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.
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