In 1998, my husband Matt was touring as a professional musician with a band. He spent most of his time out on the road, and as part of that lifestyle he put everything on his credit card. He never really thought about his credit card because he was being paid well, and every month he would just pay it off. However, he had nothing in savings and every month he would spend everything that he made. Then in the Fall of that year, the artist that Matt had been touring with suddenly decided to stop touring. It came as quite …
Life After Credit Cards – Suprises
I had such a light-bulb moment this morning as I sat down to work on our finances, and I am so excited to share it with you! It really was one of those moments when all of the pieces came together, and I finally saw the genius of what the Lord had put in our hearts to do. First of all let me say that I had deposited our salary check on Friday so I knew that we had funds to cover whatever might be automatically debited over the weekend. Therefore I was able to relax over the weekend and …
Feeding the Mogwai
Enemy, thy name is Ebay. Seriously, Ebay can be so difficult to say NO to. Especially when you find a great deal on something that you never knew you always wanted. All of a sudden that magical countdown clock until the end of the auction becomes your deadline for how badly do you want this one of a kind whatever? The minutes tick by, you refresh the page, the price climbs slightly, you feel a moment of “Oh no, I’m not going to win it.” Ebay should really come with warning signs like “Not for the fiercely competitive” or “Remember, …
The Cookie Jar
Can I just tell you how good it feels to have all of your credit card balances be at zero? If you have no idea what that feels like, may I suggest you join me on my credit card “diet”. Having credit cards at your convenient disposal is a lot like living with jars of cookies and chocolate all over your home. It is one thing to want to eat healthy or lose weight, but if your weakness is cookies and you are constantly surrounded by them, then you will have a very hard time reaching your goal. You will …
A Little Less Chocolate
Are you hiding from your bills and finances? I am… just a little bit. Christmas is such a magical season, but it is also magical how quickly money disappears during the Christmas season. Between the presents, stocking stuffers, parties, family and guests visiting, travel costs, the outings and even the utilities bills from having guests… it just adds up so quickly. Facing that final reality in the aftermath of Christmas can seem like a bucket of cold water. So we are all in recovery together. Let’s face it friends, there is no way through but to go through… and I …
New Beginnings
A new year is coming and I just love new beginnings. Many people laugh at new year’s resolutions, but every year I see it as an opportunity to begin again. I ask the Lord for fresh vision for the year and for my life. I look at my calendar and write in all of the birthdays for friends and try to think “birthday budget”. I clean out my closet and go through my junk drawers. In my house, everything gets a fresh beginning for the new year… and that includes my budget. So as I have been looking at my …
Corralling Your Credit Card
So I feel your heart torn… why give up the convenience of your credit card for all of that paper money? It is just so easy to swipe and go. It is also almost impossible to buy something online without one, or to rent a car. There are many reasons for having a credit card in our society. Credit cards also help your credit score in demonstrating your credit history. How old your card is, and if it has been kept in good standing are two variables that help to determine your credit score. You can keep your card in …
In Too Deep
Have you ever watched a child playing in a pool whose abilities didn’t quite match their confidence level. My darling Noah, when he was first learning to swim, he would always want to be in the pool without his floaties. He felt so confident swimming with them on that he was sure he could do it without them. Even now, he thinks he can do anything and so he will confidently march into a situation that I know he will quickly get in over his head in. I love his courage and his spirit and yet, as a Mom it …
Kill Your Giant
I have a 5 year old, a 3 year old, and a 1 year old in my home. They are constantly in motion, dropping things as they go… particularly food. Consequently, vacuuming is a dire need in my house. However, since every second step you have to stop to pick up a toy, vacuuming is a monumental task. I’ve tried getting the whole house tidy and then vacuuming, but without Matt’s help, that rarely works. Now when Daddy is home, he occupies the culprits, and tidies and I vacuum and so we get it done. However, it always feels like …
Managing Your Credit Card Debt
There are many different strategies for climbing the mountain of debt. Honestly, I think it is a little like dieting… I’m not sure there is an easy answer or a “right” answer, I think it’s just picking the method that works for you and then sticking with it. The important thing is to get a plan in place that works the best for you and your family and then go for it. God is with you. His heart is for you to be free, and I believe as you step out and begin, you will find His grace and strength …
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