Bountiful: The Heart Of Money Management

We’re talking about financial tendencies in this episode. How can we make sure we’re consistently doing the right things and have healthy spending habits? First, look backward, asking yourself “why” or “when” rather than just “how much”. Second, look inward; do our emotional roller coasters lead to financial roller coasters? Third, look upward to make sure our giving is right with the Lord. Fourth, look forward, making sure our financial decisions are anchored in Biblical principles. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The author of “Beyond the Tithe”, Westley Hazel, talks with us about stewardship & giving that pleases the Lord. As we go through some of the topics from his book, we discuss the word “tithe”, greedy stewardship, and potential obstacles our possessions could have in our spiritual walk. Westley says, “We need to spend special time thinking about why God has given us so much. If we don’t wrestle with that, it may be the tool Satan uses to destroy us.” If you have questions about the book or about seminars Westley hosts, he can be reached via email: whazel@forrestpark.org.Episode ResourcesLink to purchase the book “Beyond the Tithe” – https://www.focuspress.org/product/beyond-the-tithe/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

If you work inside the home, for yourself, or for an employer, have you asked yourself what role work plays in your life? In this episode, we talk about how work may play a negative role, like scapegoat or the object of our affection. Then we talk about healthier roles work should play in our lives. Take a listen to find out more.Episode Resourceshttps://jstanier.medium.com/your-career-is-your-responsibility-391cafd0e1afhttps://www.linkedin.com/pulse/your-identity-wrapped-up-job-kelley-wacher/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Have you wanted to get a present for someone, but you weren’t sure about what  to get that person? In this episode, we consult with Katie Pruett, gift purchasing extraordinaire, who talks about 9 guidelines to follow in order to pick the perfect gift. Katie shares, “I enjoy the gift-giving process so much because I think it’s a special way in which to tell somebody ‘I love you’.” Here are those principles we discuss in this episode:1- Pay Attention.2- Listen, listen, listen.3- Think about that person’s past4- Think about that person’s interests5- Remember, it’s about them and what they like6- Think about shared experiences7- Give an experience instead of a tangible present8- It’s the thought that counts9- Just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean it’s the right giftEpisode ResourcesKatie shares her personal finance journal with us in this episode – https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls3e7/https://www.theunconventionalroute.com/how-to-pick-gifts/https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/gift-buying-tips/ ★ Support this

Why do some of us save more money than others? Research into this question found that people save more money, even when their income is the same as others, because they spend less money, specifically in three categories. First, high savers spend less money on housing. Mortgage or rent payments are commonly the biggest expense in your budget, and there are a lot of factors to consider when deciding when, where, and whether to rent or buy. Second, high savers spend less money on food. This includes groceries and eating at restaurants. Preparation and dedication are two keys to save money in this area. Meal plans can help reduce the cost of food, and sticking to the plan means less wasting food that we don’t get around to eating. Third, high savers spend less money on transportation. In most of America, this includes the cost of a vehicle. Considering the age and size of a car impacts how much you’ll spend on one. Used vehicles that are smaller tend to be less expensive than newer or larger vehicles. In this epi

The topic of medical expenses is important to discuss because we will all have medical bills at some point in our lives and medical bills have an affect on our credit score. In this episode, Gary & Christy talk about how to handle medical expenses.Understand your insurance. What’s your deductible, out-of-pocket maximum, and premiums?Ask for information up-front. If possible, get an estimate of the cost of a procedure or service & shop it around to get the best deal for you.Know your prescription options. Sometimes you can use generic brands or OTC instead of a more expensive drug.Analyze your bill. Request an itemized statement so you can verify that the charges make sense.See if you can negotiate the amounts. This is especially important if you aren’t able to pay the entire bill at once.Check into financial assistance. There may be a payment plan option available for you, but make sure your account will remain current while you make those payments.Address the bills. Ignoring them or setting these exp

In this episode we talk about how money impacts our influence. Ananias & Sapphira were bad influences to the church because of their hypocrisy, but Barnabas was a good influence because of his generosity. What kind of influence do you have, and how can you guard it to make sure you’re glorifying the Lord with your material blessings? ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jesus accused the Pharisees of being the type who “strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.” (Matt 23:24) These religious leaders were really into the details but failed to consider the big picture. This is part of the reason they seemed to have the right actions but usually had the wrong attitude. We could have the tendency to do something similar with our personal finances, but we don’t call it gnat straining and camel swallowing. Instead we borrow the phrase “Penny Wise and Pound Foolish” to refer to someone who pays a lot of attention to smaller, immaterial amounts of money but loses all that benefit by not considering the impact of larger transactions. In this episode, Gary and Christy look at various examples of being penny wise and pound foolish to help you be more intentional with your financial blessings.Episode Resourceshttps://grammarist.com/idiom/penny-wise-and-pound-foolish/https://writingexplained.org/idiom-dictionary/penny-wise-pound-foolishhttps://www.moneyunder30.com/penny-wise-but-dollar-stupi

After the groundhog sees or does not see his shadow, we set our sights on Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, many people tie romance with money, so Valentine’s Day is connected to spending a lot of money. Some might suggest the more you love your significant other, the more money you would spend on them. In this episode, Gary & Christy challenge that kind of thinking and provide alternative things to keep in mind when choosing a gift for someone you love.Set expectations, either by directly stating your intentions to celebrate the day or by dropping hints about your plans.Make sure it’s affordable. This might require some creativity, but it’s very possible to celebrate your love in a budget-friendly way.Avoid comparison. It’s the thief of joy.Make sure you’ll both like it. This holiday could be the time you spent focusing on something you both have wanted to do but never had the chance.Make it personal.Episode ResourcesHere are some various gift ideas for Valentine’s Day with a budget-friendly focus:https://

Our possessions, especially those with a higher price tag, play some kind of role in our lives. Things like the house, the car, the property, and the savings account influence us every day. As Christians, it’s important for us to verify that Jesus is seen in our lives & that the role(s) we allow material blessings to play aligns with our God-given purpose. In this episode, we discuss various roles our possessions play in our lives & compare that to what the Bible says.Episode Resourceshttps://www.csmonitor.com/Business/The-Simple-Dollar/2012/0720/Money-as-security-or-other-thingshttps://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/10-signs-you-love-money-too-much.html ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This episode is about a personal finance challenge you may have heard about: A No Spend Challenge. Specifically, we’re discussing a “No Spend February” as a way to focus on our material blessings, reset our bank accounts and credit card statements, and jump start our finances. Listen to this episode to learn more about the purpose behind a No Spend Challenge, what it really means, and how to succeed at it.Episode Resourceshttps://www.thepennyhoarder.com/save-money/no-spend-challenge/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Many people continue to work from home during the pandemic, which means that there has been a sustained uptick in the number of virtual calls and meetings. To help navigate through them, Gary & Christy discuss some practical tips on how to participate, present, and organize virtual meetings.Episode Resourceshttps://www.computerworld.com/article/3542033/6-tips-for-better-virtual-meetings.htmlhttps://www.inc.com/jason-aten/why-your-virtual-meetings-are-so-bad-how-to-make-them-better.html ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In the spirit of a new year and a new podcast season, Gary and Christy discuss some areas of focus for us all this new year. There are some pros and cons with setting resolutions, but overall they’re good in that they remind us to prioritize the things that are important to us. When you think about a theme for yourself or your family, this episode will provide some ideas that may help you on your personal finance journey.Episode ResourcesHere is an article about how to be more intentional:  https://balancethroughsimplicity.com/how-to-live-with-intention-this-year/This is an article about patience: https://www.essentiallifeskills.net/patience.html ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What can we do if we’re struggling to make ends meet? In this episode, Gary & Christy talk about financial struggles and how to work through them. First, figure out exactly where you are. How much is in your bank account? How much do you have saved for retirement or for emergencies? What are the principal balances on your mortgage, car loan, or other debt? Second, find out how you got to where you are. Are you living beyond your means, are you making decisions out of fear, or have you just not been focused on your personal finances? Third, think about why you want your situation to change. You will face discouragement and obstacles on your way out of your financial struggles, so understanding your motivation will help you overcome those challenges. Finally, do what needs to be done. Set goals. Take action. Build a budget. Pray about it. Involve your family. Do everything you possibly can to get on the right track financially.Episode Resourceshttps://dailysuccessfulliving.com/why-am-i-poor/https://www.bigg

It’s really nice when things are easy and effortless. Things like convenience stores, food delivery, concession stands, and even vending machines make getting some of our basic needs a little easier to get. But, there’s a paradox to convenience: they tend to enhance one aspect of our life but take away from another aspect of our life. So, how do we determine whether the convenient option is the way to go? In this episode, Gary and Christy talk about the inconvenience of conveniences, examples of this paradox, and questions to ask ourselves to figure out if conveniences are worth it.Episode Resourceshttps://talkingcents.consumercredit.com/2018/02/05/the-cost-of-convenience/https://20somethingfinance.com/the-real-cost-of-convenience/https://www.treehugger.com/whats-real-cost-convenience-4855555 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

For many people there’s a stigma regarding talking about money, so much so that it’s a topic that’s rarely discussed. Unfortunately, avoiding this topic doesn’t make it go away nor does it mean that our finances will be in good shape. Why should we talk about it? To whom should we talk about money? What should we talk about regarding finances? Gary and Christy discuss these and other related questions on this episode.Episode ResourcesLink to see and purchase the book The Repossession of Riley the Puppy – https://www.amazon.com/Repossession-Riley-Puppy-Edward-Burrell/dp/1937550028 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Wealth discrimination involves deciding how you treat someone based on how much money they have & what you think they do with it. We can discriminate against the poor or the rich or the middle class simply because of their financial situation (or their perceived financial situation). In this episode, Gary & Christy talk about this topic and discuss what wealth discrimination looks like, whether it’s just a political issue or truly an ethical issue, and how to make sure we don’t discriminate against someone based on their financial situation. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Being a good steward of our blessings includes being a good steward of our jobs. The Bible instructs us to work heartily, as for the Lord, because while our employers reward us monetarily, the Lord rewards us eternally.Our first job is usually not our last. Many of us will work for more than one company, but how do we know whether it’s time for us to make a change like that?How do you know whether it’s time to get another job? We usually see indications that signal whether we’re employed in a good spot or not, but how do we tell the difference between a sign that reads “It’s Time To Go” and another that reads “You Can Push Through It”?Is it time to move on when your favorite colleague leaves? What about if the economy changes? What if you’re just not feeling it? These are a few of the questions Christy & Gary will address in this episode.Episode Resourceshttps://www.moneytalksnews.com/slideshows/signs-that-its-time-to-find-a-new-job/https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-good-reasons-to-quit-your-job-20610

When Jesus says, “You cannot serve God and money,” that can come across as an overly obvious statement. Who would even try to serve God & money? Nevertheless, money can deceive us, drawing us away from our Maker, and we could change our allegiance without realizing what we’re doing. In this episode, we discuss this idea of trying to serve God and money, and we talk about some reminders to help us keep our devotion to the Creator. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Have you ever received a message notifying you that your personal information has been compromised? Have you ever had your credit card number stolen? These are just a couple of examples of how identity theft works, and Gary & Christy talk about that in this episode. They discuss what identity theft is, who is at risk, how to protect yourself, and what to do if you are a victim of this crime. Just like we safeguard our houses by locking doors and windows, we safeguard our personal finances through good stewardship.Episode Resourceshttps://identitytheft.govhttps://www.ftc.govhttps://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.actionHere are the major nationwide credit reporting agencies:https://www.transunion.comhttps://www.equifax.com/personal/https://www.experian.comhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2020/02/20/10-steps-to-protect-against-identity-theft/#4954a4ca64d7https://www.moneyunder30.com/seven-signs-risk-identity-thefthttps://wps.fidelity.com/Security/protectIdentity_preLogin.html?= ★ Suppo