Hi. Welcome to Redeem the Commute. I’m Ryan, your host for the Money Course.
Some people budget by using different ‘pots’, purses / wallets, envelopes or accounts to keep their budgeted money in, so they can see exactly where it is.
Here’s one sample list, but yours might look a little different:
Now we want to sort out which of these are priority payments – the things that will get you in serious trouble if you don’t pay them!
The important principle is keeping a roof over your head and food in your stomach if you can.
Take a look at the applicable laws fro your area – and speak to an expert if you can. What utilites are able to cut you off, and which ones have legal obligations to keep your home heated even when you’re in trouble? What loans have a grace period, and which ones have minimum payments, and which must be paid off by what deadlines?
Some examples of priority payments:
- Rent
- Loan (if secured)
- Tax
- Gas & Electric
- Water
- Food
And some that may not be top prioritieis, even though they need to be paid:
- Unsecured Loans
- TV package
- Mobile
- Telephone
- DIY
- Travel
- Insurance
- Clothing
- Birthdays
- Christmas
Top priority or lower priority, debts are meant to be paid. The Bible says this many times and in many ways:
Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:7-8 ESV)
I think the Bible encourages us to avoid debt at all, and if we have it to pay it down as quickly as possible, because of the control it exerts in our lives that pushes God away.
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.(Proverbs 22:7 ESV)
It’s important to take stock of what we owe to others during this budgeting exercise to truly understand your finances.
Questions: Mark all your priority payments on your list of expenses we completed yesterday.