I’m not the best at sticking to a budget. Overall we are responsible with our money but from time to time we spend too much on certain categories of the budget (hello, eating out!) and that takes away money that we should be putting into saving and giving. We have felt strongly convicted about this lately and have decided to tighten up so that we can direct more of our money to saving and giving.
They always say to put your money where your mouth is. In this case we are hoping to put less of our money where our mouths are and put more of it into others’ mouths. In reading through Proverbs this week with Good Morning Girls two verses stuck out to me the most- Proverbs 29:7 and 28:27.
Proverbs 29:7 reminds me that as a child of God I should care about justice for the poor. And we all know that to really care is to do something about it not just feel something about it. So instead of just feeling bad that others don’t have enough we are tightening our belts in the grocery department in particular. I’m working on shopping the pantry and sticking to my frugal meal plans.
Proverbs 28:27 reminds me that we will not lack for anything. Would I rather eat out than stay in and have pbj sandwiches? Sure, I would. But even on those nights that we elect to stay in and keep costs minimal our bellies will be full and our bodies will be nourished.
Sacrificing in this department for a time will help us learn to be a little more disciplined with our money which will enable us to give and save more than we have been lately. I’m looking forward to being able to give more. Hopefully if we are able to keep our spending minimal for a while we will be able to do more than just care about justice for the poor but we will be able to actually help bring it to be, even just for a few.
As far as where our money should go we have a few organizations in mind, most of which we have given to in the past. We love Samaritan’s Purse, Compassion International, and Haven of Rest. Any recommendations for other great organizations to give to? I’d love to hear some suggestions.
Cat is a teacher turned stay-at-home mom of two boys. She shares crafts, DIY projects, kids’ activities, and a little bit about life in Ohio. Learn more about her and the blog on the About page.