Christian Budget Planning
Most Americans, regardless of their religious affiliation, neglect budget planning. The Federal Reserve Board estimates that consumer debt in the United States came to 813.9 billion dollars, as of September 2010. Christians may use a budget in order to spend less money than they make every month, which in turn reduces personal debt and leads to a higher quality of life. Much as God has a plan for the Christian's life, the Christian must create a plan to take charge of his individual finances.
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Needs
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Proverbs 16:18 states: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." 1 John 2:15 states: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world." Christians should consider if their "needs" are actual needs, or if they're status symbols meant to impress others. Christian budgeting can mean purchasing less expensive clothing, eliminating cable television, and trying not to compete with neighbors.
Planning
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Christians should write down how much income they make a month, after taxes. They should then calculate how many short-term, necessary bills they'll pay, including such items as utility bills, insurance, gasoline, and groceries. Christians should list expendable items separately, such as video rentals, movies, and restaurant visits.
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Reduction
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If the Christian has more money going out than coming in, she should try to cut expendable items. A proper budget involves saving extra money in order to pay off short and long term debt, and to cover emergencies. In 1 Corinthians 16:2, the Apostle Paul states: "On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come."
Credit Cards
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Proverbs 22:7 states: "Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender." While a Christian may keep a credit card for emergency purposes, Christians should not be indebted to bank lenders. Using government data, Index Credit Cards has determined that the average American household holds almost $7,394 in high-interest credit card debt, as of 2010. Christians should use the extra money they save from budgeting to pay off their credit cards.
Tithing
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Some Christians choose to offer tithes to their church, while others make free will offerings of a variable amount. Christians should work out how much they can afford to donate to their church every month, and use excess income to help others as God moves them. Since Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their elaborate show of donating to the church, Christians should offer what they can to help others -- but quietly.
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