Money

In today's world everyone needs money.

There are always bills to pay, children to feed, clothes to buy etc.

And contrary to popular belief ~ there isn't a money tree.

Any money you get, someone had to earn.

Even those welfare checks and foodstamps are paid for by the tax dollars that wage earners paid.

Many are foolish with their money ~

A prime example of that is the lottery...

On our vacation, we stopped at a gas station right on the GA side of the GA/AL line.

We needed a potty break, the van needed gas and we wanted an ice cream treat.

Greg gassed up the van, everyone took care of their needs, and we noticed a long line at the registers.

People were buying lottery tickets ~ many, many lottery tickets.

And 1/2 the inside of the gas station was dedicated to tables/ chairs and flatscreen tv's mounted to the walls for everyone to watch the lottery numbers roll around and see the live announcements.

Its the lure of "get rich quick".  

Everyone wants to get, be given something without putting anything into it.

As parents of 8 ~ almost 10, we've tried to stress the importance of 

hard work,

earning a wage,

paying your own way,

taking care of yourselves,

taking care of your bills,

paying cash for purchases and not using credit cards,

saving for the future.

Some have learned this, some haven't. Sometimes money seems to float through their fingers ~ like there is an endless supply.  Its discouraging to see your children make mistakes that you've talked to them about and warned them about.  Greg and I both made terrible money mistakes early (& later) in our married lives ~ so we do know something about this.

But the temptation is there to have everything new,

to have the latest edition/model,

to have a certain name brand label,

to drive a different vehicle,

to eat out and not at home,

to want & get without waiting & saving.

We all face that temptation, but you have to conquer it and wait.  

We heard Dave Ramsey speak several years ago here in Miss., and one thing that stuck with me was

"When kids grow up and establish their own homes, they want everything their parents have.  But it took their parents years to save the money to buy their possessions, the kids want it instantly."

We live in a society of instant gratification.

Everyone wants what they want...and now not later.

This isn't just limited to families.  Its rampant throughout this country.

Commercials, ads, newspaper stories, glittery store displays, expectations.

And following the news, you can see that budgets are made to be broken!

We would all be so much better off if we lived within our means, we saved for our purchases, we had some money stashed away for a rainy day, and we learned how to be content with what we've been blessed with.

Great books to read...

The Bible (has a lot to say about money, saving & giving, etc)

anything by Dave Ramsey

Crown Financials Resources