Five Rules for Managing Money

Sermon preached at North Hill Adventist Fellowship, Sabbath March 3.

I may get around to posting the sermon. Here are the five rules: Earn some. Save some. Spend some. Give some. Don't borrow. Bonus rule: Don't gamble.

Work is a good thing (if we have a good job.).

Saving, i.e. spending less than we have, is the first sign of wealth and the first step toward enjoying money.

Spend some. It's okay. That's what money is for.

Give some. The ultimate form of enjoying money. When I give, I am aware of having so much money, I have more than I need. This is the ultimate proof to my heart that I am wealthy.

Don't borrow. This is really aimed at credit card borrowing. DON'T. PLEASE. If you've gotten caught in this trap get help, but not from anyone who is going to charge you anything. Borrow a Dave Ramsey book from the library--FREE!!! Read it and do what it says. Or go to someone in your church who is trustworthy and experienced in managing money and ask their help.

Only gamble if you have so much money left over after saving, spending and giving you don't know what to do with it. Gambling is a poor form of investing or credit repair. It's a really, really, really, really bad get-out-of-debt plan.