Suddenly I realized that I’d been doing something for years that others might not know about and so I thought to share this idea also with you.
What I do daily is to empty a section of my purse where I have my money, removing all of the coins I’d received in change for any cash purchases that day and putting them into a coin sorter. This could also be done by simply emptying the coins into any container, but having a coin sorter makes it easier. You should be able to get free coin wrappers at your local bank. You might want to start with 10 of each…quarter wrappers, dimes, nickels and penny wrappers.
You’ll be amazed at how quickly these add up and you then have some extra money. A roll of quarters is $10. Dimes are $5. Nickels are $2 and pennies are 50 cents. What I then do is take them to my bank to exchange for paper money, usually after I have about 2 rolls of quarters and whatever else I have.
You don’t really miss the change and having it in your purse, pocket, or wallet can get heavy. So, this way of saving then has a two-fold purpose; that of saving, and that of having less to carry around with you.
I’ve been debt free since 1989, as God has taken care of my needs. I haven’t really kept a budget, but I do look for sales and when my cash flow is low, I go without buying anything extra. Additionally, I’m a firm believer in giving the first 10% of all my income to the Lord’s work and have done so for many years as well as giving offerings as He leads.
I realize that others don’t believe the way I do on these things; however, this works for me. I can then claim the benefits of the conditional promises in Malachi 3:10-11 and Luke 6:38. Often, I will take my tithe check and lift it up to the Lord telling Him that I am bringing my tithes to the storehouse and thanking Him that He will then open to me the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing that there’s not room enough to receive, and that He will rebuke the devourer for me.
Sometimes when giving an offering either to the work of the Lord or to the poor and needy, I pray over the check before giving or sending it, thanking God that “I give and it’s given to me, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over.” This is speaking forth His Word in prayer, which is how I often pray.
At another time in my life, I made a list of things that could be bought in an effort to differentiate between my true needs (shelter, food, clothing, etc.) and what things were merely wants/desires. That helped me get a better handle on my expenditures. I also thought to consider how income was to come to me. As a person of integrity, I wanted to be sure I did this correctly. I was appalled to hear of some Christians who would dare to cheat on their income taxes, which I’d heard more than once spoken from the pulpits.
We will be tested by our money. God sees our hearts. He knows why we do what we do regardless of who else knows it. He knows whether we really love Him or not.
In keeping it simple, I do this…First, I give 10% of any income I receive. Second, I pay for my living expenses. Third, I give offerings as the Spirit leads. Fourth: In seeing how much is left, and in knowing how much and when to expect to receive income again, I either put the extra in the bank or buy some things for myself.
Different people have different plans for their expenditures. I prayerfully consider where and when to spend what God has entrusted to me, wanting to be a wise steward of all I’m given. If you don’t have a plan for how you spend your money, you’ll most likely run out before you get more. I had a friend who worked for the state of California and was paid monthly. She always ran out of money before the end of the month, not having a plan to follow, and she never knew where the money went.
I started to write this just to share with you a very simple way of saving money that has been working for me for many years and then ended up sharing much more than I’d originally intended. The biggest thing to consider in staying out of debt is discipline. It requires a great deal of discipline to not buy things you don’t really need. But if I, a former mental patient, can do it; so can anyone else who puts forth the effort. It’s worth it, the peace you will have knowing that you don’t owe anyone anything…except for loving them.
Ann Doupont
Student of God’s Word
www.anndoupont.org
What I do daily is to empty a section of my purse where I have my money, removing all of the coins I’d received in change for any cash purchases that day and putting them into a coin sorter. This could also be done by simply emptying the coins into any container, but having a coin sorter makes it easier. You should be able to get free coin wrappers at your local bank. You might want to start with 10 of each…quarter wrappers, dimes, nickels and penny wrappers.
You’ll be amazed at how quickly these add up and you then have some extra money. A roll of quarters is $10. Dimes are $5. Nickels are $2 and pennies are 50 cents. What I then do is take them to my bank to exchange for paper money, usually after I have about 2 rolls of quarters and whatever else I have.
You don’t really miss the change and having it in your purse, pocket, or wallet can get heavy. So, this way of saving then has a two-fold purpose; that of saving, and that of having less to carry around with you.
I’ve been debt free since 1989, as God has taken care of my needs. I haven’t really kept a budget, but I do look for sales and when my cash flow is low, I go without buying anything extra. Additionally, I’m a firm believer in giving the first 10% of all my income to the Lord’s work and have done so for many years as well as giving offerings as He leads.
I realize that others don’t believe the way I do on these things; however, this works for me. I can then claim the benefits of the conditional promises in Malachi 3:10-11 and Luke 6:38. Often, I will take my tithe check and lift it up to the Lord telling Him that I am bringing my tithes to the storehouse and thanking Him that He will then open to me the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing that there’s not room enough to receive, and that He will rebuke the devourer for me.
Sometimes when giving an offering either to the work of the Lord or to the poor and needy, I pray over the check before giving or sending it, thanking God that “I give and it’s given to me, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over.” This is speaking forth His Word in prayer, which is how I often pray.
At another time in my life, I made a list of things that could be bought in an effort to differentiate between my true needs (shelter, food, clothing, etc.) and what things were merely wants/desires. That helped me get a better handle on my expenditures. I also thought to consider how income was to come to me. As a person of integrity, I wanted to be sure I did this correctly. I was appalled to hear of some Christians who would dare to cheat on their income taxes, which I’d heard more than once spoken from the pulpits.
We will be tested by our money. God sees our hearts. He knows why we do what we do regardless of who else knows it. He knows whether we really love Him or not.
In keeping it simple, I do this…First, I give 10% of any income I receive. Second, I pay for my living expenses. Third, I give offerings as the Spirit leads. Fourth: In seeing how much is left, and in knowing how much and when to expect to receive income again, I either put the extra in the bank or buy some things for myself.
Different people have different plans for their expenditures. I prayerfully consider where and when to spend what God has entrusted to me, wanting to be a wise steward of all I’m given. If you don’t have a plan for how you spend your money, you’ll most likely run out before you get more. I had a friend who worked for the state of California and was paid monthly. She always ran out of money before the end of the month, not having a plan to follow, and she never knew where the money went.
I started to write this just to share with you a very simple way of saving money that has been working for me for many years and then ended up sharing much more than I’d originally intended. The biggest thing to consider in staying out of debt is discipline. It requires a great deal of discipline to not buy things you don’t really need. But if I, a former mental patient, can do it; so can anyone else who puts forth the effort. It’s worth it, the peace you will have knowing that you don’t owe anyone anything…except for loving them.
Ann Doupont
Student of God’s Word
www.anndoupont.org
Article Source: http://christian-topics.info
Ann Doupont is a Christian author and teacher of God's Word. For more about her ministry, please visit www.anndoupont.org.
