May 17
Money
Do you run out of pay check before you run out of month? If you do, you’re not alone. Many Americans experience financial struggles, and those struggles increase stress in our lives and strife in our homes. For some people, the problem is too little income, for others, it is too much out go. For some people, no amount of income would satisfy their need to spend.
Madison Avenue calls people “Consumers.” What does that word imply to you? I picture a giant “pac-man” racing through a shopping maze devouring everything in sight. Does that word describe your shopping behavior? Or are you more level headed when you shop?
Several years ago, our Realtor gave us a counter offer from the owner of a Condo we were trying to buy. They wanted us to sign the offer that day or the offer was void. Our answer? We told her our answer is NO for today, but if she is willing to wait until next week it might be yes. What do you think the sellers did? Of course they waited, and we still own the Condo today. I try not to let someone pressure me into a purchase.
We are funny people. We will buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like. Sometimes a particular brand means quality, other times it simply means more money. Buying quality can be a great idea, even if it costs more. Buying status is always a bad idea. I avoid purchasing status.
The agony of bill paying always follows the joy of purchasing after stepping on impulse land-mines. I try to resist impulse buying by “sleeping on” a major purchase. More than once, I’ve backed away from an emotional decision by delaying a decision by twenty-four hours. My grandfather used to tell me to measure twice and cut once. Good advice for a carpenter. Not bad advise for shoppers.
Prov. 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”
Jim L. Wilson, Fresh Start Devotionals (Fresno, CA: Willow City Press, 2009).
Money
Do you run out of pay check before you run out of month? If you do, you’re not alone. Many Americans experience financial struggles, and those struggles increase stress in our lives and strife in our homes. For some people, the problem is too little income, for others, it is too much out go. For some people, no amount of income would satisfy their need to spend.
Madison Avenue calls people “Consumers.” What does that word imply to you? I picture a giant “pac-man” racing through a shopping maze devouring everything in sight. Does that word describe your shopping behavior? Or are you more level headed when you shop?
Several years ago, our Realtor gave us a counter offer from the owner of a Condo we were trying to buy. They wanted us to sign the offer that day or the offer was void. Our answer? We told her our answer is NO for today, but if she is willing to wait until next week it might be yes. What do you think the sellers did? Of course they waited, and we still own the Condo today. I try not to let someone pressure me into a purchase.
We are funny people. We will buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like. Sometimes a particular brand means quality, other times it simply means more money. Buying quality can be a great idea, even if it costs more. Buying status is always a bad idea. I avoid purchasing status.
The agony of bill paying always follows the joy of purchasing after stepping on impulse land-mines. I try to resist impulse buying by “sleeping on” a major purchase. More than once, I’ve backed away from an emotional decision by delaying a decision by twenty-four hours. My grandfather used to tell me to measure twice and cut once. Good advice for a carpenter. Not bad advise for shoppers.
Prov. 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”
Jim L. Wilson, Fresh Start Devotionals (Fresno, CA: Willow City Press, 2009).
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