Do You Know The State Of Your Finances These Days?

Any time we’re knocked out of our routine, our finances are usually one of the first things to suffer. Right now we’re staying at home and not spending money in our communities, but we’re probably buying more online than normal. And if we’re not spending money as we usually would, we may not keep tabs on our finances like usual, either.

Even in the midst of a pandemic, God’s word shows us how important it is to know where we stand financially.

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. For riches are not forever: and doth the crown endure to every generation? Proverbs 27:23-24

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say you probably worked pretty hard for that money in your bank account. Am I right? Of course - we all put in the time and effort to earn our wages. In that case, Solomon wrote directly to our hearts, we should be working just as hard to know how much money we make, where it’s going and what it’s doing for us.

Here are three questions we should ask ourselves in the days to come regarding our financial diligence:

1. Do I know exactly how much money I have at any given moment? With more than one person adding and subtracting from bank accounts, this is more difficult, but we should know our account and cash balances at the beginning and end of every day. Not only does this prevent headaches and embarrassment, it gives us confidence in our budgets and reduces anxiety.

2. Are there any unnecessary recurring payments I can put on hold? If you’re not going to the gym right now, put your membership on hold until you can return. Could those subscription boxes be paused for the moment so you have a little extra emergency cash? Every little bit helps, so be diligent and look at ways you free up more of your money.

3. Have I planned well for the week, month and year to come? No one knows exactly how long we will be staying home, working from home, telecommuting - whatever status you’re currently in. With that in mind, it’s so important that we review our budgets, take another look at our bills and be cautious with how and why we’re spending money. It may seem like a lot of work when we’re already overwhelmed with our world situation, but that time will pay huge dividends down the road.

What are the financial hurdles you’re facing today? Solomon’s words are encouragement for the task at hand: be diligent to know the state of your flocks and look well to your herds. You may not have a pasture full of animals, but you can definitely know what your finances look like today.

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