Did you know that the Bible speaks more about money than any other subject? It’s true! One of Jesus’ main teachings concerning money is that we are stewards of all God has entrusted to us. Ironically during the season celebrating Jesus we have the most difficult time keeping our wallet in check. Below are a few tips to help you out this year as you plan your giving.
- Budget – Plan ahead and write down what your family will spend this year on Christmas. Break your list down into categories: gifts, food, cookies & desserts, travel, miscellaneous. Our family even broke down how much we planned to spend on each person on our gift list.
- Only Pay Cash – Don’t use credit cards. It’s too easy to spend much more than you intended when you use credit cards. Use your budget and pay cash this Christmas. If you don’t have the money in hand, don’t buy it. It’s that simple. The Bible says, “the borrower is slave to the lender” and again, “You cannot serve both God and money.” Using cash protects against becoming a slave to MasterCard or Visa.
- Give Creatively – Buying something for everyone is not your only gift giving option. Handmade crafts often mean much more to people and can save you money. Time has become a precious commodity in our culture. Give homemade coupons to loved ones that they can redeem for special times with you. Use your imagination to come up with unique gifts. Go to http://www.familyfun.com/ for more ideas!
- Send Ecards – The cost of Christmas cards combined with postage adds up quickly. Using the Internet you can send out ecards to your friends and family and it won’t cost you a cent! Customize the ecard with your family photo, favorite Bible verse, and your own message to make it personal. Go to www.dayspring.com/ecards/ or http://www.crossdaily.com/cards to start.
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