Friday is for Finances – Helpful Budgeting Tools for 2011

“A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.” Proverbs 14:15

This weekend’s sermon marks the beginning of a new series, a new year; and for many of us – new goals.  If you are like me, the family budget is a huge component of annual planning.  In order to fully realize our goals in life (let alone the next year) it requires financial planning that will enable the flexibility we might need and desire to see that our goals are accomplished.

The word “steward” literally means – a person who manages another’s property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others. We see this biblically in Genesis 1:

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created mankind in his own image,

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” 
 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. 
 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

In God’s design of creation, he intended that man would steward creation – everything belongs to the Lord and he graciously entrusts it to our care. Yet, how can a person steward that which he does not know? Financially speaking, if you are unaware of how much money you have and the basic needs before you, how can you ever hope to properly manage the money the Lord has given you?

Here are a few budgeting tools that I have used or that I have found helpful and thought you might want to know about:

Mint.com is an amazing website developed by Intuit (the same group that designed Quicken and Quickbooks software).  Mint.com has an amazingly simple budgeting process as well as financial dashboard that is extremely helpful in managing the numerous accounts we often hold from multiple banks, investment accounts, loans, credit cards, etc.  Mint.com also has some killer mobile apps that make tracking income to expenses and the status of your accounts so much simpler.  Mint.com also has (in my opinion) one of the best blog’s on personal finances out there today.

Crown Financial Ministries has some great FREE downloadable documents that help with budgeting as well as so much more (investment strategies, insurance decisions, etc).

Dave Ramsey is a familiar name in personal finances and his site, as well as individual material, are great and extremely helpful for any individual (stay tuned for information on an upcoming Financial Peace University to be starting in the next couple of months).

There are other ways as well (I personally have used an excel document I created for the last 4 years).  What other ways have you found helpful in budgeting? Please share any thoughts or other ideas you have below in the comments as we seek to help each other in wise planning this next year.

Don’t forget you can always request financial coaching HERE

We also have a new semi-annual morning seminar coming up January 15th at our East Campus to help equip each of you with very practical tools to more fully steward all that the Lord has given. For more information and to register click HERE.