I've been a bit behind at blogging about the Proverbs 31 woman study my Bible study group is doing. We've had some great discussions. Just an FYI, since we have a confidentiality agreement in our Bible Study (what goes on in Bible Study or is said in Bible Study, stays in Bible Study) so I can only share my thoughts with you.
This chapter of Elizabeth George's book was entitled An Unfailing Prize. It highlighted how much P31 was about money and managing household assets. Married women who are able to manage household finances can take a load off their husbands' backs. The husband won't have to feel pressure to work harder to provide for the family.
In applying this to my life as a single woman (the queen dictating P31 to her son wants her son to find a SINGLE woman with these qualities) - - George points out that every decision we make about money honors God because it shows whether or not we are good stewards of God's bounty.
Now, having a discussion about money with a group of friends can open up a can of worms. Society places so much value on what kind of car we drive, do we own or rent a home, what part of town we live in, what kind of job we have, how much power we have in that job, etc., etc. With that said, I think we were able to have a very candid discussion about how we manage our money - - or don't.
One thing we all echoed was our desire that our families shouldn't be spoiled but shouldn't be wanting things that are necessary or enriching because we don't have the money. For me personally, I remember my mom flipping out because I needed new running shoes for track every year. Its important to get new shoes because you can get injuries if the padding and support has worn out. I was always told "We don't have the money."
Granted, the lessons I learned about earning my own money and paying for the extra things that were important for me were great. I also knew that my parents weren't going to bail me out. Now, I shared with my friends there have been a couple times I really could have used help and my parents didn't or couldn't come through for me. There is one situation I do harbor some bitterness - - and one of the gals point blank told me I need to let that bitterness go.
But anyway, the chapter was about practical ways we can manage our money better. For instance, paying bills on time, eliminating credit card debt, investing wisely. We all had our goals. For me, it is paying of my credit card. Thanks to Stryker's leg, I've got a balance I'd like to not have.
In the course of the discussion, we learned that one of the girls gives investment seminars. So we've asked her if she could do one for us this summer. One example she gave us was to look at our current banking situation. Were we being charged for things that other banks wouldn't? Were we getting the best interest rate we could?
What tips do you have for managing your family's finances?
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