Keys to Wise Spending

God expects us to have faith, but also to use common sense and wise planning in allocating the resources He has given us. The best way to manage your money and stay out of debt is to have a strategy in place before the expenses or temptations arise.

BEGIN WITH A BUDGET. A budget is a road map that guides you and tells you when you are on course. Budgeting won't ensure prosperity, but it will keep you from overspending your resources and will help you avoid the debt trap.

DECIDE TO FOLLOW THE BUDGET. Most people understand the need for a good budget, but few follow through. Only 25% of American families operate on a budget. Fifty percent say they want to budget but never get around to it. Make your plan and stick to it.

PRIORITIZE YOUR EXPENDITURES. Make a list of what is most important to you. Start with the necessities (housing, food, car, utilities, insurance and taxes). Then list what you "should have" (clothing, furniture, etc.). Finally, list the things you'd like to have.

PAY THE LORD FIRST. If you get this first priority right, each step thereafter is easier. God makes it clear He is to receive the first fruits of your income, not the leftovers. The key to honoring God with your finances is remembering that your money is not your money. God owns it all and gives it to us as He pleases.

PAY BILLS ON TIME. Establish a budget that allows you to pay all your bills in full and on time each month. If you can't pay them all, pay something on all of them and communicate your intentions of paying everything to those you owe. If you can't pay your regular bills, it's time to move to a smaller house, drive an older model car, or make drastic cuts until your outgo matches your income.

GET OUT OF DEBT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Debt carries with it heavy responsibilities. Don't allow yourself to become a slave to creditors. Don't take on debt unless you have a clear plan for repaying it. Certainly stay away from debt if it is a habit out of control.

PLAN FOR EMERGENCIES. Small emergencies can eat at your budget every month unless you begin to set aside funds as part of your budget. For example, the dog gets sick, your car radiator dies, time for back-to-school clothes, etc.

HAVE SOME FUN. Use your resources for personal enjoyment. After you have managed your money wisely and given generously, there comes a time for you to enjoy the fruits of your labors.

IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY, INVOLVE THEM. When you create a list of priorities, it's important to involve your whole family so everyone understands the priorities and is focused on the goals.

IF YOU HAVE A SPOUSE, ASSIGN THE JOB OF PAYING THE BILLS. This isn't about control, since both should fully understand the financial situation and goals, but about the most capable person taking on the job.

上shang帝di希xi望wang我wo們men每mei個ge人ren都dou有you信xin心xin，不bu過guo他ta希xi望wang我wo們men每mei個ge人ren都dou能neng用yong上shang常chang識shi與yu精jing明ming計ji劃hua來lai分fen配pei他ta給gei予yu我wo們men的de資zi源yuan。管guan理li財cai富fu不bu欠qian債zhai的de最zui好hao方fang法fa就jiu是shi在zai開kai支zhi發fa生sheng或huo誘you惑huo出chu現xian時shi
，能neng有you一yi個ge適shi當dang的de策ce略lve。

首先要有預算

yusuanjiuxiangyizhanggeinizhiyindeluxiantu，tanenggaosunishenmeshihounizaiguidingguochengzhong。yusuanbunengbaozhengnifuyu
，dannengfangzhiniguofenxiaofeizijideziyuan

，bangzhunibimiandiaojinzhaiwudexianjing。

決定要服從預算

許多人都理解需要有個好預算，但卻很少有人真正堅持到底。隻在25%的美中家庭按照預算運轉。50%的人說到他們想按預算安排開支
，卻從來做不到。所以，製定自己的計劃還要堅持！

改善優先順序排列

將對自己最重要的事項列個清單。從生活必需品開始（房子，食品，車，水電費
，保險和稅金），然後列“應該購買”的東西（衣服，家具，等等）。最後
，列出自己想要的東西。

PAY THE LORD FIRST

如果你排序正確了，後麵的每一步操作起來就容易了！上(shang)帝(di)很(hen)明(ming)確(que)告(gao)訴(su)我(wo)們(men)了(le)，他(ta)要(yao)收(shou)回(hui)你(ni)收(shou)入(ru)的(de)第(di)一(yi)藍(lan)果(guo)子(zi)的(de)，而(er)不(bu)是(shi)剩(sheng)下(xia)的(de)。用(yong)自(zi)己(ji)的(de)財(cai)務(wu)來(lai)取(qu)悅(yue)上(shang)帝(di)的(de)關(guan)鍵(jian)就(jiu)在(zai)於(yu)要(yao)記(ji)住(zhu)，你(ni)的(de)錢(qian)並(bing)不(bu)是(shi)你(ni)的(de)錢(qian)！上帝全部擁有它
，看上帝高興給我們多少。

及時支付帳單

jianliyigeyusuan，shizijinengmeigeyueanshiquanezhifuzhangdan。ruguonibunengquanbuzhifu
，najiubayouxiezhangdanquanefuqing，ranhoulianxiduifang
，biaodazijiyuanyiduizijiqianfudezhangwuzhifusuoyoukenengdeqian。ruguoniliandingqizhangdandoufubuqile，nashishihouyaobandaoyisuoxiaofangzizhule，huozhekaolvkailaokuanche，huozhekaolvdafuxuejiankaizhi，xiaquzijizhichuyushouruwenhe。

盡快還清欠款

欠(qian)債(zhai)是(shi)很(hen)重(zhong)的(de)責(ze)任(ren)。不(bu)要(yao)讓(rang)自(zi)己(ji)成(cheng)為(wei)債(zhai)務(wu)的(de)奴(nu)隸(li)。除(chu)非(fei)自(zi)己(ji)有(you)清(qing)晰(xi)的(de)還(hai)款(kuan)計(ji)劃(hua)
，否(fou)則(ze)不(bu)要(yao)欠(qian)債(zhai)。如(ru)果(guo)欠(qian)債(zhai)成(cheng)了(le)一(yi)種(zhong)不(bu)可(ke)控(kong)製(zhi)的(de)習(xi)慣(guan)
，那(na)就(jiu)一(yi)定(ding)要(yao)戒(jie)除(chu)了(le)。

要有應急計劃

meigeyueyixiexiaodeyingjishijianyekeyixiaohaodiaonideyusuan，chufeinilingwaishelileyingjijijinzuoweiyusuandeyibufen。liru，goushengbingle
，chezideleidabuxingle
，huixuexiaojuhuiyaomaiyifule，dengdeng。

一定的娛樂休閑

還要將資源用於個人休閑娛樂。在對自己的錢財精明管理和大方支出後，你享受自己勞動成果的時候就來了！

有家者讓全家都參與

在列優先順序清單時，有一點很重要

，那就是讓你全家都參與進來，這樣每個人都能理解優先順序

，可以集中在這些目標上。

如果有配偶，讓對方來付帳單

這並不是講控製，因為雙方都應該徹底理解財務狀況和財務目標
，這講的是讓最有能力的人來擔當此任。

上(shang)帝(di)希(xi)望(wang)我(wo)們(men)忠(zhong)誠(cheng)，也(ye)希(xi)望(wang)我(wo)們(men)在(zai)安(an)排(pai)他(ta)賜(ci)予(yu)我(wo)們(men)的(de)東(dong)西(xi)時(shi)要(yao)動(dong)腦(nao)筋(jin)，做(zuo)出(chu)明(ming)智(zhi)的(de)安(an)排(pai)。管(guan)理(li)好(hao)自(zi)己(ji)的(de)錢(qian)
，不(bu)欠(qian)債(zhai)，最(zui)好(hao)的(de)辦(ban)法(fa)是(shi)在(zai)花(hua)錢(qian)或(huo)想(xiang)花(hua)錢(qian)之(zhi)前(qian)先(xian)合(he)理(li)安(an)排(pai)。

1.先做預算。預算就像地圖，它能指導你怎樣消費。預算並不能保證你有錢，但能讓你避免過度消費，陷入債務。

2.按照預算去做。大部分人都知道做預算

，但很少有人會按預算去做。隻有25%的美國家庭按預算去做。50%的家庭想按預算去做，但卻做不到。做好計劃，嚴格執行。

3.優先安排日常花費。把對自己來說最重要的東西寫下來。先寫必需的東西，如住房
、食品、汽車

、家庭用品、保險、稅收等

，再寫應該有的東西，如衣服、家具等，最後寫想擁有的東西。

4.先(xian)要(yao)感(gan)謝(xie)上(shang)帝(di)。先(xian)安(an)排(pai)好(hao)必(bi)需(xu)的(de)東(dong)西(xi)後(hou)，接(jie)下(xia)來(lai)的(de)事(shi)就(jiu)容(rong)易(yi)多(duo)了(le)。上(shang)帝(di)說(shuo)得(de)很(hen)清(qing)楚(chu)，他(ta)需(xu)要(yao)的(de)是(shi)最(zui)初(chu)的(de)收(shou)獲(huo)，而(er)不(bu)是(shi)殘(can)羹(geng)冷(leng)炙(zhi)。感(gan)謝(xie)上(shang)帝(di)的(de)關(guan)鍵(jian)是(shi)要(yao)記(ji)住(zhu)，你(ni)的(de)錢(qian)並(bing)不(bu)是(shi)你(ni)的(de)
，而(er)是(shi)上(shang)帝(di)高(gao)興(xing)的(de)時(shi)候(hou)賜(ci)予(yu)你(ni)的(de)。

5.按時付清賬單。做一份能每月按時、足zu額e付fu清qing賬zhang單dan的de預yu算suan。如ru果guo不bu能neng全quan部bu支zhi付fu，先xian支zhi付fu一yi部bu分fen
，然ran後hou告gao訴su對dui方fang你ni打da算suan什shen麼me時shi候hou全quan部bu付fu清qing。如ru果guo你ni連lian日ri常chang的de賬zhang單dan都dou不bu能neng支zhi付fu的de話hua，就jiu應ying該gai搬ban到dao更geng小xiao的de房fang屋wu，開kai舊jiu車che
，或huo大da幅fu削xue減jian開kai支zhi，直zhi到dao收shou支zhi相xiang抵di。

6.盡jin快kuai擺bai脫tuo債zhai務wu。債zhai務wu像xiang沉chen重zhong的de大da山shan。不bu要yao讓rang自zi己ji成cheng為wei卡ka奴nu。除chu非fei你ni有you明ming確que的de還hai債zhai計ji劃hua
，否fou則ze不bu要yao欠qian債zhai。如ru果guo欠qian債zhai已yi經jing成cheng為wei一yi種zhong習xi慣guan
，那na麼me一yi定ding不bu要yao欠qian債zhai。

7.為(wei)突(tu)發(fa)事(shi)件(jian)做(zuo)準(zhun)備(bei)。除(chu)非(fei)你(ni)每(mei)個(ge)月(yue)額(e)外(wai)留(liu)出(chu)部(bu)分(fen)資(zi)金(jin)，否(fou)則(ze)一(yi)些(xie)小(xiao)的(de)突(tu)發(fa)事(shi)件(jian)會(hui)減(jian)少(shao)你(ni)的(de)預(yu)算(suan)。比(bi)如(ru)，狗(gou)生(sheng)病(bing)了(le)，汽(qi)車(che)的(de)散(san)熱(re)器(qi)壞(huai)了(le)

，需(xu)要(yao)買(mai)衣(yi)服(fu)了(le)等(deng)等(deng)。

8.要快樂。花錢要讓自己快樂。在明智消費
、慷慨付出之後
，你就可以享受勞動成果了。

9.全家總動員。要讓全家人知道並且按照你的支出計劃去做

，這一點很重要。

10.讓妻子支付賬單。因為大家都了解收入狀況和消費情況，所以這不是支配，而是人人參與。