- Jun 30, 2011
- 501
- 62
- Gender
- Female
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- Eastern Orthodox
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- Married
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- CA-Conservatives
Everyone today is focused on the economy, no matter which country we live in. When you do your household budgets, which of you does the math, how are you creating a budget pleasing to God, and what things have you decided definitely are not pleasing to Him?
My husband and I are restoring a 100 year old house, and this summer's projects are painting and new eavestroughs. At this point, only my husband works, although I am job-hunting. My husband has a stable job in an unstable company, so we try to keep our expenses as low as possible.
Even though he earns the money, I keep track of our spending, and budget, and pay the bills, and provide monthly summaries of where we are, financially. We tend to grocery shop together, and to buy gifts for our family together, and generally every item comes under some scrutiny...do we need salsa con queso, even though it's only $3, or is that money better spent elsewhere? Neither of us objects if one of us REALLY wants something, please don't think we're impossible about things, but, in general, we plan meals, making allowance for sales, for unexpected hospitality, and other things. I think we tend to keep a very tight control over our spending, and we both have excellent credit.
My spiritual father has always advised that Christians should not carry large debts, because then we are free to work according to our consciences, and do what is pleasing to God. (ex: we could quit work if the choice was that, or agree to something we believed was immoral). Naturally, a portion of our budget goes to Church, and to charity, but in general we try to keep our budget as low as possible to better pay off the costs of what the house needs. Cable TV, movies, etc. for the most part are voted as "not pleasing", although one or two creep in, they are usually some we own, or that we watch at friends' houses. (If we decide our movies or books are not in keeping with a Christian lifestyle, they are weeded out, also, and thrown out or given to charity.) Restaurants are mostly vetoed, as is fast food. I love to cook, and we can have gourmet meals for less than the cost of a value meal at Burger King, so we seldom eat out. We are blessed to live in a city with many free concerts, free events, and great places to walk in, and, on the whole, we feel very well satisfied doing these things, living our lives in the Church, and dining with friends, without feeling we're hurting the budget or misusing what God gave us.
How do you all handle things?
My husband and I are restoring a 100 year old house, and this summer's projects are painting and new eavestroughs. At this point, only my husband works, although I am job-hunting. My husband has a stable job in an unstable company, so we try to keep our expenses as low as possible.
Even though he earns the money, I keep track of our spending, and budget, and pay the bills, and provide monthly summaries of where we are, financially. We tend to grocery shop together, and to buy gifts for our family together, and generally every item comes under some scrutiny...do we need salsa con queso, even though it's only $3, or is that money better spent elsewhere? Neither of us objects if one of us REALLY wants something, please don't think we're impossible about things, but, in general, we plan meals, making allowance for sales, for unexpected hospitality, and other things. I think we tend to keep a very tight control over our spending, and we both have excellent credit.
My spiritual father has always advised that Christians should not carry large debts, because then we are free to work according to our consciences, and do what is pleasing to God. (ex: we could quit work if the choice was that, or agree to something we believed was immoral). Naturally, a portion of our budget goes to Church, and to charity, but in general we try to keep our budget as low as possible to better pay off the costs of what the house needs. Cable TV, movies, etc. for the most part are voted as "not pleasing", although one or two creep in, they are usually some we own, or that we watch at friends' houses. (If we decide our movies or books are not in keeping with a Christian lifestyle, they are weeded out, also, and thrown out or given to charity.) Restaurants are mostly vetoed, as is fast food. I love to cook, and we can have gourmet meals for less than the cost of a value meal at Burger King, so we seldom eat out. We are blessed to live in a city with many free concerts, free events, and great places to walk in, and, on the whole, we feel very well satisfied doing these things, living our lives in the Church, and dining with friends, without feeling we're hurting the budget or misusing what God gave us.
How do you all handle things?