Learning to Use Cash
Today I want to talk about something that is so hard in our culture today…
Our culture is one that when we want something we just go out and get it even if we don’t have the money right now. We can just put it on a credit card and pay it off. This can than lead to debt, which can be mentally and emotionally binding. It also can hinder what God calls us to do which is give our money to the church (tithing) and help out those who are in need. I have kind of been one of those people. When I was a undergraduate if I wanted something I would just go out and buy it. Not with a credit card but with a debit card. I didn’t give too much thought to it. I had the money in the bank from the years I worked in high school. But what this didn’t teach me was being patient and waiting for the right time to save enough for a particular thing.
Luckily we don’t have a lot of debt. We were very blessed to have our parents pay for our schooling. The only debt we have right now is paying off the hubs car. Even so we live on a tight budget and if there is something we want we have to wait which is so hard. Right now I really want a new dslr camera. They are pretty pricey and with me in my internship and living on one income it would be pretty hard to just go out and buy one. Plus our church is sending out not one but two church plants this summer that we will give financially to, so in order to buy a new camera we have to be wise. We made a compromise that we would put a little bit away every month. Also, we are selling things like old textbooks, a bike, and some other things we. So not only are we de-cluttering our house, but also making some money to put away for new camera! It’s a win win!
The important thing that many of us need to learn is how to be patient and wait for the right time. Learning to save for the things that we want instead of just going out and using a credit card with no actual plan for how you may pay it off.
What do you do when it comes to saving for something you want?
You could also put the interest amount you would pay on the credit card because by saving you are also saving that. Love your Facebook page and web site.
Have a very Blessed Year!
Thats a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
We use a budget software that lets us create our own categories. If there is something my husband or I really would like, we add the category (after discussing it) and decide how much, and when, we can put money into that category to build up savings for it.
It seems saving up to buying something is much more fulfilling than just going out and buying something whenever you want.
Thats also a great idea! We don’t use a budgeting software but we do make up categories on excel. We love to look over it at see other places we can save! I agree paying cash is more fulfilling! Thanks for sharing Becky
My husband and I are blessed to be out of debt. We are currently cutting out things that we don’t need in order to save money. Man can that be hard to do! Thanks for the reminder!
Thats so awesome to not have any debt! Good job! That is the hardest thing to do especially if its things you really enjoy!
I really enjoyed reading this post, and I encourage you to stick to your plans and get out of debt. But it sounds like what you’re doing is working, and that’s a blessing. I went to college on a scholarship, but I was not a fashionista by any means and my mom’s philosophy was “if it fits, then you don’t need to buy another”. The only problem was that I was still wearing clothes from jr high and high school! So I started using a credit card, but before I got my first “real” job I made a point not to start it in debt, so I worked all summer and used every dime (besides my tithes) to pay off all of my bills and it felt good.
Now, I’m striving for that place again. Everytime a bill gets paid off, I rejoice. Then I try to use the money set aside from that paid off bill and apply it to the next bill that’s closest to being paid off. Doing this means not purchasing things I want, but what I do is make a list of things I’d like for myself and then prioritize them. When an opportunity comes like 0% no financing for a short period of time, then I do that and make sure it’s paid off.
I’m stopping by from the Homemaker on a Dime Hop. Feel free to drop by my blog: http://artisticexpressionsbyelisabeth.blogspot.com/
Wow thats awesome how you learned from a mistake and worked so hard to overcome it! Good job! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your awesome story/advise! I hope to hear from you again!
You are doing the right thing. Pay cash. Decide priorities. Find additional resources. Live on what you earn. I admire both of you.
Joy
Thank you Joy!
Dear one, I am a middle aged woman who has been living as you suggest for many years. Your suggestions work; I know from exerience. Soon, after a period of time, you’ll find out that once you live ths way, get your car debt out of the way, save toward next car ie continue your plan, life gets easier because you’re not playing catch up. So thanks for blessing your readers with wise advice.