Time For Reflection

January should be a time of reflection. For those that have charged Christmas gifts on credit cards you will start receiving your billing statements. Mortgages companies, financial institutions and employers are mailing year end statements. Some people may be surprised at how much income they received because they may not be able to account for a majority of what they earned. Others may be surprised at how little income they received yet consider it a blessing because God multiplied their income like the fish and the loaves. Their needs and wants were met and they still had money left over.

As your financial statements are coming in it is the perfect time to prepare a budget if you do not already have one.  Take a look at your spending and your saving habits. Are you where you want to be? If not what changes can you make to move closer to your financial goal? We are only a few days into the New Year. If you cannot account for your income from last year start saving your receipts. Itemize all of your spending. You may be surprised by how much or maybe even how little you spend on certain items.

Oftentimes when people are trying to reduce their expenditures they are advised to reduce or eliminate what they spend on soft drinks, coffee, eating out, entertainment, and wants verses needs. Well what if you have already reduced or eliminated those expenses and still cannot make ends meet? As rich as this country is it is unfortunate that they are many people who are unemployed or underemployed.

Comparison shopping is important. Using coupons saves money. Sometimes it may be less expensive to eat out than cook if you are discarding uneaten food when preparing meals. Freeze leftovers or reinvent them. I used to use leftover meatloaf to make spaghetti. Be creative. Purchasing clothing at a discount isn’t always a discount if the items require dry cleaning.

Over the next 3 months from January through March I encourage you to take a close look at what and how you spend. Are you paying yourself first? Do you have any money put away for a rainy day? Are you prepared for a financial emergency? Some people may think because they cannot save a substantial amount that they should not save anything. This is far from the truth. How many times have you found just enough money to get exactly what you need? Every little bit helps and it all adds up.

I believe in tithing and know that Gods word is true. Think about it. If you receive a salary your net income is what you have to spend. You do not have the option of deciding whether or not certain deductions are made from your gross income. You accept what is deducted and live off of the rest. You have no guarantee that you will ever reap any benefit from any deductions taken from your gross income. However there are several guarantees made by the only person that cannot lie that are associated with tithing.  Decide for yourself who you will believe…but as for me and my house we are sticking with the One that cannot lie.

While you are reviewing your finances get a free copy of your credit report from www.annualcreditreport.com. This site does not provide a free credit score but it will provide you with a credit report from TransUnion, Experian and Equifax.  I recommend you review your credit history annually. Errors can be made. Oftentimes unpaid medical payments are added to your credit report without notification.

God wants us to be whole, mind, body and spirit. That is why He says beloved, above all things I wish that you should prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers. He also says my people perish for lack of knowledge. Learn what you can. Use what you learn and share what you learn.

Everyone can exceed their wildest dreams but not everyone will. It is only those that will not give up, those that believe, those that are confident in God and the gifts He has given them, those that will not accept defeat and don’t know the meaning of the word can’t, and those that think it is impossible for them to fail that will see the fullness of what God has planned for them.

Are you one of the ones that will excel or are you one of the ones that will not excel?