break. And his reply?
