Money Matters

Money matters! It matters to all of us, and while it should not dominate our lives to the point of selfishness, money must matter enough to be WELL CARED FOR~like something of great value~which it is~a thing of worth.

So since it matters, and matters a LOT~what are you doing to take care of your hard earned Lincoln$? Do you pay your bills ON TIME so you are not paying late fees and extras that aren't necessary additions to your budget? Let's face it, there are enough things taking our money these days from the trivial to the extreme that have to be paid~all sorts of things like medical bills and or deductions, utilities, rent/mortgage, travel expenses (gasoline-car care items), clothing and more! I could list ToNs of things that take our money, and well cared for money is money that earns and has value beyond the face value of the bill upon which it is printed! What about looking for deals and steals of which I doubt the true value of, you can read an earlier post, but educating ourselves when making even the most trivial purchases makes spending smarter. We have to spend our money for what we need and want, let's just get the best price possible.

My father is an example of a man who believes in debt free living. I remember being a preteenager and the celebration of my parents when they told us kids that the house was now "paid for" meaning mortgage free. I know my Dad is a thrifty person. I have teased him for years calling his money, "musty money" as it does have the dank dark odor of a place well hidden! I have seen him through the years take and rub his fingers over bills to make sure none are sticking together when counting out his money to pay or give to me ;-)) or other reasons. He has told me that money can stick together, and he doesn't plan to lose any this way! He is quite careful to shop and save ernestly. I also know he doesn't often loan his money either. Now for some this might be a sensitive subject, but I want to address it. Can we really afford to loan our money to folks who generally have not proven to be "credit worthy" themselves because IF they were, would they be asking ME for my money???? Let's get REAL here! Taking care of money means talking care of credit too. I am not saying you can't be generous. I believe in generosity and helping, but NOT enabeling! I refuse~REFUSE to give a way my money to a person who generally has as much "disposible" income as I do because they don't manage well or have made unwise choices. My Dad says a man worth his salt does NOT unless it's an extreme unforseeable circumstance NEED to borrow~and if that occasion arises, he has resources that he has well cared for in the past~MEANING: debts are paid! I have learned this lesson the hard way too. I have loaned money, shared and given to see that advantage taken. TAKEN~! How fair is it to my children to put them in jepardy over utilities and rent to help someone out who has proven to be unreliable. Once a lady asked for Christmas gifts for her children to get to the home to find more gifts under that tree than my own children received. Petty as this sounds on my part, I found that this lady had called "all her resources." I am less willing than in the past. Some folks will fail to pay utilies until they are being shut down~and there they go to call and cry and whine to get help. Now don't forget that it takes time in many communities to get to this place, that companies will work with folks who don't have histories of this, but reality is, resources run low. LOW running resources is not a use for my money. I have a heart. I care. I really do, but how WISE is it for me to offer my goods to put in peril my own family? Sometimes consequences must be learned the hard way and love is tough!

Taking care of my money means keeping good track of it, keeping it close and staying with goals and values for my family. Give as God asks of you, but be sure you are not enabeling a person to continue poor habits.

Money matters! Take care, keep track and close!
SisterTipster<3