It's all about money

Money.  If you've got it, you feel a certain amount of confidence, just knowing that you can meet the demands of living in an adequate way, without worry.  A friend of mine once said that you can fix anything if you throw enough money at it.  There's the rub, not all of us have money to throw around  solving all of our problems.  It has been well publized that the very wealthy often have extremely thrifty livng and spending habits.  In large part, that is how they got to be wealthy.  Think of all the stories you have heard about folks who won some large prize, spent extravagently and ended up right back where they started.  They were rich but they couldn't stay rich, because they didn't have the knowledge, inspiration and discipline to live well for less than they had in the bank. 

Here is my first financial tip:  If you win a huge lottery, keep your mouth shut and don't tell anyone.  If you talk, you will be surrounded by people who want to suck your good fortune right out of your pocket.  Stay away from the media. Go to several financial planners who work on a percentage only, who are certified and members of a professional organization and interview them.  Ask them to outline a plan that will help you retire all of your DEBT (bad word) gain you maximum RETURN (good word) on your money.  Do not go with the first one you interview.  Go with the best one, the one that explains things clearly, whom you can trust. 

I had a friend whose husband died tragically.  Fortunately for her, he had a good life insurance policy worth
2 million of dollars.  She and her daughter would never have to worry about living expenses or how to pay for college.  Unfortunately, she was very lonely and eventually wanted to re-marry.  Guess who she ended up with?  A man who schmoozed her right out of everything that she and her daugher had been awarded.  He was handsome, attentive, flattering and broke, in heavy debt and not working.  After he stole her heart and her money had been depleted, he departed. When it comes to love and money, you have to be very careful , keep your mouth shut and stick to the plan!

Another friend of mine, a doctor's wife, was also tragically widowed with four children left to raise.  A man in her Sunday school class called on her.  He was a financial planner selling his company's investment products for a commission.  He told her that her husband would have wanted him to help her because they both went to the same church.  Right.  She asked him what his plan was.  He couldn't tell her.  He just said give me your money and I'll take care of it.  REALLY?  God blessed this smart woman greatly with good judgement and sales resistance.  She firmly declined his help when he couldn't explain his great plan to her adequately (it got a little ugly).  She invested it herself after doing good research.  She is living safely, putting the last of her four children through college and looking at a good retirement. 

Most of us won't get huge life insurance pay outs or win a lottery.  I tell God now and then that I could handle it if I won something, but He seems to think that I need to keep on working.  I plan to die with my boots on anyway because I think it will keep me young.  For now, let's start out with some very good links to professional financial advice.  It won't cost you anything and you will learn a lot that will help you to save and grow rich.  It is overwhelming to try to overhaul your entire situation if you have been drifting for awhile.  Start with a small step.  Check back on this blog.  We'll keep you motivated and creative.  There's lots and lots of things to learn and do.  Hang in there.

In serving up wisdom on the mechanics of handling money, most of us want more money to handle, maybe alot of money to handle, but at least enough to get by.  There are many of us who are out of work, out of savings, out of retirement funds and feeling like it just isn't going to be possible to make it on what we've got left.  Here is where the creativity comes in.  We will help you live well anyway.  There is money everywhere you look if you know what to look for.  Stay tuned for more on that as this blog grows.

Oh, by the way, do YOU think it is all about money?  Some people have said that the Bible talks about money more than any other topic.  I don't know how they measure that or if it is totally true.  But it is true that the Bible talks a lot about much that is important to people and money is certainly important.  Personally, I think I would vote for God's favor, Love, Health or Peace ahead of money.  In my opinion, the way you handle money is a psychological test.  It reflects what is important to you, how you relate to others and how you approach life in general. What do you think?