WANT TO REACH YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS? TELL YOUR FRIENDS
By Christ Church Communications Team
Brittany has always been ambitious, focused, goal-oriented, and achievement-minded. Having a career, getting married, buying a home, and starting a family were just a few of the goals she wanted to attain. However, while in college, the thought of financial goals was not one of them.
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: ACHIEVING FINANCIAL CONTROL
By David D. Ireland, Ph.D.
Lead Pastor of Christ Church
Congratulations! You’ve accepted The 1322 Challenge. That's great! As you go through this journey, the feelings of being in control of your finances will increase. And simultaneously, your finances will also increase—because you’re now in control—rather than the other way around. You’ll look back years from now and break out into your happy dance, because of the financial transformation you’ll experience. With that in mind, there are three things I want you to consider at the onset of our 14-week journey:
THREE KEYS TO YOUR DEBT-FREE FUTURE!
By Brian Jacks, MTM
Marketplace Pastor of Christ Church
As a college student accumulating student loans, it never occurred to me I could live a debt-free life. No mortgage. No car payment. No tuition payment. Can you see yourself in a similar place?
IS LIFE WITHOUT CREDIT CARDS RIGHT FOR YOU?
By Christ Church Communications Team
The majority of Americans overspend partially because credit card companies make going into debt so easy. You end up spending way more money than you intended by the time the bill comes at the end of the month. It’s like you’re living your life through a rearview mirror! When your paycheck comes in, you’re living in the past and paying for things you’ve already done, movies you’ve already seen, and food you’ve already eaten.
HOW TO TELL YOUR MONEY WHERE TO GO
By Christ Church Communications Team
“Budget.” The ugly B-word. Just like how nobody likes to count calories, most people don’t enjoy budgeting. For starters, there is a swarm of negative connotations associated with “budgeting.” For instance, feeling restricted, being a “no fun” boring person, or forgoing the joy of the here and now with saving for retirement.
THE DEBT SNOWBALL METHOD WILL BE YOUR GAME-CHANGER
By Bunmi Olayanju, MBA
According to financial expert and author, Dave Ramsey, “the average family completing Financial Peace University (FPU) pays off $5,300 and saves $2,700 in the first 90 days.” The debt snowball is a central component of the FPU curriculum.
CORONAVIRUS AND WORK LIFE
By Brian Jacks, MTM
Marketplace Pastor of Christ Church
Undeniably, COVID-19 hit the world and our healthcare system like a Mike Tyson blow to the ribs. It hurts and the pain will last for a while, especially for those who have lost loved ones. Life has changed for all of us and truthfully some aspects may never return to what we once knew as normal. This truth can extend to our work lives.
FOR BETTER OR WORSE: KNOW YOUR RELATIONSHIP STATUS WITH MONEY
By Christ Church Communications Team
Do you need to change the way you relate to money, and you’re wondering what the best way is to improve that relationship? The answer to that may be the same as making changes to physical relationships. The fact is that you can’t enjoy a good relationship with money unless there is trust, honesty, and a commitment to make the necessary adjustments.
SHOULD YOU PAUSE TITHING TO PAY DOWN DEBT?
By Christ Church Communications Team
During the 1990s, Smart Osafo was trying to get his career off the ground while raising his family. Smart admitted that he didn’t have a clue about basic financial management techniques. He recalled getting a Discover card application in the mail and convinced himself that it would help him with many of his pressing expenses, by paying the minimum balance every month.
WANT TO LEAVE A LEGACY? THEN ESTATE PLANNING IS A MUST
By Christ Church Communications Team
Believe it or not, you have an estate. In fact, nearly everyone does. Your estate is comprised of everything you own—your car, home, other real estate, checking and savings accounts, investments, life insurance, furniture, personal possessions. No matter how large or how modest, everyone has an estate and something in common—you can’t take it with you when you die.
WANT TO OWN A HOME? BE PREPARED TO SACRIFICE
By Christ Church Communications Team
It happens all across America: Hordes of renters, innocently perusing their social media accounts, will notice certain themes. TikTok videos, someone getting married, pictures of foods, etc. But they’ll also notice pictures of newly purchased homes. Understandably, this can foster a sense of slight envy, a feeling of being overwhelmed, and the question: How were they able to purchase a home?
HOW MUCH DO YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE?
By Christ Church Communications Team
Many of us take life insurance too lightly. The Insurance Information Institute reports that 30% of Americans carry no life insurance. Think about it: If you were to pass away unexpectedly, how would your spouse pay for monthly expenses without your income? In the dark moments of grief, the last thing your spouse should worry about is surviving financially in your absence.
FINISHING LIKE A CHAMPION
By Brian Jacks, MTM
Marketplace Pastor of Christ Church
In every race there is a start and a finish—and The 1322 Challenge is no different. Our 13-week journey, which we began in March, comes to an end this week. As we cross the finish line with the last blog post of this series, let’s remember this: Just as a runner continues to run and train after the race, it is important that we don’t stop either! Let’s continue to excel financially so we accomplish Proverbs 13:22, “A good person leaves an inheritance to their children’s children.”