Money matters: Part III

(If you haven’t checked out the previous posts, here’s Part I and Part II.)
“Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.” (Proverbs 13:11 NLT)
In order to work our way out of debt, we had to think about money in a totally different way. For the longest time, I’d viewed money as many things, both “good” and bad:
~ therapy
~ controlling
~ tricky
~ confusing
~ the end-all, be-all
~ mine
Once I realized that I truly owned nothing in this world…but was instead a steward of the wealth in God’s storehouse…my outlook changed tremendously. Tithing became obvious….a joy, really. I let my brain rule my purchasing decisions instead of letting my feelings do the job. I relinquished my feelings of entitlement and instead sought to learn from others around me….how could I make it stretch, save it more and spend it less, handle it in a way that pleased God?
Here are some things I began to do in those early, early days as we were adjusting to one income and a child on the way. Many of them (most of them) I still do today. By doing these things, I’m not being cheap….I’m being wise about and mindful of our resources. Living this way has given us a more stable foundation, strengthened our marriage, and changed my perspective on just about everything:
Regarding a budget:
~ Make one! It’s not easy seeing all of the numbers laid out on that white page….but it’s necessary for clarity, as well as for planning ahead. It’s also accountability; you can’t argue with what’s staring back.
~ Create a zero-based budget, as outlined by Dave Ramsey. What does this mean? Your income minus expenses equal zero…every single month. Anything “left over” goes into savings or other mutual funds.
~ Use cash for household purchases. Research shows that people find it harder to spend cash than pay by check or credit card.
Regarding grocery purchases:
~ Make a weekly grocery list according to the sales at your favorite store(s) and stick to it. If you shop more than once a week or without a list, you’ll spend more. I used to, and I did.
~ For groceries, let the sales guide your food choices. Plan your menus by what’s on sale that week. Don’t just look at the store flyer….there are websites that can help you zero in on the best deals of all. I love Southern Savers…it helps me find the best sales nearby. Another top favorite is Grocery Freak.
~ Cook and eat at home more. When we first began sticking to a budget, we didn’t eat out. At all. Even for “brown bag” staff meetings when we both worked at our church, we were the only ones eating food truly made and brought from home. We dine out some now, but it’s mainly reserved for special occasions or date nights. (It’s crazy to think that you can buy a week’s worth of groceries for the cost of taking your family out to dinner just twice.)
~ Eating frugally doesn’t mean eating poorly. There are tons of healthy, cheap recipes out there….and when spring and summer hit, take advantage of local produce stands or farmers’ markets!
Regarding other household purchases:
~ We buy most of what we need with our groceries. This includes paper products, toiletries, and office supplies. We stock up when they’re on sale, and always use coupons. Since our favorite grocery store doubles coupons, we come out cheaper than if we’d gone to Walmart or Target.
~ Not going to Walmart and Target weekly has saved us TONS. I couldn’t go into Target without spending less than $100, even if I only had aluminum foil and diapers on my list. Those endcap displays, clearance racks, purse racks, and DVD bargains jump out at you. If you don’t see them in the first place, you don’t know they exist…and you don’t buy them.
~ When I shop for clothes for our family, I go with a list of specific items. (“I need a black shirt, khaki pants, new running shoes, and socks…. Gardner needs some PJs and some button-up shirts.”) Again, no getting swayed by elaborate store displays, cute mannequins, and pushy salespeople. You know what happens…you end up with a cart full of new clothes, but then realize when you get home that nothing matches anything (or anything else in your closet, either).
Regarding home services:
~ Reassess every 6 months how much use and value you’re really getting from various home services…things like cable, internet, newspaper subscriptions, even lawn care. Chip off what you can or think you aren’t getting your money’s worth for.
~ Call and ask for discounts. It never hurts to ask!
This is just the tip of the iceberg. So, so many lifestyle changes have led us to where we are today: Financially free, not under the bondage of credit cards or student loans, and with an emergency fund. I owe so many things to our sacrifices made at the beginning….first and foremost, my ability to stay home and raise our children as I’ve always dreamed of doing. A sacrifice here, a relinquishment there…..it was all expressly and utterly worth it.
As Dave Ramsey says (and it is to true): “Live like no one else….so one day, you can live like no one else.”


Growing up, I never really was a saver. I had a piggy bank that never got all the way full. I sure did envy and respect friends who could save up for coveted things, though I never believed I could do the same thing myself. A high school job at a department store that required a credit card in order to obtain an employee discount guaranteed my entry into the world of debt. College came, and with it living on my own and making more of my own choices. I’m sad to say that much of my extra spending money during those four years went towards things like veggie burgers, PopTarts, coffee drinks, CDs, concert and movie tickets.
But our house was just a shell. It was empty. It needed something. What did it need? More furniture? More electronic gadgets? More clothes in my closet? Paycheck after paycheck went to obtaining these fixtures…yet the void within me was never filled. I felt no guilt purchasing whatever my heart desired. After all, we had no children yet. We both had secure jobs. We were bored. And it made me….happy.













