Browsing My money

The Budgeting/Happiness Connection

Budgeting may not only improve one’s financial condition but also one’s happiness. Good budgeting is also connected to smarter spending. Check out this article and see how you can adjust your spending habits to yield more satisfaction with life. (Photo: taxcredits.net, Creative Commons)

The Freedom in Saying “No”

Next time you’re tempted to make a purchase, consider the freedom you night gain by saying “no” instead of “yes” to consumption. Joshua Becker explains how part of good stewardship lies in learning to assess the difference in these two simple words.  (Photo: sboneham, Creative Commons)

11 Ways to Simplify your Finances

Good financial stewardship doesn’t have to be complicated. Check out these 11 ways to simplify your finances from author Bob Lotich of SeedTime. (Photo: Steven DePolo, Creative Commons)

7 Habits of a Highly Effective Steward

Much has been written about the habits it takes to be a highly effective person, or a highly effective family or a highly effective teen. This series of seven brief reflections — which your congregation can reprint in a bulletin or newsletter — explores the habits of a highly effective steward. Since stewardship is a part of discipleship, and discipleship is a journey for each of us, we hope that these habits will help us reflect on this area of our Christian life. (Photo: Fit Approach, Creative Commons)

Christian Wallet Principles

“What’s in your wallet?” It’s good for Christians to wrestle with the question because there is no clearer indicator of our ultimate values than our financial priorities and practices — how we spend, how we live, how we save, and how we give reveal the true altar of our hearts, says pastor, author and speaker […]

Carpe Tithing: Invigorate Your Life of Faith

The tithe as a spiritual discipline is vastly underappreciated by modern Christians. I believe that if we boldly reintroduce the challenge to tithe, personally embrace the conviction of its worth, and then do it, we will provide abundant resources for God’s work in the world as well as invigorate our experience of life in Christ.

The Wi$dom Path: Money, Spirit & Life

Financial literacy courses are great, but in addition to knowing how to manage their money more wisely, God’s people need ways to talk about money and the way it intersects with our spiritual and ethical values. This comprehensive course covers such topics as personal and cultural money stories, economic justice, classism, and the impact of our financial decision making on our ability to live lives of meaning and purpose. Free for downloading.

Write Your Money Autobiography

To gain awareness of your attitudes towards wealth there’s no better way than writing a money autobiography. The Faith and Money Network has a nice guide. Do the exercise as a family or congregational group and then compare what you learned about yourselves.

Parenting Money Autobiography

Because children learn from observing parents’ stewardship practices, the Faith & Money Network offers this “parents’ supplement” to their money autobiography. Consider using is during Lent. (Photo: foilman, Creative Commons)

First Things First

Money plays a significant role in North American culture and in our personal lives. We are surrounded by influences that tell us that life goes better with money – preferably with more money. But then Scripture reminds us that life is more than money, and Jesus calls us to live counter to our culture’s values. What’s a Christian to do? This free 90-page book helps you learn to recognize your financial habits and how your faith informs your giving and stewardship. (Photo: Jon Jordan, Creative Commons)