Financial Prosperity

Budgeting – Dave Ramsey Money Makeover

Budgeting – Dave Ramsey Money Makeover

The Power of a Budget and Baby Steps to Beat Debt and Build Wealth

I’m sure you have heard of Dave Ramsey; often referred to as today’s financial guru.

His path to wealth is based on seven, simple, common sense baby steps.

However, before taking the first step, he teaches the importance of a written monthly budget.

Ramsey’s book The Total Money Makeover”made the NY Times Best Seller list. He also teaches these principles in other books and courses. Plus you’ll find him on the radio, TV, at live events and his website is www.daveramsey.com.

Dave Ramsey’s recommended baby steps are below:

1 – $1,000 to Start an Emergency Fund

We all know it is only a matter of time before the unexpected emergency happens. This is for the unexpected things we can’t plan for.

2 – Pay Off All Debt Using the Debt Snowball

List all of your debts and begin paying them off starting with the one with the smallest balance. Once the first one is paid begin using the “extra money” toward paying the next on the list, etc.

3 – 3 to 6 Months of Expenses in Savings

After the first two steps are completed it is time to start building your full emergency fund.

4 – Invest 15% of Household Income Into Roth IRAs and Pre-Tax Retirement

When you reach this step, you’ll have no payments except your house. Now it is time to get serious about building wealth.

5 – College Funding for Children

Make sure you have already started investing 15% of your income in step 4 before saving for college.

6 – Pay Off Home Early

Now is the time to begin putting all extra money toward the mortgage to realize the dream of life without a house payment.

7 – Build Wealth and Give!

Time to build wealth and give like never before. Leave an inheritance for future generations and bless others with your excess.

video clip of Dave Ramsey:

Our society today is lacking in financial common sense and discipline. Everyone wants to have things “now” but figure out how to “pay” later.

There is hope though, and there is help for anyone who wants it. I’m always very encouraged to hear the success stories of those who have gone through the Dave Ramsey course.

If your finances are a mess, it is not too late to reach out for help, make a plan, and begin taking the first step to turn things around! 🙂

May you be blessed to be a blessing!

God bless you always,
Brenda

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Growing Prosperity – Generosity is Like the Secret Sauce of the Abundant Life!

Growing Prosperity – Generosity is Like the Secret Sauce of the Abundant Life!

How to Virtually Guarantee You Will Experience Growing Prosperity?

Growing prosperity will flourish when generosity is a daily part of life.

Generosity is like the secret sauce of an abundant life because it causes a person to receive more than they give…

Sound impossible?

It is said that the two greatest motivating forces in a person’s life are their desire for gain and their fear of loss. Generosity directly affects both.

Generosity Equals Growing Prosperity

If there was something you could do to virtually guarantee you would never lack for your physical needs, and that you would experience growing prosperity, would you want to know what it is? Well good news, because that something is available to you today. All you have to do is to become truly generous.

The wise Solomon tells us that if we are generous we will never lack for anything, but every true need will be provided and we will have growing prosperity. (Proverbs 11:24-25)

A generous person readily and freely gives a considerable portion of what they have to meet the needs of others and they do so without any expectation of getting something in return. And being generous isn’t just limited to financial and material generosity. It is actually about meeting the real needs of others, regardless of whether it is with your finances, actions, or emotional help.

Too many people think they have to be rich before they can be generous. But this is simply not true. We all have something to give, such as; time, kind words, thoughtfulness, and considerate acts.

Additional Benefits of Generosity

Generosity is one of the most admired characteristics anyone can express. Think about the business man who donates large amounts to charity, or the child who gives his hard-earned allowance to a disaster relief, or the elderly woman who freely gives a portion of what little food she has to a food drive. We appreciate and admire their generous giving.

However, appreciation and admiration are not the only benefits of generosity. A generous person will experience heartfelt joy when they help meet the needs of others. They will be happier and find that just as they refresh others, they too are refreshed. Their own needs will be abundantly supplied for.

“There is one who scatters, yet increases more;
And there is one who withholds more than is right,
But it leads to poverty.
The generous soul will be made rich,
And he who waters will also be watered himself.”
— Proverbs 11:24-25

What about those who are not generous? Well the same proverb previously mentioned says they will fall into poverty. This could be financial or material poverty, or emotional poverty. They tend to never be satisfied with what they have and continually need more.

Why not choose to develop your generous side? Generosity begins in the heart and is expressed through action. Extending generosity to others is a win-win situation. As you willingly bless others, watch as your own needs are abundantly supplied for in life.

May you be generous always and enjoy growing prosperity!

Be blessed to be a blessing –

Cheers,
Brenda

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Prosperous Living – Shortcut Your Path to Wealth by Acknowledging the True Source of Abundance!

Prosperous Living – Shortcut Your Path to Wealth by Acknowledging the True Source of Abundance!

Who Do You Acknowledge and Trust to Supply Your Needs in Life?

Prosperous living requires taking a drive…

on the path to wealth.

One of the primary shortcuts,

in reaching our destination,

involves acknowledging the true source of abundance.

One Infinite Source

There is only one true source in the universe that holds unlimited supply. God it the true source of all wealth; including financial wealth and spiritual and physical prosperity.

It is important to understand that when we acknowledge God as our source, temporary financial struggles no longer need to dictate our outcome. Why? Because, there are many ways and means that God can use to supply our needs. And His supply never runs dry.

God is the source and everyone else is His instrument.  Many people make the mistake of thinking that their job is the source of their supply. But they need to realize that God is the source, and He simply uses their work as a means to let the funds flow to them.

“My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches.”
— Philippians 4:19

Notice it says ‘My God’, not the company you work for. God is your source.

An Invisible Reservoir of Abundance

Norman Vincent Peale talks about an invisible reservoir of abundance in the universe. This is a great image of the abundance of God.

As we continually acknowledge God as the source of our supply, we’ll find that we are divinely guided on our path to wealth. God is able to make a way when there seems to be no way. Realize it is our choice to recognize God’s power and ownership over everything. And remember we are only stewards of what He supplies us.

Putting our faith and trust in a job, a person, or any other income source, has been proven to be a letdown at one time or another in life.

Prosperity is the result of our choice to accept and trust that God’s ways are higher than ours. When we live by His ways, they will guide us on the path to wealth and allow us to tap into the invisible reservoir of abundance…

We will then be like trees planted by rivers of water and prospering in everything we put our hand to. (Psalm 1:3)

Make no mistake about it: We will never go wrong acknowledging God as the source of our supply. However, be fair warned, if we choose not to, we can expect a lot of detours on our path to wealth.

May your eyes always be fixed on God as your source and may your life be filled with growing prosperity!

Be blessed to be a blessing –

Cheers,
Brenda

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Growing Prosperity – Do You Want 7 Proven Ways to Shortcut Your Path to Wealth?

Growing Prosperity – Do You Want 7 Proven Ways to Shortcut Your Path to Wealth?

7 Proven Ways to Shortcut Your Path to Wealth

Growing prosperity is a process and a journey.

One of the paths, we all want to take on this journey, is the path to wealth…

And we want to reach this destination in life as quickly as possible.

So what are some shortcuts you can take on your path to wealth?

There are many time-tested and proven shortcuts that we can see the wealthy have in common. Some so seemingly simple that they are often overlooked in value. However, even though they may appear ‘simple’, do not underestimate the power they can have when put into action.

Without further ado, here are seven of the best ones I have discovered:

Top 7 Proven Ways to Shortcut Your Path to Wealth

1.) Acknowledge God as Your Source

Who is your source? Many people make the mistake of thinking that their job is their source of supply. But they need to realize that God is the source and uses their work as a means to let the funds flow to them.

Expect God to bless you. And remember problems and needs are opportunities for God to provide for you. His abundance is unlimited.

2.) Knowledge is Power

Is your knowledge limited? More often than not, our knowledge is far too limited to make the best financial decisions that lead to wealth.

Solomon cautions us in Proverbs 15:22, that without counsel, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed. By seeking the counsel and wisdom of others, we radically expand our knowledge and ability to make wise financial decisions.

3.) Honor God with Your Tithes

Are you a tither? Wealthy and successful people are found to give ten percent or more of their income to charity. Those that honor God with their tithe (10 percent of their income), have the right to stand on the promise in Malachi 3:10 that says, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse… and prove me now, saith the Lord, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

“Tithing seems to put a person in touch with some mysterious force that attracts money.”
— Norman Vincent Peale

4.) Be a Generous Giver

Do you exhibit generosity; the quality that receives more than it gives? Giving has been compared to waving a magic wand that manifests prosperity.

There is a well known proverb that tells us that those who give generously to others will gain back even more than they give. (Proverbs 11:24-25) Sound impossible? Just try it and see!

5.) Learn to Save

Have you developed the habit of saving? The discipline of consistently saving even small amounts, regularly over time, is a practice that leads to financial success. The savings habit, combined with growing knowledge to make wise investments, will shortcut your path to wealth.

6.) Stay Out of Bad Debt

Do you recognize that debt is a problem? The borrower is slave to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7) The majority of people in debt continue to get deeper in debt. The spirit of ‘keeping up with the Jones’ is a problem. Debt is your enemy.

“Debt is a merciless master. It will do everything it can to destroy you.”
– Napoleon Hill

7.) Be Thankful

Are you a thankful person? God gave you wisdom and He gave you ability. It is His will that you are blessed to be a blessing. Do you give Him thanks for your job; which provides you monetary gain? Do you give thanks to all that you have been allowed to be steward over?

Being thankful and appreciative for the little creates an atmosphere for future growth.

So there you have it: Why not use these seven proven shortcuts on your path to wealth?

May you shortcut your path to wealth and enjoy a life of growing prosperity!

Be blessed to be a blessing –

Cheers,
Brenda

P.S. Any additional shortcuts that have helped (are helping) you? Feel free to share…

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Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door – Harvey Mackay

Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door – Harvey Mackay

Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You

If you are looking for work…

then you’ll want to checkout this new book by Harvey Mackay.

“Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door:

Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You.”

This book is already a national bestseller and being recommended by people like Tony Robbins.

Why is Harvey’s book so good and so relevant, even if you aren’t looking for a job?

  • If you’re looking for a job, it’s filled with great tips and strategies to get your foot in the door, a first and second interview and negotiate a higher salary than you’d normally get
  • If you aren’t looking for a job, this book will help you keep the one you have
  • If you own a business, this book will help you hire, manage and fire better
  • The book is exceptionally well-organized and well-written

You can purchase the book online at Amazon: “Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door”

Here is another link offering some free job search reports and videos:
http://www.MackayBook.com (I have no idea how long this is good for?)

Wishing you all the best in your job search!

Be blessed to be a blessing –

Cheers,
Brenda

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Abundant Prosperity – If You Want True Riches Hear What God Has to Say About Your Money!

Abundant Prosperity – If You Want True Riches Hear What God Has to Say About Your Money!

Want to Manifest True Riches?

Hear What God Has To Say About Your Money!Abundant prosperity is available in all areas of your life.

It is important that you don’t limit prosperity only to finances.

True riches equals much more than money or things: it also includes spiritual blessings like wisdom and peace.

If you want true riches in your life, you need to listen to what God has to say about the matter.

God has plenty to say about your money. He actually talks more about money in the Bible than even prayer. Yet it is a subject that most believers don’t want to talk about. Or at least they don’t want to hear what the Lord has to say about money.

Let’s look at a couple key areas you should pay attention to.

YOUR HEART FOLLOWS YOUR TREASURE

If you want to know what someone loves, look at what they spend their money on. What you invest your finances on is a reflection of what you love.

“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” 
— Luke 12:34

Where and what you spend your money on does more than reflect the condition of your heart. Your spending also decides the direction that your heart will go. This is good news. You can choose where your heart will go, by choosing what you invest your finances on.

Where do you want your heart to be?

If you want it to be with your spouse, then spend money on your spouse. If you want it to be with your house, vehicles, toys, and possessions, then spend your money on those things. Do you want your heart to be with God? Then tithe and invest your finances in the things of God. Investing in Him brings great returns.

FAITHFULNESS WITH YOUR MONEY OPENS THE DOOR TO TRUE RICHES

Another key step you must learn is how to be faithful with your finances. If you are not dependable, reliable, generous, and faithful with your finances, God will not commit to you true riches.

“If you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” 
— Luke 16:11

Money is not really true riches. True riches are revelation, wisdom, favor, and other spiritual blessings of the Lord.

Are you getting this? God is saying if you are a faithful and generous giver, then you open the door for Him to do things in your life that money can’t do.

Unfortunately, Christians often don’t want to be talked to about how they handle their money; instead only about spiritual things. Yet, God is trying to tell you that He’s not going to entrust you with spiritual things if you’re not first faithful when it comes to your finances. They go hand-in-hand and you need to prove you are able to handle the money you now have in order to be entrusted with more and also the true riches of spiritual blessings.

Do yourself a favor and begin to listen to what God has to say about how you should handle your money. Then trust and follow His directions. Believe He will take care of you financially and know that following His plan will open the door to true riches and abundant prosperity in your life.

May your faithfulness result in spiritual blessings and continued growing prosperity!

Be blessed to be a blessing –

Cheers,
Brenda

P.S. Feel free to share your thoughts and comments with others…

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Growing Prosperity – Build Your Financial World a Little at a Time and You Will Increase!

Growing Prosperity – Build Your Financial World a Little at a Time and You Will Increase!

Abundant Prosperity a Little at a Time

Build Your Financial World Little by LittleGrowing prosperity is the best way to have financial abundance.

Grow it step-by-step and little-by-little.

Lasting success comes a little at a time.

Have you been found guilty of chasing after some get rich quick schemes that sounded too good to pass by?

Well you are not alone.

People are doing the very same thing daily.

I must confess I have had my own share of chasing down the wrong path and I learned a valuable lesson!

Get Your Riches Quick – Lose Your Riches Quick

Wealth that is gained quickly diminishes and fades away. In most cases, it is the result of being spent foolishly with no long-term benefit. Proverbs has a verse that tries to warn us and help us with this.

“Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathers by labor shall increase.” —  Proverbs 13:11

I’m not shocked that many people waste time looking for ways to get rich quick. But it is unfortunate. And one doesn’t have to look far to find something to chase after. 

Do any of these sound familiar? Find out how to make a seven figure income monthly on autopilot with no work involved. Win a billion dollars in the lottery and be set for life. Or enter the latest sweepstakes to win lots of money.

Abundant Prosperity – A Little at a Time

When we build our financial world a little at a time, it will increase. A dollar may not look significant these days, but it is. Even the small things will begin to add up when they are added to each other.

Right off the bat we must value and manage the little before we can manage a lot. We have to be faithful stewards with the finances we have if we want God to trust us with true riches. (Luke 16:11)

It never fails; when we do honest work for our money, we increase. God says He will increase us when we gather by labor; just like the end of Proverbs 13:11 says in the quote above.

Honest work gets results. Notice also that the two words “honest” and “work” are missing from the get rich quick plans.

Do yourself a favor: Don’t trust in quick riches that are soon gone. Build your financial world a little at a time, and experience the long-term benefits of success and abundant prosperity. Doing things God’s way brings lasting success and financial abundance.

May you build your financial world little-by-little and experience growing prosperity!

Be blessed to be a blessing –

Cheers,
Brenda

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Financial Prosperity – Want 2 Keys to Help You Excel?

Financial Prosperity – Want 2 Keys to Help You Excel?

Get 2 Keys that Equal a BIG Step of Faith to Excel Your Financial Prosperity!

Financial prosperity is available to everyone.

Financial Prosperity God's WayThe source of all financial abundance is God and with Him there are no limits. Trouble is, too many people are slow to learn the principles that will cause them to excel financially.

Are you tired of going in circles where your finances are concerned? In days of economic uncertainty, it is important for everyone to get a working knowledge of truth to prosper.

Sadly enough, too many people believe poverty is the will of God. This kind of thinking will prevent you from prospering. You can prosper by using God’s spiritual principles in your finances.

Get your thinking clear on how to work them and you’ll no longer use words like recession, poverty, and lack.

In order to receive financial abundance from God, we must do our part. If we do our part, He’ll do His part and meet our needs according to His riches in glory.

2 Keys to Excel Your Financial Abundance:

1.) Be a Tither

What is tithing? Tithing is giving the first 10 percent of your income to God’s house. Most people don’t like to hear about tithing and it puts them in fear. But you’ll have no problem tithing if you see God as your source of supply.

The tithe is seed money of wealth and is compared to sowing. The more a person gives, the more that person receives. Financial prosperity is one benefit of tithing. It puts you in partnership with God. We are told to bring the tithes into God’s house and then test Him and see if He does not open the windows of heaven and pour out such a blessing on us that we don’t have room enough to contain it! (Malachi 3:10)

Tithing is a step of trust and obedience that God will take care of your finances. God promises to pour out a blessing to the tither.

I personally started tithing about seven years ago, after being taught on the subject. I’ll admit that I had doubts and started out as “going to give tithing a try”.

I wanted to do the right thing and obey God, but I really couldn’t see how I could tithe if I already wasn’t making all my bills. I think at the time I was making about $8 p/h and raising two kids with no child support or assistance.

All I can say is that this has been one of the most life-changing steps I have taken! No I don’t have millions in the bank (yet 🙂 ) but I have seen the favor of God move in my life like never before. I started getting raises and promotions, supernatural deals and savings when I shop, wisdom in making smart financial decisions, creative ideas started coming to me, and even money in the most unexpected times.

One time things were hitting a bottom and I wondered how I would be able to continue tithing and I then got an unexpected huge child support payment in the mail from some sort of intercept from a settlement.

I really could go on and on with personal examples, and that of my children. I just want to encourage you to study on the subject of tithing and learn what God has to say about it. My personal financial situation has not been too pretty this last year, after stepping into full-time self-employment, but I am still committed to giving to God what belongs to Him. I need His hand on my life now more than ever before!

2.) Give Offerings

What is an offering? An offering is something given above and beyond the tithe. Or what you give after you tithe.

When you give, it will be given back to you in good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. Also note, that whatever measure you give, (small, medium, or large), is the same measure that will be used to give back to you. (Luke 6:38)

No doubt about it; it is impossible to out give God and He is the source of unlimited abundance. God has promised to meet our needs spiritually, physically, and financially. If we do our part in tithes and offerings, God says He will do His part.

May you continue to take steps of obedience to His Word and continue to have growing prosperity in your finances!

Be blessed to be a blessing –

Cheers,
Brenda

P.S. Any thoughts on the subject? … feel free to share…

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