It's the beginning of May and guess what that means? It's time for our monthly financial check-up. How did you do in April?
I've mentioned many times here in the past that I believe one of the greatest keys to financial success begins with setting goals. As the saying goes, "If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time." My husband and I have been amazed at how much harder we work, how much more careful we are in our spending, and how much more ground we cover when we set goals for our finances.
Most of you know that our big goal for this year is to save up enough to pay 100% down for our first home. However, our ultimate goal is not just owning a home free and
clear; our ultimate goal is to wisely steward our money in such a way
that we have as much as possible leftover to give to others. We see staying out
of debt and owning a home as one step closer in the direction of being
more financially able to help others.
It's wonderful to use coupons, bargain shop, take advantage of free restaurant meals, and so forth. But, for us, it's not just about the coupons, the sales, or the freebies–those are just a means to an end. Our heart's desire is to live on less than we make so we can take care of the needs of our own family first so we can then be able to give and reach out to others. Giving abundantly is our biggest goal financially.
In order to be able to "give like no one else" as Dave Ramsey says, we must first "live like no one else." If we are squandering all of our earnings and then living paycheck-to-paycheck, we will never be in a position to be able to help many others because we will just be barely eeking by ourselves.
Jesse and I recently watched this video by Dave Ramsey on giving and it gave us goosebumps–literally! To think of the impact we can have in this world if we are committed to doing all we can to be wise stewards of our finances. Just imagine the possibilities!
If you have yet to watch this short video, I highly recommend you go do so right now. It just might change your whole perspective on finances! Later this week, I'll be sharing a few ideas we've been implementing for giving which anyone can do–even if you have a very meager budget. Stay tuned!
With these things in mind, we're especially excited about the headway we were able to make in April:
We began April at 40.5% of our house savings goal. We ended the month at 45.5%!
I just can't even begin to express how thrilling it is to see our goal of owning a home debt-free becoming more and more a reality. God is good! And truly, setting goals makes a huge difference!
——————————————–
How did you do in April? Whether
or not you posted financial goals for 2009, please take a moment to
post about your financial successes and failures in April and, if you'd like, the areas
you hope to improve in May. Then, come back here and leave your link
below. If you don't have a blog or would rather share anonymously, feel
free to leave your update in a comment. Let's all keep each other
accountable to be better stewards of
our resources!