Christian debt relief programs are built upon the concept of creating a plan and sticking to that plan no matter what. When you have a financial plan and stick to it like glue, there are few money obstacles that you can’t successfully tackle. Most people find themselves in a debt disaster seeking Christian debt help because they did not have a plan in the beginning. Each area of our lives will require its own individual financial plan. Near the very top of our list of financial priorities should definitely be our homes.

Why Plan?

Our homes are our most important investment. Shelter is one of our top legitimate needs which income must be allocated for. But even with this most necessary of human needs, there are different ways this need can be met. Once you have invested in purchasing a home you want that home to continue to meet your needs for as long as possible. This can only happen if you have a plan concerning home maintenance.

Expect the Worst

One of the great fallacies of money management is to wait until something goes wrong to decide how to pay for it. Go ahead and accept the fact that things will go wrong with your home. At any given time there are a number of things that can go wrong. Appliances, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, pest infestations and general wear and tear all add up to big money over the years. Many of these issues can be handled with money from a carefully maintained emergency fund. When you think of how essential to our daily life and comfort something like hot water is, you can understand how important it is to be able to go purchase a new hot water heater the day you need it. An emergency fund makes this possible.

Common Sense Saves You Money

Some of the home maintenance issues that you will face are simply the result of time and cannot be helped. However there are also a myriad of home maintenance problems that would not be problems if a little forethought was used. There are some steps you can take to save yourself a lot of trouble and money in the future.

In an ideal world everyone would have enough cash to take care of their monthly expenses without ever having to take on unnecessary debt. However, the way our economy operates, it is quite inconvenient (although not impossible) to conduct your financial life without an adequate credit score. The question then is how to build or re-build healthy credit for those necessary times in life when your character is being judged by a FICO score.

Secured Credit Cards

Secured credit cards are a hybrid between a loadable debit card and an unsecured credit card. Basically secured credit cards allow individuals with poor or non-existent credit scores the opportunity to use a line of credit granted that the person first make a security deposit usually of $300-$500. Charges on the card are not deducted from this amount, but are actual credit charges. Paying off the entire balance each month will quickly begin to affect your credit score in a positive way.

Gas Cards

Applying for a gas card is another very safe way to build credit because you will be limited to purchasing only one necessary item, gas. Gas is already part of your regular monthly budget, so if you simply put these purchases on the card, and then use the cash you have set aside for gas to pay off the balance each month, then you will be building your credit with no extra expense or risk to your financial security.

Pay Student Loans on Time

Many people do not realize that Federal Student Loans will affect your credit score negatively or positively. Student loans are usually a very easy debt to manage because the interest rates are generally very low, late fees are small or non-existent and in most cases re-payment plans are ultra-flexible. Staying on top of this easy debt can re-build a credit score very quickly.

Do Utility Bills Count?

Paying utility bills will usually only affect your score negatively if you allow a bill to become delinquent. However, the opposite is not true. If you consistently pay your utility bills on time it will not necessarily affect your credit score in a positive way. So, yes pay your utility bills on time, but do not except that alone to make much of an improvement to your score.

Is Cash Really King?

Attempting to live a cash only lifestyle is a wonderful, tried, and true method of controlling spending and reinventing your finances. However, you will want to consider that there are a growing number of areas in which a good credit score can assist you in reaching your goals. Operating entirely on cash will result in a non-existent credit score, which can translate into rejection. Individuals looking to rent a house or apartment are often very disappointed to learn that a good credit score is required. Purchasing a home definitely requires good credit, and even some employers are checking into your credit history in order to make a judgment of what kind of employee you will turn out to be.

Pay Down Debt Increase Income

New credit laws and credit practices are turning toward a more common sense approach when it comes to approving an individual for a line of credit. Many lending companies are looking more at a person’s credit to income ratio to help make a decision. You can improve your credit score by paying down current debt and making an effort to increase your yearly income by means of a part time job or generating side work in your current field of experience. Paying down debt is one of the key elements to restoring health to a damaged credit history.

Christian debt settlement can help you evaluate your current debt situation, and map out a Christian debt program that will work for you. Visit the link above, or fill out the short form to the right of this article to contact a representative for a FREE no-obligation quote today.

Marriage is the beginning of a new life and it is also one of the holiest of human social practices. Marriage was instituted by God in the Garden of Eden. However, we must be careful not to confuse “marriage” with “weddings.” Weddings are largely the invention of man, and each culture has its own set of socially approved practices in order to transport one man and one woman into the joined state of marriage. No matter what your culture or even your religious views, one thing remains the same about weddings for everyone; they cost money. In most cases a great deal of money.

Many couples make the choice to begin their married lives together by going into their first huge debt together for the sole purpose of having an extravagant wedding. This is dangerous on many levels. You will set several precedents with your wedding. You will be presenting to your new spouse what kind of spender you will be in married life. You are also setting the groundwork for how the two of you will interact with one another on money issues. You will quickly be able to pinpoint who is the spender and who is the saver. This is a great time to evaluate if the two of you are on the same page.

Choosing to conduct a modestly priced wedding will do a lot for you as a couple. You will obviously save some money, and as many couples have learned the hard way, there are a lot of expenses involved in starting your lives together beyond the ceremony and reception. It will also be a very important exercise in self-control, for both bride and groom. If you can control your spending urges during a wedding, you can control them under almost any circumstances.

Know What is Important

The first step in affordable wedding planning is to understand which part of the wedding is the most important to you as a couple. Is it most important to have amazing clothes, or is it most important to be able to invite as many of your friends and family as possible? You may not be able to do both and stay within a reasonable budget. Do not rush this step. Talk and discuss the issue for as long as you need to until both bride and groom have come to an understanding on the wedding priorities.

Small Bridal Parties

Rather than trying to fill a particular number in your bridal party, choose individuals who are really, truly special to you. Many brides think they must have a certain number of bridesmaids and therefore pay for clothes and gifts for each of these girls. It would be far better to focus your attention and money on one or two precious friends than a whole crew you are just picking randomly to fill a number.

Kill Two Birds with One Bouquet

Having your ceremony and reception at the same venue will usually save you a lot of money, not to mention a lot of confusion and travel arrangements. Trying to shuffle all of your wedding guests from one location to another can be an expensive pain in the neck.

Homemade is Not Tacky

Do not let your pride hinder your wedding plans. There are a lot of great homemade ideas that can be quite beautiful and affordable at the same time. Everything from flower arrangements to catering can be done when friends and family pitch in their talents and time to help you out. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Most people will not see this as an inconvenience, but rather an honor that you want them involved.

The debt disasters that many couples have found themselves in often begin with outrageous weddings that had to be financed. These couples will often find themselves seeking help from a Christian debt settlement program within just a few years. Avoiding this problem from the beginning is always best. It is also a good idea for engaged couples to attempt to get their own personal debt under control before their wedding so that they do not go into marriage dragging their debt baggage with them. A Christian debt management program can help you get that personal debt out of the way before your big day.

If you are reading this because you are close to your “big day,” or thinking about “tying the knot,” but you and your soon-to-be spouse have debt, why not look into a solution for it now. It will only take a second! Fill out the short form to the right for a FREE no-obligation quote today! Get your debt under control before your big day! Oh, and Congratulations from all of us here at, FaithWorks Financial if you are indeed getting ready to tie the knot.

Funerals are certainly not a favorite topic for most people, but it is a necessary topic that should receive more adequate attention and planning. Funerals are an eminent part of our life, and although funerals are super charged with emotion, there is also a practical side to this difficult subject.

Ignoring is Costly

To avoid the topic of funeral planning can be very costly for families. According to the Federal Trade Commission there are over fifteen different costs involved in an average funeral. Each of these elements carries their own price tag. The emotion associated with the death of a loved one will not make the costs go away. It will still be expensive no matter how upset you and your family are.

Practicality of Planning

Planning ahead for personal and family funeral costs is practical because you can conduct this most important of tasks in a non-emotional environment. You will be better able to focus on what needs to be addressed and you will be in a better state of mind to make choices. Even if it does feel awkward or difficult to discuss such things with your family it will be far easier to discuss it now than it would be hours after a loved one’s death.

Planning is Cost Effective

Often times when families choose to establish their funeral plans a head of time they will get the opportunity to purchase necessary items at the current market value. This means that if you purchase a casket now and it is not needed for another twenty years, you will not pay the inflated price in the future. Today’s prices will be far cheaper than they will be when these items and services will actually be used for yourself or a family member. Planning ahead also gives you the option of installment payments. Having the option to pay for your funeral costs over a long period of time makes this large expense much more easily managed.

Planning is Kind

Your family may feel resistant at first to this topic. Take the time to explain to them that you are actually doing this as a kindness to them, not to make them uncomfortable. Ask each one of them if they would rather make these decsions right now, or the day of your death. When people think of this task in that light it is much easier to see the practicality and kindness of planning ahead.

Considering Children

Planning ahead for the funeral costs of an adult is one thing, but many people feel an extreme taboo surrounding any type of funeral planning for children. If you have small children and cannot emotionally handle making these types of decisions concerning them, you should consider setting up a life insurance policy for your children which can double as a college savings plan. These plans will ensure that there is money set aside for funeral costs in the event of your child’s death and the money can convert to cash value when they reach college age. This will at least offer some financial buffer so you would not have to worry about how to pay for a funeral while also facing the tragedy of losing a child.

While flipping through the channels the other day, I caught a pretty disturbing national news report.

More than one third of American workers have less than $1,000 in savings and investments.

That’s according to the 2014 Retirement Confidence Survey by the Employee Benefits Research Institute, which has been tracking savings data for almost two decades.

This year, the survey found that 36 percent of workers have less than $1,000 in savings. That’s significantly worse than last year’s findings, which showed 28 percent of workers had less than a thousand bucks in the bank.

The problem goes beyond a lack of savings. More than half of the people surveyed—56 percent—haven’t even tried to figure out how much they need to set aside for retirement.

This should tell us that we need to keep talking about the importance of saving for retirement; too many Americans still don’t get it.

But enough with the grim statistics. Let’s talk solutions. If you’re part of the 36 percent, there is hope.

So, What Can You Do?

First, figure out where your money is going.

Track every dollar that comes in and every dollar that goes out. If you’re spending more than you’re earning, do whatever it takes to balance your budget. Aggressively pay off debt, and create an emergency savings account for the inevitable rainy day.

Next, figure out how much money you’ll need for retirement.

You don’t have to be a math whiz to do this. An online search for “free retirement calculator” will instantly pull up scores of websites that will estimate how much money you need to save in total and even break down how much to set aside on a yearly or monthly basis. Ignorance is not bliss. Thanks to the web, there’s no excuse for being part of the 56 percent of Americans with no clue how much they should be saving.

Finally, take action.

Baby steps are better than no steps at all. If your employer offers a retirement plan, read up on it and start participating. Not tomorrow, not next week—today. Don’t be afraid to ask your human resources representative for help if you don’t understand all of the financial language. If your employer offers some kind of matching contribution, take full advantage of it immediately and gradually ratchet up your part of the contributions. If you don’t have an employer-sponsored plan, start looking into an IRA (Individual Retirement Arrangement) or other investment plan and start saving.

However you decide to start, just make sure you do something. It may take a little time, but the peace of mind you’ll experience from taking action will be worth it. Let’s get out of that 36 percent and never look back.

If you’re finding it hard to even begin to save money, or the thought of it stresses you out at all because of your current debts, you may need to reach out to a FaithWorks advisor to discuss the possibility of entering a Christian Debt Relief program. Fill out the blue form to the right of this article to receive your free no-obligation quote today, and begin your journey toward financial freedom.

12 Awesome Money-Saving Apps And Websites

In the last month, I’ve bought movie tickets for half price via Groupon, ordered dirt-cheap electronics accessories on Amazon and found a real bargain for my next vacation thanks to Priceline (if you’ve never experienced the thrill of naming your own price, you’re in for a treat).

While all of those sites are fantastic money-savers, chances are you’re already quite familiar with them.

Below are 10 other money-saving sites and apps that are sometimes overlooked but just as worthy of recognition. Incorporate a few of them into your daily routine, and don’t be surprised if you save hundreds of dollars in just a few months. When you’re done, explore below for other Christian debt management apps and tools offered through our partnership with SuperMoney. 

Cartwheel – This is a discount program just launched by Target last May. I started using the app in the fall, and I’ve now saved $121.62 on items I was going to buy anyway. You create a free account, select the deals you like, and scan your unique coupon barcode once you get to the register. One of my new favorite things is explaining Cartwheel to the people standing in line with me. Many have never heard of it and download the app on the spot.

RedLaser – Have you ever found yourself standing in the store, staring at a product that’s on sale and wondering if it’s really the best price out there? Wonder no more with apps like RedLaser. Once you download the app, you can scan barcodes with your phone or enter the name of a particular product, and RedLaser will let you know if you can get it cheaper online or across the street.

Retailmenot – I never make an online purchase without first taking a quick trip to Retailmenot.com. This site allows you to search for coupon codes and printable coupons for your favorite retailers.

Ebates – This awesome site allows you to get cash back for online purchases. According to Ebates, its members have earned more than $250 million to date. One of my savings-savvy relatives has received $555 since she started using the site a couple of years ago. You can get serious cash back (sometimes 20% or more) when you use Ebates to make purchases from Amazon, Walmart, hotels.com, and tons of other retailers and websites.

Airfarewatchdog – This site has real people monitoring flight prices across the U.S. and beyond. You can sign up for email alerts for specific routes, and Airfarewatchdog will alert you when the fares drop significantly. Last week, the site sent me an alert for one of the routes I was watching. I booked a nonstop round trip flight for $89 including taxes and fees.

LivingSocial – This discount site sells everything from haircuts to bowling passes to vacation packages for 50% off or more. Just select your location, then browse the offers or search for something specific.

Restaurant.com – You can save 50% on eating out by buying a gift certificate through Restaurant.com. To save even more money, sign up for email alerts and keep an eye out for the site’s extreme deals—like $3 for $25 worth of gift certificates. Just remember to read the details of each deal carefully. Many restaurants require you to spend a minimum amount, and they generally can’t be used towards tax or gratuity. Also, check the restaurant’s reviews before you buy.

ThredUP –ThredUP is basically a giant, online consignment store. The way it works is pretty cool—you order a bag, fill it up with used women’s or children’s clothing (in good condition), and drop it in the mail. The postage is already paid. Then the ThredUP team goes through the clothing and pays you up to 40% of its resale value. They have an online calculator to help you figure out what your clothing is worth before you send it in. You can get your money via PayPal or receive shopping credit to buy deeply discounted clothes through the site. Oh, and any items that aren’t accepted are donated to charity or recycled.

MoneySavingMom –This is a great catch-all savings site that covers everything from extreme couponing to giveaways to weekly grocery store specials. The woman behind the site is a mother of three who actually figured out how to live off a $35/week grocery budget in order to keep the family from going into debt when her husband went to law school. She knows what she’s doing.

Airbnb – This is an up-and-coming site that allows you to rent space in more than 30,000 cities around the world. You can rent anything from a tree house in Washington ($40/night) to a castle in France ($170/night). Whether you need a room or an entire house, there’s probably something within your price range. You can also use Airbnb to make some extra money by listing your home or spare bedroom.

Other Christian Debt Management Apps

What better way to manage money, pay off debt, and improve your financial situation than with a handy app or budgeting tool? In partnership with SuperMoney, we’re bringing you money management tools designed to help you payoff credit card debt, create a spending plan, and become a whiz at managing money and finances.

Explore the library of apps in the widget below to discover free and premium financial calculators, apps and tools to support your Christian debt relief journey.

When you are in the debt battle, it is hard to imagine that one day this will be a memory. When David was facing his Goliath, he was totally focused on bringing him down. Debt may be your Goliath today, but eventually your Goliath will lose his head, and then what? There is life after debt.

Scary Freedom

One ironic reaction that many people have to becoming debt free is a new sense of fear. You might think that once you are debt free you will never have another money worry. The opposite is actually true for most people. Once you have safely navigated your way through your Christian Debt Settlement Program, you may find yourself more apprehensive than ever. You now know how damaging financial mistakes can be on your life, your family and your marriage. This new knowledge and wisdom brings with it a sense of fear over messing up again. The last thing you want to do is go backward and make the same mistakes over. However, 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that “God hath not given us a spirit of fear.”

Careful and Confident

You have worked hard to revolutionize your finances and bring glory to God by doing so. This spirit of fear must be traded in for a spirit of confidence. Look at what you have accomplished! Many people never do this. Many people file bankruptcy or just surrender to society’s mandated cycle of debt. You have done something remarkable, and God is pleased with that. You acknowledged the problem, sought out Christian financial help, and worked hard to do right. You have earned the right to feel confident about your choices. You have the tools to continue to make good choices. Look at each financial decision as it comes up and ask yourself, “Is this wise? Is this practical? Is this going to bring glory to God?” Tell yourself every day that you have made good financial decsions and you will continue to make good financial decisions.

Be a Blessing

If you have spent years struggling just to pay your own bills, you may not have had much left over for giving. That can all change now. There are few things as fulfilling as giving to others and being able to do it without worry. The Bible speaks of being a “cheerful giver” and that is so much easier when you are out of debt.

Build the Emergency Fund

If during your Christian Debt Program you did not entirely fund your emergency account, continue working on this goal. Establishing a fully funded emergency account takes some time. Three to six months’ worth of regular expenses is quite a bit of cash by any standard. Keep working toward that goal, because once you have accomplished this there will be almost nothing you can’t handle with a spirit of confidence and wisdom.

Think About Investing

If you have not already begun investing, now is the time to consider this exciting option. When you were living pay check to pay check this was not even a possibility for you. Now, you can take control of your money and make it work for you. Keep to low risk investment options at first while you are still learning.

Reward Yourself

Now may be the time to reward yourself in some way. While you were in the trenches of Christian Debt Management, you may have made some pretty big sacrifices. You may have had to entirely reprogram your way of life. You are a better person for it. You have learned moderation, but moderation does not mean you can never enjoy yourself again. If all of your duckies are in a row, and all of your obligations are met, what little thing might you do for yourself?

Why do we establish emergency funds? Why do we buy insurance policies and pay health care and care insurance premiums every month? We are trying to prepare our self for a crisis. Whether it is a health, home, or vehicle crisis we want to be prepared. How much can this type of insurance prepare us, though? We know our health insurance policies do not pay one hundred percent of our medical bills. We know that that there are some kinds of emergencies that our emergency fund just will not cover. The fact is, there is only so much you can prepare for.

What if it’s Not Enough?

It is never wise to put you confidence in money. Money is a powerful thing which can accomplish a lot for us when used wisely. However, money is not the end all answer to all of life’s problems. Even a family that believes they have covered all of the “insurance” bases is still at the mercy of their income. And although no one likes to think about it, there are some emergencies that are bigger than all of our preparations. This does not mean we should not still wisely prepare. You should be prepared. You should also keep in mind that a life altering crisis does not happen every day or even every year. Some individuals get through many decades without such tragedies. However, placing all of your confidence in your financial preparations will set you up for serious shock should a life altering crisis come your way.

The Christian Bonus

As Christians we are instructed to be good stewards of our money, and that includes preparations like those mentioned above. However, all of these are “secondary” insurance for us. Our “primary” policy covers far more than this life could ever throw our way. We have a heavenly Father, who in His infinite providence is watching over every step we take. He has seen the crisis long before we do, and more than that, He has also seen the solution. What peace there is in knowing that our Father knows the solution to any life crisis we could possibly face, and if we will, “Be still and know that He is God,” like David admonished us in Psalms 46:10 he will reveal these solutions to us. We can confidently take on the darkest of circumstances because we are backed up by God the Father.

Miracles Still Happen

The world of finances deals with hard facts. Numbers don’t lie and there is nothing magical about the bottom line. However, as Christians, we acknowledge the importance of these facts, but we can never lose sight of another fact and that is that we serve a God who works miracles. So when all of the “facts” say, “There is no financial solution to this problem,” God may have a solution that no calculator could have figured.

The Best Insurance

Christians should prepare in times of plenty, just like Joseph put aside corn during the fat years in Egypt. Prepare by investing in insurance and establishing emergency funds. Then should a crisis come that surpasses all you have prepared for, say like the Psalmist in Psalms 121: 1-2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”

We often look back on certain time periods in history, like the Great Depression, and wonder, “How did people manage to get through something like that?” The answer is that they knew how to switch into survival mode. They understood when pride needed to take a back seat to priority and practicality.

No time is this more important for modern people than when they are attempting to work their way out of debt. Seeking Christian financial help and starting a Christian debt relief program is a great starting point toward the goal of a debt free life. However, there are some deep seeded changes that have to take place in the hearts and minds of many people if they ever hope to make “debt free” a way of living.

Changing the way we shop is one of the more difficult areas that people deal with when attempting to revolutionize their finances. For many people shopping is an emotional outlet which serves a few different purposes. One it is a stress relieving distraction for many people. It is their hobby. Secondly shopping, for some people, provides quite the ego massage. Buying a new shiny item, with a chunky price tag makes them feel like a different person for a while, a better person. The problem with all of this is that it is an illusion, it is short lived and it is not financially practical.

If you are attempting to heal your finances through a Christian debt settlement program, then you must seriously evaluate any type of emotional spending.

Shopping is a necessity; we need things, however, it is the way we meet that need that makes all of the difference. When you are in the trenches of your Christian debt management program you will need to look into alternative shopping. Alternative shopping simply means finding new, creative, cheaper ways to get what you need. This includes consignment, clothing swaps, yard sales, Free Cycle programs, Craigslist and yes the old thrift shop.

Sure when buying used you do have to be more careful, but that does not mean thrift shops should be entirely counted out as an alternative shopping venue. There a several myths surrounding thrift shops that prevent people from saving a lot of money on things they really need.

Myth # 1

Thrift shops are dirty. Thrift stores must meet the same standards of cleanliness and safety as all other businesses in your community. Stores such as Goodwill have very strict standards concerning their clothing, furniture and other household items.

Myth # 2

The item I buy won’t work. If you doubt if an item will work or not, ask a salesperson to plug it up so you can operate it. The salespeople are used to this request. Check it out first and see if it works.

Myth # 3

People will make fun of me. This isn’t middle school. You are an adult who needs to spend wisely. If you have people in your life who would mock your desire to get out debt and change your finances your problem lies in the relationship not in the thrift shop.

Myth # 4

They won’t have what I need. This is where thrift shopping can get fun. Each trip is an adventure. You’re on a quest. Sometimes you find what you need. Sometimes you find something better. Sometimes you find something else you needed that you never thought would be there.

If you are already in a Christian debt program then you have the guts to try something new, adding thrift store shopping to the list shouldn’t be too scary.

If you’re serious about paying off debt and building up your savings, it may be time to consider cutting the cable cord.

You’d be part of a growing trend.

In 2007, just 2 million American TV households didn’t pay for some kind of cable, satellite or phone-based television service. Six short years later, that number more than doubled to 5 million households…and growing.

Meanwhile, the cable providers are losing ground as more families give the remote control a rest and choose to watch their favorite shows via less expensive avenues. This may seem surprising, given that the rise of the 200-channel cable provider practically made channel-surfing an Olympic sport, but all of that variety comes with a hefty price tag.

According to FCC data released last summer, the average American paid $61.63 a month for cable TV in 2012. That was 5 percent more than 2011’s average price. In fact, from 1995 to 2012, the cost of cable jumped about 6 percent a year—more than doubling the rate of the Consumer Price Index during the same time period.

By ditching cable for one or more of the less expensive options below, you could save $700 a year or more. Yes, you may miss one or two of those 200 channels (most of which you don’t even watch), but think about it: is your favorite reality show worth 700 bucks?

Take Advantage of Free Online Streaming

A growing number of networks are offering their programs online for free. PBS, for example, offers full episodes of many of its most popular BBC shows on its website 24/7. The commercials are shorter, you can hit the pause button while you grab a snack, and it’s possible to catch up on multiple episodes in one sitting.

Use a Web-Based Service and Save a Bundle

Web streaming services are gaining subscribers because they offer many of the same shows as cable providers for a fraction of the cost. Netflix and Hulu both cost less than $10 a month (plus the cost of internet service). If you already pay for internet, a 12-month subscription to Hulu will cost you $95.88. Compare that with the average monthly cost of cable, which will run up a $739.56 bill over the course of a year. Going web-based adds up to a savings of more than $643.

Buy a (Cheap) Digital Antenna

If you just can’t live without your favorite local news channel, consider buying a digital antenna and watching your basic over-the-air channels for free. These are not your grandmother’s rabbit ears. The latest digital antennae are sleek, flat and inexpensive. The cheapest ones start at about $10 and allow you to watch many channels in HD. A slightly fancier model will set you back about 30 bucks. Several years’ worth of free TV for half the price of just one month of cable? Not too shabby.