The Recession is Over...So Why are All the Cheap Living Articles Still Out?

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the "Great Recession" has been over since June 2009. Hmmph. Wish they'd let everyone know. The NEBR warns that although the recession is over, the economy's sluggish metabolism is not going to speed up overnight. Well, ya think? Elementary, my dear NBER, elementary.

Actually, I think it's good that the economy recovers slowly. It'll give us more time to think about what happened and how we got there. It cheers me to see articles titled "Save with scratch-and-dent food", "Jackson-area residents revert to traditional ways to save money", and "Are you misplacing hundreds of dollars?". The more our population strives to stretch pennies in one area, the more individuals can free some up for important items like savings accounts, emergency accounts, and IRAs (all of which are usually considered "frivolous" in times of economic hardship).

When we realize our personal buying on credit has turned our debt-based economy into a bi-partisan mess, we can clean up our spending, start saving, and get educated on the politicians who want to represent us. So many of us vote for the here and now solutions without bothering to consider what impact they'll have on tomorrow. Let's force our politicians to offer us viable solutions that have a realistic look at tomorrow by only voting for those who are socially and environmentally responsible for today and tomorrow.

Additionally, let's get educated on where exactly all of our stuff comes from and what impact that has on us as Americans and as Earth-dwellers. For example, do you have any idea how your jumbo-sized chicken breast got to your table or why tons of inner-aisle grocery products have corn-based ingredients? How does our constant need for meat and sugar affect our economy, environment, and health? Watch Food, Inc. to get a few of these answers. Check out ShopResponsibly.org to see what you can do to be a more responsible shopper.

Finally, let's all live cheaply. What's wrong with frugality becoming a lifestyle instead of emergency habit? Proverbs 13: 7 says "One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth." I'd rather be the person pretending to be poor instead of actually being poor. Forgive me if that sounds callous, but it's true. There are very few people in this world who would chose to struggle financially.

Here are some cheap living ideas:

• Planting an herb, vegetable, and/or fruit garden in your backyard is one of the greenest things you can do that will pay for itself.
• Reuse or upcycle your stuff.
• Buy used stuff (especially cars-just do your research first).
• Be your own personal dishwasher.
• Line dry your clothing.
• Walk, run, or cycle in your neighborhood and buy some (used) weights to make your own at-home gym.
• Start a co-op for things you need: baby-sitting, meals, cleaning, etc. You'd be amazed what people will do to avoid paying for something they'd be doing for themselves anyway.
  

There are a ton of great options for being cheap and green.

Take the challenge: Find one thing you're willing to change in order to be more frugal and/or greener. Once that becomes a habit, find something else. Slow and steady makes for lasting change. Think about how your actions today impact tomorrow. That's change we can all believe in! ;)

-Domestic Goddess out.

Giving God His Due

Today, our pastor talked about a convention he attended and some things he learned from Rick Warren, the guest speaker. Before writing The Purpose Driven Life, Rick and his wife had committed to tithing to God in a very uncommon way. Every year, they would take another percent of their income and add it to their tithe. Instead of giving 10%, they raised their tithes to 11, 12, 15%. I don't know how high they actually got before The Purpose Driven Life was published, but I imagine it must have been pretty high because it took a long while to get to the point in his life where God had prepared him to write the book.

Once The Purpose Driven Life was published, money came rolling in. That book is actually the #2 bestseller in the entire WORLD. It's second behind the Bible. :) Our pastor said Rick got to a point where he was excited about the prospects that money could bring him...until God reminded him otherwise. Rick become impressed with the fact that the money was God's and that he should remain in his "old" home and continue to use his "old" truck. He didn't need more than he already had, and if he did, God would provide. What a way to be kept humble!

What's more, the success of The Purpose Driven Life has allowed the Warrens to give 90% of their income to God's kingdom. How amazing! They live on the 10% normally allotted to God and give God the 90% allotted to them. Would that I could do the same! Thankfully, our family is debt-free, so we can give without worrying about where the money is going to come from.

But I have to wonder about people who are in debt. How hard it must be for them to give even the "minimum" 10% to God! It's hard to trust anyone with money, even God. The laws of mathematics say that 0-x=-x. But when we give to God, He breaks those laws (He can because He created them). 0-x=enough. He ALWAYS provides for those who are faithful and trust Him. I encourage you to give your tithe, even if you don't think you can afford it. Trust me, God math is incredible.

Before we were debt-free, we struggled to make the right money decisions. However, we never ever considered stopping our tithe. In fact, it was one of the things we agreed we'd always do despite our circumstances. Whatever we have, be it little or much, is from God. We owe him much, so why begrudge Him the 10% He asks us for? Such were our thoughts six years ago during marriage counseling, and five years into our marriage, we see the fruits of giving to God.

I urge you to examine your finances carefully. Decide to pay God before you pay yourself and definitely before you pay your bills. If you're in debt, make plans to get out of it. Christ calls us to give freely, but we can't do that until we get rid of our allegiances to our credit companies. God says the borrower is a slave to the master. Stop working to further someone's agenda and put your money to work for God's kingdom!

Finally, analyze whether you can give a little more generously to those on mission for God. You can give your money to your church, to missionaries, or to Christian non-profit organizations. Do a little research and give where your heart is. Stop being selfish with your money and give it to people who actually need it. Everything we do will be returned to us, not necessarily in the form of money, but in the form of blessings.

Domestic Goddess out.