Faith Heart Magazine | Page 14

6 Tips To Get Your FINANCES BACK ON TRACK By Rhondra O. Willis, Ph.D. In Proverbs 31, the Bible talks about a woman who is an asset to not only her husband and her household, but also to her community. She spends her time preparing and being a good steward over what God has given her. She deals fairly in business and life (Proverbs 31:18). Here are six tips to get your finances back on track as you finish the second half of 2016. Tithe God asks for a tithe or ten percent of our income (Leviticus 27:30). In the natural, it may not seem to make sense but you cannot afford not to tithe. Learning to tithe is often a season of growth for the Believer; walk in it. God is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19). Redeem the Time You may think that you can barely meet your obligations now, much less save or invest anything. Even if you can only save twenty dollars a month, it is a start. Continually seek God for direction and wisdom with your finances. Take Inventory of your Expenses and Develop a Budget that Works for You The time is NOW. This part will be difficult but worth it. Take inventory of your monthly income and expenses. Write down how much you owe for each obligation. ALWAYS KNOW YOUR NUMBERS. Is your income sufficient? If it is not, there are two ways to balance your finances. The first way is increase your income; this is not necessarily easy, but it is not impossible. The second way is to decrease your expenses. Can you drive or eat out less? Use coupons? These are small changes, but they can make significant impact in your monthly cash flow. FAITH HEART MAGAZINE I 11