While it’s always good to be careful with our resources, the need for wise financial management feels all the more important at times like this, when economic problems are widespread and felt by us all.
Please share ways you try to save money. Are you a coupon clipper? Are you cutting back in your purchases? Cooking more rather than eating out? Budgeting differently? Redefining wants and needs? Perhaps you have a tip that can benefit others. Or maybe you know of a helpful website about financial management.
Let’s help each other be wise with our resources! Click on the comments link below to share your thoughts. If you have a story to share, please consider submitting an essay to us (use either account at gmail: ‘mormonwoman’ or ‘mormonwomen’).
Here are some links to get us started….
Elder Hales talked in General Conference about being “provident providers.” He shares personal experiences from his life and lessons he learned about provident living.
The Church has an entire website devoted to the topic of provident living, including information about managing family finances, employment tips and resources (including job postings), and various other important topics.
Happily Living Within Our Means — Church members share thoughts on money management
Are You Prepared? — This article includes a list of various other articles and resources for financial management and self-reliance (food storage, etc.)
One thing I have done more in the last year or so is buying generic. It seems so simple. There are some things that are good in generic and some are not. I have also started using more of my food storage – powdered eggs, macaroni, etc. – in my daily use. We get a lot of movies and books from the library instead of the store too.
One thing I did that has seriously helped us with money is setting up a dedicated savings account for Christmas. I have $50.00 a paycheck automatically taken out and deposited into this account– that I cannot access until the 23rd of November.
It seems like it wouldn’t make that big of deal, or help with finances, but holy cow! I don’t miss the money at all, and we don’t charge anything on our credit cards any more. Christmas has become quite pleasant since doing this–rather than the stress festival that it has been in the past.
Christmas never changes– it is the same time every single year. Yet it was so difficult to save for it. The dedicated savings account has helped with the savings AND helped us to scale back on the amount of stuff we get for Christmas. We only have a certain amount of money – cash – and once its gone, its gone. We really plan and buy meaningful gifts.