Thursday, April 4, 2013

For Richer, For Poorer (Pt. 2)


1. Don't worry. Anxiety about money can seep into every area of your life, and can case you to doubt and fear a lot of things. You WILL make it. It will be difficult, you may eat the same thing every night, but you will make it. 



2. Learn to make things. Everett and I like to have drinks when we’re at home (non-alcoholic). I have been making sweet tea since I was a preteen, so 2 tea bags and 1 cup of sugar to make a gallon of tea was an easy fix for me. It’s not the healthiest option, but it is better and cheaper than soda. Do your research before you start making tons of things from scratch; bread can be cheaper pre-made (although homemade bread is not expensive, you may take the cost of your time into consideration!).



3. Play outside. The parks in your area are public resources, meaning they should be free! A good hike can be a romantic and healthy date, and nothing's cuter than playing baseball or basketball with your man. Zoos are my personal favorite outdoor activity, and local ones usually only cost a few dollars.




4.    Get off your high horse. That’s right. You are not above Wal-Mart (as my husband once thought we were). You are not above Ramen or laundromats. You do not have to have meat at every meal. These things were provided by God to help us make ends meet. Suck it up and realize that you are not as financially established as your parents may be. 




5.    Skip Cable, just get Internet. With services like Netflix and Hulu Plus, it’s really hard to justify an extra $50 per month as opposed to $8-$16. We pay $30/month for Internet and $8 for Netflix, and it is beyond worth it. Don’t let the “bundles” fool you with their discounts.


6.  Count your blessings. If you have not yet read Ann Voskamp’s book,  One Thousand Gifts, get it. In it she tells about her battle not with cancer, but with the despair that comes with it. She began to write a list of gifts from the Lord, and it exploded into countless revelations about the Lord’s heart. Buy it, read it, start your own list. The more you start to thank God for what is in your life, the less you will want. It is amazing what a peace-bringing effect this book has. 
 
 7. Date Nights at Home! Here are a few ideas we've come up with:
  • Bring out the fancy dishes you got as wedding presents and eat your cheap spaghetti on them by candlelight.
  • Have a cleaning party. Might not seem fun at first, but as we heard from a pastor in Wilmington, "No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes." Turn up the 90s music, put on your cutest t-shirt and sweats, and have at it. You'll be amazed at how relaxing it is to have a sparkling clean house that smells good. As an added bonus, husbands look really cute with an apron on. 
  • Bring out every pillow and blanket you own and make a fort in the living room for movie night. Rent a RedBox (cheap if you return it on time!) and eat cheap junk food. 





If you are an American, you live in one of the richest countries in the world.You may not be able to live as freely as some of your friends, but you are so incredibly blessed. Act like it, and you may be surprised at how little you actually need. 

PS: Kisses are free!

--Caroline

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