In order to prosper and increase, we must do a financial checkup every so often.
That means we need to evaluate where we are and see if there are changes that need to be made in our spending.
Making more money isn’t always the only answer to increase. Sometimes we need to stop and plug any holes that may be causing our finances to be leaking out.
Haggai 1:6 (NLT) puts it this way, “You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!”
Periodically, take time to go through your bills and your checking account and credit card statements to evaluate where your money is going. You may have a budget (spending plan) in place, but take time annually to inventory your accounts and see where things are going. Has your cable bill increased? Have any of your utility bills gone up? Has your car or home mortgage insurance increased in the past few years?
If so, maybe it’s time to check around for a different cable TV package that would be less expensive. If your utility bills have gone up significantly, are there home maintenance fixes that can be done to bring those costs down? Compare insurance premiums to make sure you’re getting the best deals and aren’t paying for things you don’t need.
Tuning up your finances may take some work, but once you start checking into some of these areas, you may find that it’s worth it. You may be able to save a significant amount by just making some adjustments to your cash outflow and shoring up any areas where funds may be trickling out. Take time to do some financial maintenance and plug the holes!
This month’s devotions are from Joe’s book, Family Finances. To request your copy, click here.
The Take Away
Proverbs 24:3-5 says, “Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts.” Take time to do a financial tune-up!
