How Effective is your Personal Budget?  

Fall is always a good time to review your personal budget as students across the country head back to school. Over time if you are not careful you may find that the way you are spending money was not the way you intended. To help you readjust your budget we have developed an approximate model that you can use as your guide:

If you feel that you are still finding your budget a challenge, the following recommendations will help:

• Prepare your menu ahead of time.  Planning your meals at least a week in advance can save you money because you are not eating out as much or relying on ready-to-eat foods. 

• Be careful of vehicle costs.  Try keeping your vehicles maintained as well as possible.  If you are considering purchasing a vehicle, check the expected efficiency and maintenance costs. 

• Keep a watchful eye on clothing expenses.  Buying stylish clothes can be expensive so watch for sale prices while at the same time looking for long term value.

• Most importantly we as Christians should pray for the Lord’s wisdom and direction in regards to the handling of the money with which he has blessed us.

Question:  What should I do with my investments in light of the World Trade Center Bombing?

Stay Invested and Stay Safe

Many of us as Christian investors wonder what we should do with our money in light of the terrible events that have happened in the United States recently. As Christians we believe that one of the wisest investment practices that we can do is to invest for the long term with at least a five-year time horizon. Statistically after a world crises the Canadian and US stock markets have rebounded after a one and two year period as shown in the chart below.

(click for a larger picture)

(Chart Provided by AGF - Stay Invested Stay Safe)

A second thought

"You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further the  brotherhood of man by encouraging class  hatred. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing what they could and should do for themselves."
-- Abraham Lincoln

Do we tithe as well as we tip? 

So often we are very careful to make sure we give the right amount when tipping at a restaurant, yet when it comes to giving to the Lord’s work we are careless.  Tithing expresses gratitude for what God has done in our lives. It is a form of worship and recognition of whom God is. While tithing is voluntarily setting aside a portion of one’s income it is also only a minimum amount not a maximum.

Above all it is an expression of our love for Jesus Christ.