Getting out of debt is a big job and requires a lot of sacrifice if you are serious. When most people begin their Christian Debt Relief program they just assume, “Well, no fun vacations for us for the next five years.”. While there will be many things that must be sacrificed, fun does not have to be one of them. You and your family can still have fun, even without an expensive yearly vacation. Here are a few alternatives to traditional family vacations that will save some money and make some lasting memories.

Kid’s Choice Week

If your kids are accustomed to taking a week-long vacation to somewhere exciting, present a “Kids Choice Week” as an alternative. Explain to your kids you will not be going on vacation, but instead, for an entire week every evening will be kid’s choice. Your kids get to choose the meal, the movie, the game the activity. Give each child a night that can be entirely their own to plan for the family to spend at home together. Your kids will love the concentrated time with each other and the feeling of being in charge.

Staycation

This is becoming a much more popular alternative in recent years. If you are in a position to take some time off work, plan a staycation. This is a great option for families that have a little money for a vacation but not really enough for travel expenses and hotel costs. Spend some time finding the most fun activities and attractions that are within driving distance of your house. You may think there aren’t any, but you’ll be surprised what you find once you start looking. Each day of your planned “staycation” you and your family will go experience a different place or activity. It could be an amusement park, museum, hiking trails. A week full of day trips. If you have really young children, you would be shocked at how much fun they might have just staying at home and getting to play with you for a few days. This is especially true for parents that work a lot. Just you being home will seem special to them.

Freebie Weekends

If you really have no extra cash, and you don’t think it wise to take time off from work, plan a month of freebie weekends for you and your family. Each state has loads of free activities offered at national parks, museums and other attractions throughout the year. Simply Google “free fun stuff to do” for your state. Pack a picnic lunch for each outing and all you’ve spent is a little extra gas money. This is a really nice alternative because your family will be looking forward to a new experience all month long.

It is very well known that most people enjoy being around like-minded individuals. It provides common ground, shared interests, and a basis for expected values. This holds true in general peer-to-peer relationships as well as in business relationships.

As a Christian, it is great to be afforded the opportunity to find companies that have the same values as you. In some instances, it just doesn’t make sense to seek out a Christian company. Though it is always great to support a Christian company, whether or not the company who makes your coffee table claims to be a Christian company is not going to have much of an impact on your experience as a consumer. Other times though, it can totally transform your experience.

Here are 4 instances where seeking a Christian company makes sense.

Christian Daycare

Where you send your young children to school is a huge decision. These are the folks who are going to be giving your child their first regular social interactions. It is great to know that not only do the teachers/caretakers have similar beliefs and values to you, but the other children are probably being raised in a similar manner to yours.

Christian Counseling Services

Life get’s tough, and sometimes it is helpful to seek professional counseling to help us navigate those difficulties. For Christians, it can be incredibly helpful if the person who is helping you try to find the needed direction in your life is also seeking His guidance. Having biblical references accompany clinical suggestions can make the appointments doubly effective.

Christian Real Estate Agent

Buying a home is a huge deal, and while this one may not hold quite as much weight as the others, it can be very helpful to work with a Christian Real Estate Agent. For most people, their home will be the biggest purchase they make in their lifetime. It gives a great deal of peace of mind to know that you are working with someone who lives their life in accordance with Christian principals.

Christian Debt Relief Company

If you are struggling with your finances, a Christian Debt Relief company can help you to put you on track to reach your financial goals. Many debt relief programs are long-term and often last 3-7 years. Since you will be working so closely with the company and it’s financial advisors, it is very helpful for them to share your values and principles. Plus, handling your finances according to Biblical principals– such as including a tithe in your budget– is not always in line with suggestions made by non-Christian companies. When working with a Christian company you know that your counselor not only understands where you are coming from but even approves of it!

While we cannot help you with the first three, if you are in need of financial guidance and would like to work with a Christian company, please take a moment to speak with one of our Advisors for a free consultation.

Seeking out a Christian company does not always make sense in todays world. The more important the decision is though, the bigger of a factor it becomes.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 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 6:6-10

There are many reasons individuals find themselves in the midst of financial difficulties. Some of these reasons are unavoidable such as medical expenses from an illness or a job loss. However, oftentimes financial difficulties are the result of some poor choices made along the way.

At the root of these poor choices, discontentment is often found. After all, the desire to have a nicer car, bigger house, more advanced degree, nicer or longer vacations, better clothes or to live in a nicer area very often stem from discontentment with a current life station. Discontentment can very easily lead to the accumulation of excess debt, and eventually financial hardship.

Several years ago, a study stated that Americans who made $25,000 yearly felt they needed at least $54,000 to attain their American dream while individuals who made $100,000 felt it would take at least $192,000. The interesting point about these numbers is that each group of individuals felt it would take almost twice as much money as they were currently receiving in order for them to reach their financial goals. In other words, no matter how much money a person made, they felt they needed more to be content. While this story is a few years old, the message is still valid today.

Here are a few actionable suggestions on how to become financially content:

Lower your expectations

Unrealistic expectations set yourself up for disappointment and failure. Be reasonable with your goals and work hard to achieve them.

Image credit cnn.com

Help Others

Few things are more meaningful than helping someone in a time of need. Whether it be something as simple as lending an ear or something much more, getting outside of ourselves and our circumstances will almost always lead to renewed gratitude. This is one we can learn from the Pope.

Trust God

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”- Philippians 4:11-13

This verse shows what God desires we understand about contentment. He teaches in His word that we should strive to be content with our situation in life. Does this mean we cannot strive to better our circumstances and work to move up in the world, or should never own anything nice? No, this simply means that God wants us to only acquire what we can afford and to be pleased with what gifts we have been given.

If you are finding that you are overwhelmed with obligations from your past discontentment, you may want to seek help through the FaithWorks Financial Christian debt management programs. Once you have gotten out of debt, you can then strive toward living a financially content life.

No matter where you are in your financial journey, those who practice Christian debt management principals will often share similar traits. Perhaps you are doing great with your financial goals and have had the burden lifted off of you. Maybe you’re struggling with your obligations and are in need of a Christian debt relief program. Either way, your personality will most likely change as your financial situation changes.

Consider these common traits of debt-free people and discover if you are already living in the freedom, or take a glimpse at what lies ahead of you on your journey.

Practical:

They tend to understand the meaning of value in every item they purchase. For the individual living on an average American income, practical purchasing decisions are a must have trait for anyone who wants to live a debt free life.

Self-reliant:

Being debt free means that you do not have to rely on credit cards from month to month. A cash-only system means that you are self-reliant, and more importantly, God-reliant in your spending habits.

Patient:

Debt-free people deny instant gratification to continue staying out of debt. The temptation to impulse-shop may arise from time to time, but out of control spending does not exist for those who become and stay debt-free.

Self-confident:

It is easy to get down on yourself when you are struggling financially. Once you are utilizing Christian debt management principals, you will regain your self-confidence by taking care of your debt.

Responsible:

Catastrophes are unpredictable, but in most cases, debt-free people set enough money aside in their emergency fund that they can survive the difficult days.

Charitable:

Since there is no longer a huge credit card bill each month, debt-free people often experience an increased ability to share with others, lifting everyones spirits and helping others in their time of need.

Not materialistic:

Luke 12:15 states, “…‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’” Those who are free of debt acknowledge this and usually live within their means, the way God intended His children to live.

If you read this list and found yourself wanting to be on the other side of the fence, contact a Christian debt relief counselor at Faithworks Financial today so you can start developing these traits in your own life.

How Marriage Affects Your Credit Score

So, you have found the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with- congratulations! Few things can be more exciting and meaningful than this. Getting married comes with combining families, routines, living environments, and, of course, finances.

While your basic philosophies on finances may already be well known to each other, one thing that may often be overlooked is how your credit report is going to be affected. It is incredibly important that among all of the other conversations that you are having while planning your marriage, that your credit and debt be a huge topic of discussion. After all, finances tend to be one of the most common sources of difficulties in marriage. For that reason, we suggest that you get a good grasp on your combined situation as soon as possible.

One of the most common questions is whether or not one partner’s bad credit will bring down the other partner’s good credit. When you get married, items that are contained on your spouse’s credit report do not instantly become transferred over to yours. You do of course have the ability to add your spouse as an authorized user on your account, in which case it would then become an item on both of your reports. Aside from this though, the accounts and items reported on your spouse’s credit report before you are married will never show up on your own. In most instances, only the accounts which you obtain jointly will appear on both of your reports.

Although the items on each person’s report do not automatically get transferred over, any negative items will absolutely affect your creditworthiness when you go to apply for a loan jointly. If one partner has great credit and the other one has bad credit and you go to obtain a loan for a home or a car jointly, the bad credit will absolutely pull down the good.

There are some instances where things do get a bit trickier. Some states have community property laws and in those states, any debt incurred by either party after you have gotten married can be considered joint debt. This means if you get married and your spouse goes out and obtains new lines of credit and defaults on them, this would then affect your credit as well. That said, it is ill-advised to be unconcerned about rebuilding one parties credit if it is already in the tank, as those new remarks brought on during your marriage will affect both individuals. Again, this is only in the states that have community property laws.

Here are the states that have community property laws according to Wikipedia.

Community Property States

For new couples or even couples who have been together for years, trying to overcome financial difficulties in your marriage can be a huge hurdle. You may also enjoy our Personal Finance 101 series, which discusses honest budgeting, the importance of an emergency fund, and the basics of your credit score.

If one or both of you have debts that are out of control or difficult to be managed, it is important to tackle that burden before it puts a strain on your new marriage. We suggest you reach out to a Debt Advisor here at FaithWorks Financial to learn how to put a plan of action in place to have these accounts resolved and together you can begin working towards your newly combined financial goals.

There is a lot of hype about student loans these days. After all, there is currently over 1.1 trillion dollars of student loan debt in America. As a result, there have been plenty of advertisements and promotions about consolidating your Federal student loan debts. Today, we’ll explore how FaithWorks can support you in exploring Christian student loan consolidation!

Debt consolidation is the act of taking multiple loans from varying financial institutions and combining them into one single loan. FaithWorks helps people find debt consolidation loans to consolidate high-interest unsecured debt like credit cards and personal loans. The same concept works for student loans, too.

The debt consolidation process issues a new loan with a single, fixed interest rate. Ideally, consolidating debt should give you a lower monthly payment, lower interest rates, and simplicity in the form of one single monthly payment. When done right, it can do wonders for your cashflow and your budget.

For students at colleges and universities all around the country, a federal student loan consolidation can be a great way to relieve some of the burden that comes with paying for higher education. However, there are a few very important factors that you should consider to help make sure that debt consolidation is right for you in the first place.

Your Current Monthly Payment

For starters, take a look at your current student loans and see if your current monthly payments are actually manageable. Most students don’t have to begin repaying their loans until they have either dropped below full-time status or have graduated from their university. If you have fair interest rates and you are not having a difficult time keeping up with your loan payments each month, you may not have much to gain from a consolidation in the first place.

The Number of Loans You Have

One of the main benefits of loan consolidation is that multiple bills suddenly become a single bill due on the same date each month. However, if you only have one or two loans or are having no problems keeping track of your current commitments, student loan consolidation may have a lot to offer you. The bigger benefit is experienced by people who have four or more high-interest student loans that they are making payments on each month.

Current Interest Rates

Another factor that you’re going to want to consider is the interest rate that is attached to each of your current loans. People with high or variable interest rates stand to benefit the most from a federal loan consolidation. If you have reasonable fixed interest rates on one or more of your loans, you may actually lock yourself into a higher rate if you end up consolidating. If you find that your interest rates average over six or 7%, a consolidation may be worth taking a look at.

The Long Haul

You will have to consider the general basis of a consolidation- restructuring your term. If you only have a few payments left it may not make any sense for you to consolidate. If you have quite a long repayment ahead of you though, and would benefit from that lower interest rate and monthly payment, you may want to explore the consolidation or other student loan resources.

Christian Student Loan Consolidation

You may have already asked yourself by now, “What’s the difference between a Christian student loan consolidation and a regular student loan consolidation?”. The simple difference is that you will be working with somebody with like-minded values who will go the extra mile to help you solve your debt situation and present you with honest information. In fact, anyone can consolidate their federal student loans on their own directly through the Department of Education. FaithWorks is here to help you decide if student loan consolidation is right for you.

A student loan consolidation can often prove very effective in simplifying your finances and help you get on sound financial footing. If you would like more information please complete the form on the right hand side to request a call from a FaithWorks Financial Christian Debt Advisor today!

Massive student loan debt seems like a fate etched in stone for college graduates everywhere. It can take several years, even with a high-paying job, to eliminate student loan debt. Some post-graduates find themselves wondering if the cost of their education was even worth the effort. The good news is making slow and steady repayments is not the only solution. Many people do not realize that volunteering can also erase student loan debt.

Many organizations will eliminate a portion of student loan debt to college graduates who volunteer their time and talents for a specified period of time. The spirit of volunteering aligns with basic Christian debt management principles. Serving others to erase debt shows an outward commitment to imitate the deeds of Christ. This is a great way to help others and do good in our world, while getting some assistance with those student loan obligations.

The following organizations offer student loan debt relief through volunteer opportunities. Please note that their programs may change overtime, so we cannot guarantee accuracy of the following statements. We have provided links to each though, so feel free to review the organizations direct website for more information.

Peace Corps

As a volunteer program run by the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps sends volunteers to more than 70 nations. Volunteers work worldwide to improve education, agriculture, business and reduce hunger and poverty. Peace Corps volunteers are trained for three months and serve for a minimum of 24 months. The Peace Corps will repay up to 70 percent of qualifying student loans, depending on your length of service as a volunteer.

National Guard

Serving in the armed forces can also reduce the burden felt from student loan debt. College graduates may be eligible to receive up to $10,000 in student loan repayment in the Army National Guard. The Air National Guard has a similar student loan reimbursement program in place for college graduates. These programs can vary depending on the terms of recruitment, so it is a good idea to check with your local National Guard recruitment offices for more information.

AmeriCorps VISTA

A domestic version of the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps VISTA is dedicated to assisting nonprofit and faith-based organizations in helping low income individuals and communities eradicate hunger, homelessness, poverty and illiteracy. At the time of this writing, for a full year of service volunteers receive $4,725 to be applied toward student loans. In return, volunteers are expected to commit to 1,700 hours of community service.

Medical service

Added medical or nursing school debt can make repaying student loans more difficult. The good news is multiple options are available for new doctors and nurse to get out from under this burden. Many programs offer debt repayment for practicing in places lacking adequate medical care. Some agencies, such as the U.S. National Institute of Health, will repay up to $35,000 on student loans for doctors and nurses they employ.

If dedicating a long period of time to volunteer work is not an option but you are still overwhelmed with student loan debt, a Federal Student Loan Consolidation through FaithWorks Financial may provide you with the student loan relief you are in need of. Call us today at 877-232-5109 or fill out the short form to the right for a FREE consultation to help you find your best option.

It may seem unusual to bring the term “abundance” into a conversation about Christian budgeting and implementing responsible Christian financial planning, especially if you are struggling to make ends meet.

As Christians, we sometimes fail to understand the true meaning of living under abundance. Our culture tends to equate that term with the dictionary version that describes abundance as “an excessive amount of something”. Abundance is better viewed as a sufficient amount for immediate needs, plus a surplus. The amount of food in a well-stocked cupboard, for example, may likely be an abundance as it meets our needs and will not be depleted by our immediate needs. We would not be likely to consider that excessive, though.

An Old Adage Lends Itself to Christian Financial Planning

The old “a penny saved is a penny earned” mindset can be much too easy to forget!

When we find ourselves in a situation where we have unexpected money (we’ve yet to meet such a thing as “extra money”), the perspective from which the blessing is viewed has a tremendous impact on how it is managed. To view the funds as being extra or excess makes it much easier to simply spend on a luxury item. We’ve all probably said it at one time or another- “I only spent $100 at the grocery store instead of $140, let’s eat out tomorrow night!”. Viewing that instead as abundance may allow us to put that money to better use.

A Bible Perspective on Finances

In the book of Matthew, we read the account where Jesus feeds five thousand men with five loaves and two fish, and are amazed at the multiplication factor. This story has a surprise relation to Christian financial planning.

And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:19-21(NIV)

Something that is often overlooked is the fact that the remnants were gathered. There were no unnecessary leftovers.

The twelve baskets of broken pieces remaining after everyone had eaten are not random happenstance. Perhaps the remnants were a blessing for the twelve disciples based on their work feeding the crowd. This signifies that Christ not only provides for immediate needs, but He is an immense provider on a continual basis.

Too often we think of the money that is left after we pay the bills as “extra”, whereas that abundant portion should be used wisely for immediate needs, and future needs that will follow. To put this into practice, when we find that we are under-budget and have unbudgeted monies available, those funds should be put to good use. Whether it be tithed, added to your Christian Debt Relief Program, or fund some other good measure, the important thing is that it be put to good use.

The disciples realized that the people needed to eat. They also knew they could not meet those immediate needs, and they turned to Jesus for relief, asking Him to send them a way to feed themselves. Instead, Jesus provided a way for the people to eat and the disciples to receive a blessing from the abundance. We learn that with Christ, there is abundance, not excess.

If you find that you have an abundance of funds remaining in your Christian budget, consider that to be God’s money. Help build His Kingdom and keep Christian financial planning at the center of your financial strategy.

If your financial challenges seem as impossible as feeding five thousand with a handful of fishes and loaves of bread, allow a Christian debt relief counselor to help you explore a Christian debt relief program with you today.

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” — Matthew 22: 20-22

Jesus gave this oft-quoted response when asked by church officials whether he felt his followers should have to pay the Roman tax. The questioners were seeking to trap Jesus and arrest him, yet they walked away satisfied with the answer.

In today’s complex financial world, it’s difficult sometimes to keep our wits about us when faced with bill collectors and demands for payment. Sometimes, we don’t even remember or understand the debt the caller wants to discuss. When it comes to debt collection phone calls, it is all too easy to respond in a less-than-Christian and less-than-responsible way.

Here are a few tips on how to handle bill collectors in a Christian manner.

1. Pick up The Phone and Make Responsible Arrangements
Speaking with a bill collector is very unfamiliar territory for most. For this reason, the first reaction to a known bill collector is often to avoid the call. However, it is important to face the matter head on.

When overwhelmed and put on the spot, it is very easy to promise a bill collector more than you can afford. You want to fulfill your obligation, and you probably want to get the person to stop calling. However, you don’t want to jeopardize your other financial obligations by agreeing to more than you can truly afford. A better solution is to disassociate yourself from the emotions of the phone call, call the collector back after you’ve had time to make a budget, and work out a solution that will be satisfying to both the collector as well as your finances.

2. Be Polite
Bill collectors can bring out bad behavior in many of us. After all, not having enough to pay what you owe is frustrating in itself, let alone with an aggressive stranger letting reminding you of the shortcoming. However, it is important to remember that the person on the other end of the phone is someone like you, just trying to earn money to house, clothe and feed his or her family. Even if the person is rude to you, the proper Christian response is to “turn the other cheek” and end the call politely.

3. Educate yourself
If this is a new situation to you, as it is for most people, it may be helpful to educate yourself on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The collection industry is very regulated and knowing your rights can be very empowering and prevent you from being taken advantage of.

4. Ask For Help
If, despite all of your efforts, you are unable to make reasonable arrangements with the bill collector don not just let it build up on you- ask for help. The Christian Debt Relief programs offered by FaithWorks Financial can help you get your accounts back on track, or settled entirely, so that you can put the situation behind you and move on to rebuild your financial house.

To learn more about how FaithWorks Financial can help you on the road to financial freedom, fill out the short form on the right or call us at 877-232-5109. We are a Christian debt relief agency and we share your Christian views.

Debt is a distraction that prevents Christian men and women from focusing on giving glory to God and thanking Him for the blessings He has provided. For a Christian, different concerns arise from debt because it causes the mind to focus on problems related to paying back loans and getting the situation under control rather than trusting in Christ.

Eliminating the distraction of debt is not a complicated process, but it may require professional debt help to make appropriate changes based on your personal situation.

What the Bible Says About Debt

The Bible is clear about the problems that come with Christian debt. According to the Proverbs 22:7 in the New International Version of the Bible, “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” The statement is clear: if you owe money, then you are a slave.

When it is not possible to avoid debt, such as taking on student loans to pay for an education or using credit cards to pay for groceries after losing a job, it is important to find appropriate solutions that make it possible to pay all or part of the loan.

According to Psalm 37:21 in the New International Version of the Bible, “The wicked borrow and do not repay…”. Drastic solutions such as bankruptcy should be avoided, pursuing all alternative options first.

God says in the Bible that borrowers are slaves and refusing to repay a loan is wicked. When problems with debt develop, it is important to seek Christian debt relief from professionals who understand the Biblical perspective of debt as much as the problem of debt.

Debt Relief Through Consolidation

The goal of any Christian who is struggling with debt is repaying as much as possible so that the lender is no longer a distraction from the blessings that God gives. Since we ultimately want to pay back our debts, Christian debt consolidation can provide relief that allows you to repay the full amount of the loan.

Consolidation, or Credit Counseling, is a process that focuses on reducing interest rates so that it is easier to make monthly payments without sacrificing the needs of your family.

Depending on the type of debt, the process may vary slightly.

For example, student loan consolidation is specifically designed to combine all of the student loans into a single monthly payment with a low interest rate. Credit cards and other forms of debt are not included in the student loan consolidation process. A credit card consolidation is designed to help repay credit card loans.

Here is more information on Christian Credit Counseling and a Federal Student Loan Consolidation.

Is Debt Settlement an Option for Christians?

While the Bible clearly tells us to repay our debts, sometimes the loans get out of control and it is simply not possible to make the payments.

If you have reached a point where your credit card obligations are preventing you to otherwise provide for your family, bring to mind 1 Timothy 5:8 which states that “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” When your situation has reached this difficult point, Christian debt settlement is a solution that can help.

Debt settlement is a process that works through direct compromise with the lender. Your FaithWorks Financial Christian Debt Program Advisor will ask the lender to forgive a portion of the loan if borrowers pay a certain amount. Although you do not pay the full loan amount, it prevents you from filing bankruptcy and walking away from the obligation completely. In many instances you have already repaid the full amount that you charged, plus some interest, so it is not a tremendous loss to the lender.

Follow this link for more information on our Christian Debt Settlement Program.

Eliminating debt and paying off your loans will allow you to refocus on God’s goodness and mercy. Debt is a distraction, but realistic Christian solutions are available to help you rekindle your faith and find relief from financial worries.

If you are a Christian struggling with debt, fill out the short form to the right to learn how FaithWorks Financial can help you get on track to live a debt free life!