Chocolate. Meat. Sugar. These are some of the most common indulgences given up for Lent, the 40-day season of preparation that leads up to Easter Sunday.

It’s a time when many Christians honor Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice of giving up his life by making a small sacrifice of their own.

Because Lent has long been associated with traditional fasting, it’s no surprise many people turn automatically to food when choosing how they’ll recognize the season, which begins on Ash Wednesday (March 5th this year).

If giving up candy for 40 days works for you, keep it up. However, if your Lent sacrifice has become routine and expected—or if you’ve never tried giving something up for Lent—perhaps you should consider doing something a little different this year, like making a sacrifice that hits your wallet more than your waistline.

Let’s be clear: Lent in its purest form is about growing closer to God. It’s about being thankful for what we have and recognizing that all of our best efforts will never come close to matching the sacrifice Jesus made 2,000 years ago. At its heart, Lent is about our spiritual state.

That being said, a 40-day sacrifice can naturally have a positive effect on our physical, emotional and even financial health as well.

Here are seven Lent-inspired ideas that could help get you back on spiritual and financial track at the same time.

Whether you give up chocolate, red meat or Instagram, remember not to do it in your own strength. When you’re tempted to indulge, pray for help. God promises to provide a way out (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). And if you do stumble, don’t be discouraged. Give your plan a reboot and keep going, and you may find yourself making—or breaking—a habit by Easter.

A video version of one of our most popular posts.

Plus, see the article below. Enjoy!

When an individual is attempting to get out of debt any extra little bit of cash helps the cause. Most people think that they are doing everything they can to further their goal of debt free living. However, you would be surprised at some of the super simple ways you could make an extra $250 dollars a month or more. That extra $250 dollars a month could help to drop the balance on a credit card or other type of debt really fast.

Here are a few realistic ways to make an extra $250 each month.

Babysitting

Most folks think this is a job for bubble popping teenagers, but child care is in very high demand. Quality child care is hard to come by.

My family just went through the process to place an ad in the newspaper and go through an interview process with several adults to help us avoid the higher cost of day care. We found that we would feel much more comfortable with our child being cared for by an adult, especially one who has children of their own. If you do, parents will know that you have the necessary experience to give their child proper care.

When you consider that most babysitters charge about ten dollars an hour, you can see how quickly a few babysitting jobs could add up toward your goals.

Holiday Work

During the holidays, especially Halloween and Christmas, there are many venues that pop up for a few months offering seasonal services and seasonal employment. Pumpkin patches and Christmas tree farms are two of the most popular seasonal employment locations.

Many of these seasonal employers especially need help during the evenings and on the weekends. That makes this a great addition to your regular day job. Another perk included in this type of work are the discounts on holiday items you may need anyway. Extra income plus extra savings!

Ebay

You may not be interested in becoming an Ebay businessperson, but reselling on Ebay can bring in some much needed extra cash when you are trying to supplement your income. You may find it helpful to sell your unneeded items to supplement your debt management program. They even offer a great write-up on how to get started.

You can take this advice a step further, however, buy buying and reselling items from yard sales and thrift shops that you know will bring in a good profit. Thrift shops will often have high dollar items such as purses and shoes that can be resold for huge profits. Keep an eye out for name brands or high dollar items being sold at a deep discount.

Saving is Earning

Do not underestimate the power of saving money in places you usually spend. If you save some money on a normal monthly expense, you have earned that money. If you manage to reduce your electric bill by $50, then you have earned that $50. The same is true for all of your utilities. Conserving water, gas and electricity can really add up over time.

Renting a Room

I know of several people who have made this maneuver with tremendous success. If you have some extra space in your home, you can make it available for rent to easily make an extra $250 a month. Platforms such as AirBnB make it easy and safe to do so. I have had friends report that they earned over $1,500 in one month and made friends along the way, all by making sue of that spare bedroom.

Regardless of your situation, there are always ways to supplement your income if you are able to put a little bit of time and effort forth. Create an honest budget and start using two or three of these methods to make some extra money, and you’ll be debt-free in no time!

Nothing saps gas mileage quite like winter weather, which means a huge number of  Americans are paying more to fill up this season. Plus, the Associated Press recently reported that gas prices are expected to rise in the coming weeks.

That means now is a great time to change a few bad habits in order to save money at the pump. You’ve probably heard that it helps to maintain your car by getting regular oil changes, keeping your tires filled and aligned, and changing the air filter regularly.

Get Organized

Have you ever unloaded the groceries after a trip to the store, only to realize you forgot the toilet paper? Suddenly, a 10-mile round trip turns into 20 miles (and a big waste of time). Put a stop to unnecessary trips by always making a shopping list, whether it’s on paper or on your smartphone. And don’t just write down the groceries you need; write down the different stops you have to make—the bank, the pharmacy, the laundromat, etc.—and figure out the most efficient way to combine your errands.

Carpool

We live in a society where it’s normal for four people who are headed to the same place to drive four different cars to get there. We don’t like the idea of adjusting our plans by 5-10 minutes in order to use just one vehicle. Maybe we need to fear the high cost of independence more than we fear the inconvenience of carpooling.

Try checking around at work and church to see who lives nearby. Teaming up could save multiple families money and even build some new friendships.

Remember You Are Not a Race Car Driver

If gas prices jumped by 24 cents/gallon tomorrow, you wouldn’t be thrilled, right? Well, keep in mind that once you hit 50 mph, every time you speed up an extra 5 mph, you’re paying 24 additional cents per gallon. In other words, if you’re doing 60 mph in a 50-mph zone and you have a 15-gallon tank, you’re paying an extra $7/tank.

The race car principle also applies to braking and accelerating. According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, riding the brakes and accelerating like a drag racer can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent. That can add up quickly at the pump.

Check before you go

With websites and apps like GasBuddy, there’s no excuse for not knowing where to find the cheapest gas, and prices can vary quite a bit from one side of town to the other. For example, in Boynton Beach, Fl., prices currently vary by as much as 38 cents/gallon depending on where you go.

Of course, you don’t want to inadvertently pay more money than you save by driving to an out-of-the-way gas station. That’s where Bankrate’s handy calculator comes in. If you enter a little information about your car and your area gas stations, it’ll tell you whether it’s worth it to drive a little farther to fill up.

Ditch the Junk in the Trunk

According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, for every 100 pounds of weight you carry, you reduce your gas mileage by up to 2 percent. That set of golf clubs, cord of firewood or big box of items you’ve been meaning to take to Goodwill do not need to make a permanent home in your trunk. Unload the extra weight and save money.

Quit Idling

Does the following scenario sound familiar? You load the kids into the car, start the engine and proceed to buckle up, check your mirrors, check your hair, dig around for your sunglasses, dig around for a CD, check your email on your phone, tell the kids to stop harassing each other and—at least five minutes later—finally pull out of the driveway. If this is a typical day for you, don’t worry—you’re not alone. But you are wasting gas money by allowing the car to idle while you get your act together.

Unless the weather is unbearably hot or cold, trying running through your checklist before you turn on the engine. Even if your car idles for just 10 minutes a day, it could cost you more than $100 a year in wasted gas.

Track Your Mileage

This year, the federal government will reimburse 14 cents for every mile you drive for charity. Do you teach Sunday school each week? Volunteer at a soup kitchen? Drive to the Salvation Army to drop off used clothes? Track those miles so you can deduct them on next year’s tax return.

Here’s more information on the most recent mileage reimbursement rates for charity, business, moving and medical-related travel.

Consider a More Fuel-Efficient Car

This is a big one. While some of the above tips could save you hundreds of dollars, a different choice of vehicle could easily save you thousands. The website www.fueleconomy.gov allows you to compare gas mileage between new and used vehicles made in 1984 or later.

If you’re ready for a more drastic change, consider a hybrid or electric vehicle. In most cases you’ll pay more up front, but gas savings will have you pocketing more money in the long run.

Our electric bills are a huge fluctuating expense which can be very hard to budget because our heating, cooling and electric needs seem to change from month to month. Obviously there will be some fluctuations between the seasons, but some common mistakes can make power bills soar unnecessarily.

Check Your HVAC

There are a lot of HVAC issues that can drastically affect your electric bill.

One thing you can keep a check on is whether all of your vents are opened properly. This is a small detail that many people rarely think about. If your system vents are closed your system will struggle to keep your home comfortable. The more your system struggles the higher your power bill will be.

Filters are another small chore that can cost you money when you do not pay it close attention. Dirty or dusty filters can greatly hinder the air flow in your system. Filters should be changed out about once a month.

Reconsider Laundry

You can also rack up savings by paying close attention to the way you do your laundry.

Washing your clothes with cold water only saves up to 90% of the energy that your washer puts out. Cold water only detergent will ensure that using only cold water settings will not cause any damage to your clothing. This is also a time saver as you will not need to separate lights from darks if you use cold water only.

Also keep in mind that overstuffing your washer uses more energy because it will cause the washer to struggle with the larger load. You should only fill your machine about three fourths of the way full.

Understand Your Power Company

Take the time to research your particular power company so that you can better understand how exactly they charge and at what rate.

Many people are unaware that several power companies actually begin charging their customers a discounted rate for electricity after eight at night because this is a non-peak time of electrical use. Finding out if your company operates this way could save you money if you choose to shift large energy sucking tasks such as running the clothes drier to later in the evening.

Turn Off The Lights!

The most basic of energy saving techniques also happens to be the one most people have the least faith in. Do you really believe that one closest light burning all day affects your electrical bill?

It absolutely does.

When you are attempting to reverse your financial situation through Christian debt management you must remember that every little bit counts. Just like pennies in a coin jar add up over time, every time you switch off an unused light you are really, honestly saving money.

As a bonus, the next time you have an old incandescent light bulb burn out, replace it with a compact florescent bulb. They not only reduce energy use but because they last several years, you will save on new bulbs over time too.

Set a Goal

A great way to commit to reducing your electric bill is to set a savings goal each month. If you have a set budgeted amount each month for your power bill, you can set a goal to try and go under that amount. When you receive your next bill and you accomplished your goal, take the amount of the difference, even if it is just five dollars, and apply those five dollars to another financial goal such as your emergency fund, or Christmas fund. When you know that the saved money is designated for something worthwhile, you will try harder to conserve power and save money.

Many individuals who are currently involved in a Christian debt relief program may feel like they are doing everything they can to reverse their bad financial choices of the past. Some of the tenants of Christian money management do require a great deal of sacrifice.

You may not be able to believe that there are any other areas in your life in which you could possibly save another dime to go toward your debt relief efforts. You would be surprised, however, at how some old school savings methods can really translate into extra cash over time.

Coin Jar Magic

Simply collecting change in a coin jar can really add up if you deal mostly in cash for all of your purchases. Using only cash is a good habit to adopt for individuals who struggle with controlling credit cards.

All that change left over from each transaction goes straight to the jar and does not leave till you are ready to deposit it into your checking or savings account. Only use bills to pay with, reserve all change for your jar. Get Rich Slowly author Danny Iny, tried this experiment for seven months and was able to rack up over $700 for his emergency fund.

The Forbidden Dollar Bill

If you really want to see some savings add up with very little effort then designate the dollar bill as the forbidden bill. Refuse to pay for anything with a dollar bill. Take all of your dollar bills and hide them away in a designated place at home.

This can actually become a  fun game especially if you play with a spouse or other family member to see who can save up more each week. Each month pool the money together and apply it to your largest debt bill. The satisfaction you fell at saving that money and paying down those debts will make the dollar bill sacrifice well worth it.

The 52 Week Challenge

This is a great New Year’s resolution savings plan that can help you save up over $1,000 dollars in one year. Each week of the year deposit or hideaway in cash the amount of money corresponding to that week. Week one= $1, week 2=$2 and so on till week 52 when you will put $52 in your savings and you will have accumulated $1,378! Not bad for a rainy day.

My favorite twist: do it in reverse. Save $52 this week, $52 next week, etc. This way, it gets easier and easier as time goes on.

The Old Coffee Can Trick

Do you remember the old movie “Where the Red Fern Grows”? The young hero had a dream of owning his own set of coon dogs. The only way he knew to make this dream come true was to start doing some side work for neighbors and stuff that cash away in an old coffee can. After several months he made his dream a reality when he emptied that can and bought his dogs.

This is not just a piece of movie fiction; this is a tried and true old school savings plan that can actually make an impact on your budget.

Taking on extra work to make a budget work is what our grandparents and great grandparents considered the only answer to a tight budget. You need more money, you do more work.

Designating side income toward a single goal is a great way to feel the psychological satisfaction of actually seeing a goal accomplished. In most cases side income does not have to be a permanent change to your life. Do the extra work until you have reached your goal and then resume your usual work schedule.

If you need a jumpstart on simplifying your finances and increasing your savings, consider speaking with a Christian debt relief advisor at FaithWorks Financial. A debt management plan or debt settlement program may be a great way to reduce your monthly outgo and give yourself some much needed breathing room.

You’ve heard it said that you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than winning the lottery. That’s certainly true, but perhaps we’ve heard it so many times, we’ve become a bit numb.

A recent article by National Geographic put things a bit more colorfully. Turns out, you’re far more likely to be killed by a shark, hit by an asteroid or comet, or—wait for it—injured by a toilet, than you are to win the lottery.

So, what are the actual odds of, say, winning the Powerball grand prize? According to the Powerball website, they’re 1 in 175,223,510. And the odds of winning second place? 1 in 5,153,632.

Perhaps you’re aiming much lower than that, and you’d be happy to win the smallest prize of just $4. Your odds are still not great: 1 in 55. And if you spend $2 per ticket and it takes you 55 tries to win, are you really winning after all? You just paid $110 to win 4 bucks.

We know all of this in our minds, but it’s another matter entirely to grasp it in our hearts. It seems there’s still something inside many of us that fights against logic and says, “But it could happen to me.”
To help move our lottery knowledge from our heads to our hearts, let’s take a quick look at what the Bible has to say about the matter.
Proverbs 13:11 says, “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it” (ESV).

I’d say winning the lottery is the definition of gaining wealth “hastily,” and there are scores of sad stories detailing the misery of lotto winners who experienced the truth of that proverb.

But that only addresses the problem of winning. What about the desire to win in the first place? And the money spent in pursuit of that win?

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10, NIV).

Those who find themselves chasing after a Powerball win in hopes of becoming rich are not only in danger of distancing themselves from God, but hurting themselves through unnecessary heartache.

As for all the money spent trying to win—$520 a year if you buy just one Powerball ticket every weekday—it’s difficult to justify when held up against Proverbs 3:9.

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce” (NLT).

For those who find themselves giving into the temptation to chase after the latest jackpot, those are words worth considering. Does that ticket purchase honor God? Are you giving Him your first and best gifts through tithes and offerings? Or is your lottery habit preventing you from giving God your best?

That’s a lot to think about, but let’s wrap this up with one last idea, from Jesus Himself, as recorded in Matthew 6:24 (NIV):

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

If you are hoping to win the lottery to rid yourself of your credit card woes, contact FaithWorks Financial at 877-232-5109 to learn about our Christian debt relief programs. You’ll have a much higher chance of seeing your debt disappear!

The next time you pull a crumpled $5 bill out of your wallet, take a second to look at the distinguished, bearded man staring back at you.

Abraham Lincoln, along with the other famous men who appear on our money, had a lot to say about how we should use it.

You’re probably familiar with Benjamin Franklin’s famous saying, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” As we celebrate President’s Day, here are some other, lesser-known words of wisdom from our former presidents and founding fathers.

$1 bill – George Washington

“…nothing is a greater stranger to my breast, or a sin that 

my soul more abhors than that black and detestable one 

ingratitude.”

– letter from George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie; May 29, 1754

It’s easy to let thankfulness fall by the wayside when we’re struggling with debt. This is a great reminder to be thankful for our many blessings, even when times are tough.

Paul puts it this way: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15, NIV).

$2 bill – Thomas Jefferson

“Never spend your money before you have it.”

– advice from Thomas Jefferson to his granddaughter, Cornelia Jefferson Randolph

It’s been more than 200 years since Thomas Jefferson was born, but his advice has never been more pertinent. Even though he never held a plastic credit card in his hand, you can bet he would have detested the now-commonplace practice of buying now and paying later.

$5 bill – Abraham Lincoln

“Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today.”

– notes from a lecture that Abraham Lincoln planned to deliver to future lawyers

This quote wasn’t necessarily meant to refer to personal finance, but it can certainly apply to that area. We live in a culture that strongly encourages procrastination when it comes to money. (Just watch a car commercial or an appliance ad.) Ignore the broke masses and listen to our 16^th president. Make a plan today to pay off debt, save for a rainy day and invest in the future.

$10 bill – Alexander Hamilton

“I never expect to see a perfect work from imperfect man.”

– from Alexander Hamilton’s Federalist Paper No. 85

This is another quote that can apply to many aspects of life, including personal finance. The road to financial freedom is filled with speed bumps, and none of us navigates it perfectly. Have you made a mistake recently that derailed your budget? Accept it and move on. Don’t allow it to halt your progress.

$100 bill – Benjamin Franklin

“He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.”

– from Benjamin Franklin’s publication, Poor Richard’s Almanack

This concept is so important, we’re skipping over the $20 and $50 bills and going straight for the “Benjamins.” Ben Franklin’s quote reminds us that we need to control our money—not the other way around. As the book of 1 Timothy tells us, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” It’s one thing to work diligently to achieve financial freedom; it’s another to allow money to become an idol.

This President’s Day, resolve to put these quotes into action, and you should have some extra Benjamins in your pocket in no time.

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another” Romans 13:8

Modern society makes it easy to retain debt, but the Bible is clear on the subject.

Although it sounds simple, tackling the debts that build up in the form of a mortgage, car payments, student loans and credit cards can be more difficult than it seems. Fortunately, the Bible provides guidance on the topic of debt management.

Borrow Wisely

When it is necessary to borrow money, use the funds wisely.

In 2 Kings 4:1-6, the Bible tells the story of a widow who was facing the loss of her children to slavery. She needed money, but the only solution available was borrowing jars from her neighbors.

Although the woman borrowed jars from others, the result was enough income to repay her debts to the creditors and protect her children. The Bible tells us to avoid debt whenever it is possible, but recognizes that sometimes it is not possible to avoid debt.

The key lesson is that it is important to apply wisdom to each transaction. Borrow only with the purpose of investing in the future, such as taking a student loan to pay for the education that will provide the opportunity to avoid debt in the future.

Repay the Debts

Managing your finances with Christian principals is managing your finances with integrity.

Whenever it is not possible to avoid debt, it is important to repay the debt.

Psalm 37:21 states that “the wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.” It is not possible to give generously when debt is looming over the family and every effort should be taken to repay the debts.

If you find yourself unable to repay your debts but do not want to walk away from them in a bankruptcy, a Christian debt relief program may allow you to at least repay a portion of the debt, an amount that the creditor agrees to, rather than having to walk away from it entirely.

Pay as much as possible into debts that were taken out in the past, but use logic and wisdom when making the decision about how much to pay. It takes time to repay a debt, but making the effort to keep trying is an essential part of following the commands of the Bible.

Keep Trying

When it comes to debt management, a key tip that the Bible provides is that it is important to keep trying and working hard. Proverbs 20:4 states that “sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing.”

Christian debt management can seem difficult, particularly when a financial situation changes and it is hard to make the monthly payments, but the Bible provides information about the next step of reaching for a debt-free lifestyle.

Do not give up! Take steps to repay the debt because it will ultimately result in a great financial harvest.

A huge amount of our monthly budgets are set aside for food.

Food is a strange expense because it can kill a budget but it is not the kind of spending that you could just cut out if you wanted to. You do have to eat, but you do not have to spend massive amounts of money to do so. The food industry has devised very clever ways to make sure we spend more than we should on this most necessary of expenses.

If you can understand some of these ploys, however, you can stop falling into their trap and begin taking control of how much you spend on food each month.

It Starts at Home

The restaurant business must start their ploys before you ever set foot in their establishment.

Food has a lot of very strong emotional and psychological strings attached and the powers that be in the food industry know this. That is why they spend millions of dollars every year on television commercials. When you begin seeing images of food and family and friends having fun together while you’re sitting at home watching television, it gets the wheels of your mind turning. These images can have a powerful effect on your decision making.

The way to avoid letting these images change your budget is to have a set night of the month or nights of the month that you designate as evenings you will eat out… if your budget permits eating out.

Stick to this schedule and when you begin to feel tempted by what you see on television, jot down on your calendar what restaurant you would like to visit on your night out. You will then have something to look forward to and not feel you are at the mercy of advertising.

Another great trick is to look at a restaurant’s menu at home before ever entering the establishment. According to financial author John Pacenti, restaurants actually employ menu engineers to design a menu that works on your psychology when you are hungry. However, if you look at the same menu online when you are not hungry you will most likely choose something entirely different, and usually less expensive.

The Convenience Trap

The fast food industry also uses television images to work their magic, but in most cases our own crazy schedules and lack of planning, provide plenty of opportunity for them to swoop in with their quick drive through windows and sabotage our food budget for the week.

The fast food industry has done everything in their power to make their restaurants the fastest, simplest option for dinner, but they are not the cheapest option. The money you spend on one fast food meal for a family of four could generally be used to buy three times that amount of food in a grocery store.

The trick to beating them at this game is plan, plan, and plan and then have a backup plan.

If you are blessed with a large, busy family you cannot just leave meals to plan themselves. If everyone is working outside of the home then you have to be even more careful to plan out what will be eaten when. Menus made up a week or two ahead of time will give you a sense of control over the whole, “What’s for dinner” dilemma. Some websites provide menu planning that can help you get accustomed to planning meals in advance.

Grocery Store Games

Grocery stores are next in line when it comes to manipulating you into what to buy. Grocery stores are arranged in such a way to make sure you pass expensive items over and over.

The key here is to take the menus you have created each week and write a very detailed list of exactly what you are going to buy, and then stick to that list as if your life depended on it. Decide what you will buy while you are still in the safety of your home, before you begin to get bombarded with advertising psychology at the store. Also never shop hungry, you will buy more unnecessary items just because of your own hunger.

The Biggest Food Related Money Saving Tip Of All

Eat. Healthy.

Contrary to popular belief, it is much less expensive to eat healthy than not. Boxed meals are quick and convenient and seem inexpensive. The truth is though, you can often make twice as much of a dish for the same price when made at home. It may take a few more minutes to prepare the meal from scratch instead of from a box, but the savings will add up.

The real whammy comes down the road though. Eating your whole grains, fruits and veggies may save you from a heart attack, high cholesterol or diabetes. Aside from your health, you can save thousands on medical expenses by preventing them in the first place.

Our food is one of our largest expenses. Fortunately it is one expense that we do have a great deal of control over. Happy eating!