LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS
LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS
Our challenge as a people is, we love to show, to impress others instead of expressing the person we really are and to show forth the glory of God. Many people can go out of their ways to look nice, they like to spend and where there is no money to continue such life, they do something silly. The young lady that want to buy strait bone hair, how much is your salary? Or the young man that loves to buy iPhone 7 with no job, what sort of work do you do? A man can wear a not-too-costly shoe and he behave it’s a million naira item, it is the way you carry yourself that matters, not the shoe you put on; it is the person that wear such item that determine its worth. Get it unto you now to live within your means, which is the most important step to debt freedom.
As a child of God, let Holy Spirit direct your affairs this year including what you wear and buy, like Paul, all things are lawful unto you but not all things are expedient (1 Corinthians 6:12, 10:23). You must be responsible in all areas, even in the way you spend. Being financially responsible is also important for your health and financial life. To live within your means can be said to be that what you spend each month is less than or at least equal to the amount of money you earn each month. For many people, it’s a lot easier said than done. Buy the car you can maintain, put your child(ren) in school in which you can convenient pay their school fees, why shopping at a supermarket what you can buy at a local market? Do away with unnecessary competition? If it is public school that you can afford, why forcing yourself to pay bogus school fees and steal public funds to meet up?
The prodigal son, only God knows what spirit entered into his life that in one day asked for his inheritance from his father, he collected all, went into a far country, and there he wasted it living like a fool, KJV called it, riotous living. After he spent everything he had, there was a terrible famine throughout the country. He was hungry and needed money; to the extent, he had no man to help him. He can only support himself with the swine’s husks until he came to his senses. Do you profess to be a child of God but possess the spirit of prodigality? It is better to make a u-turn today while evil days come not. Every man has his own evil day.
If you want to live within your means, you have to know what your means are. You must know your income, how much you earn per month. Once you know this, you can focus on reducing your spending to fit your income. If you don’t have one already, create a budget to plan your expenses and use it to keep your spending on track. If you’ve already tried budgeting and it didn’t work, try it again. If your expenses are at the bare minimum and you’re still spending more money than you make, then you may need to boost your income. Like a prodigal son, find a better job that earns you more money. Don’t live your life the way people around do; resist the pressure to have the same material things as the people around you. Be content with what you have. Living large and beyond our means lead to today’s society challenges like ritual killings, kidnapping, abortion, adultery, fornication, cultism, corruption, theft and the likes.
Is there anything you wish to buy? Instead of you getting loan to buy, make effort to set aside certain amount of money every month. What are things you do daily that cost you money? Can you create alternate plan or get a new skill or Do It Yourself to reduce costs? In addition, do not co-sign a loan for anybody, don't be part of loan you are not in total control. May the Spirit of God guide your spirit into prosperity and possibility this year (Amen).
Word Affirmation: “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety." - Psalm 4:8 (Don't just say it, mean it!)
“Every man has his own evil day."
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