Monday, February 18, 2013

Helpful Financial Links

Here is a collection of resources to help you in your financial management.

TALKS FROM OUR LEADERS

Finances

One for the Money: Guide to Family Finance 

The Sanctifying Work of Welfare

Providing in the Lord's Way

The Lord's Richest Blessings

The Law of Tithing 

Providing for Our Needs**

Let Him Do It with Simplicity 

Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually 

God Will Pour out a Blessing, Ensign 

Welfare Principles, Church Handbook of Instruction

All is Safely Gathered In 

VIDEOS

Becoming Provident Providers

Tithing Funds the Lord's Work

Jesus Teaches about the Widow's Mites

HELPFUL TOOLS

Financial Calculators 

Online management tool: Mint

LDS Budget/Debt Worksheets

100 Savvy Money Saving Tips by Category 

BabyCenter Family Finance Basics

American Family Finance Statistics 

Summary of Dave Ramsey's 7 Baby Steps

Smart Couples Finish Rich, a review of David Bach's book 

Deciphering Your Bank Statement

How to Write a Personal Financial Plan

Goals, Insurance, Investments, Retirement, Estate Planning 

Dollar Store Deals: What to buy and what to skip

Walmart Coupons

QUOTES/OVERALL SUMMARY


PAY A FULL & HONEST TITHE
“The payment of tithing helps us develop a submissive and humble heart and a grateful heart that tends to “confess … his hand in all things” (D&C 59:21). Tithe-paying fosters in us a generous and forgiving heart and a charitable heart full of the pure love of Christ. We become eager to serve and bless others with an obedient heart, submissive to the Lord’s will. Regular tithe payers find their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ strengthened, and they develop a firm, abiding testimony of His gospel and of His Church. None of these blessings are monetary or material in any way, but surely they are the Lord’s richest blessings. I testify that as we pay our tithing faithfully, the Lord will open the windows of heaven and pour out upon us His richest blessings.”  --CARL B. PRATT, of the Seventy

AVOID DEBT & HIGH INTEREST
“Interest never sleeps nor sickens nor dies; it never goes to the hospital; it works on Sundays and holidays; it never takes a vacation; it never visits nor travels; it takes no pleasure; it is never laid off work nor discharged from employment; it never works on reduced hours; it never has short crops nor droughts; it never pays taxes; it buys no food; it wears no clothes; it is unhoused and without home and so has no repairs, no replacements, no shingling, plumbing, painting, or whitewashing; it has neither wife, children, father, mother, nor kinfolk to watch over and care for; it has no expense of living; it has neither weddings nor births nor deaths; it has no love, no sympathy; it is as hard and soulless as a granite cliff. Once in debt, interest is your companion every minute of the day and night; you cannot shun it or slip away from it; you cannot dismiss it; it yields neither to entreaties, demands, or orders; and whenever you get in its way or cross its course or fail to meet its demands, it crushes you.” –PRESIDENT J. REUBEN CLARK, 1938
“Invest wisely. Avoid speculations and get-rich-quick schemes.” –M RUSSELL BALLARD

DISTINGUISH BETWEEN NEEDS & WANTS,
LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS
“Self-reliance is a product of provident living and exercising economic self-discipline. From the beginning the Church has taught that families—to the extent they can—need to assume responsibility for their own temporal welfare. Each generation is required to learn anew the foundational principles of self-reliance: avoid debt, implement principles of thrift, prepare for times of distress, listen to and follow the words of the living oracles, develop the discipline to distinguish between needs and wants and then live accordingly.” –H. DAVID BURTON
“If there is any one thing that will bring peace and contentment into the human heart, and into the family, it is to live within our means. And if there is any one thing that is grinding and discouraging and disheartening, it is to have debts and obligations that one cannot meet.” –PRESIDENT HEBER J. GRANT
“Exercise self-discipline by telling ourselves “We can’t afford it” and refusing to take on further credit obligations.
Please be patient and carefully control your purchases so that you will not become enslaved to your creditors.” –M RUSSELL BALLARD  


HAVE A PLAN & SET GOALS 
FOR YOUR MONEY & YOURSELF
“Brothers and sisters, let us discuss the second key, planning, which means to think out beforehand how we intend to reach our goals in life. Do we all have a plan to increase our value where we are employed? Have we taken the time to write down specific goals, and have we designed a plan of action to become more effective and productive? –M. RUSSEL BALLARD
“Brothers and sisters, every one of us has the potential to improve and increase his earning capacity. We are far better off if we can improve and become more valuable on our full-time jobs than if we attempt to hold two jobs or to have mothers leave home to join the work force.” 
HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE &
LOVE TO WORK  
"Remember, a good attitude produces good results, a fair attitude fair results, a poor attitude poor results. We each shape our own life, and the shape of it is determined largely by our attitude. Too many people in our country today are developing the attitude that government is obligated to care and provide for them. In many ways, government has fostered this attitude, but the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints know better."


TIPS FROM ELDER M. RUSSELL BALLARD  

The first key is to have a positive attitude toward ourselves.
Attitude is an important part of the foundation upon which we build a productive life. In appraising our present attitude, we might ask: “Am I working to become my best self? Do I set worthy and attainable goals? Do I look toward the positive in life? Am I alert to ways that I can render more and better service? Am I doing more than is required of me?”

Brothers and sisters, let us discuss the second key, planning, which means to think out beforehand how we intend to reach our goals in life. Do we all have a plan to increase our value where we are employed? Have we taken the time to write down specific goals, and have we designed a plan of action to become more effective and productive?

The third key is to practice self-discipline both at our work and as we attempt to reduce our expenses in our homes. Regarding the latter, Church leaders should set the example by seeing that stake and ward financial requests are kept to a minimum. Members should—
1. Avoid debt-pooling where exorbitant fees are charged. We may want to consolidate debts using a bank or credit union loan that can be repaid at a sensible interest rate over a reasonable length of time. We may need to stop using our credit cards.
2. Exercise self-discipline by telling ourselves “We can’t afford it” and refusing to take on further credit obligations.
An argument was overheard one day. One spouse said, while scolding the other for extravagant spending, “How many times do I have to tell you that spending money before you get it is economically unsound?”
“Oh,” said the other spouse, “I don’t know about that. This way, if you don’t get the money, at least you have something to show for it.”
Please be patient and carefully control your purchases so that you will not become enslaved to your creditors.
3. Make a budget and stick to it.
4. Cut expenses by distinguishing between wants and needs. Economize by controlling the use of goods, services, and energy.
5. Increase homemaking skills and have family members complete home and car repairs, when feasible.
6. Invest wisely. Avoid speculations and get-rich-quick schemes.