Debt Free

The first bit of practical advice that I want to share is simply this:
Get out of debt and stay out of debt.

When you do this you will experience a freedom and relief in ways you may have long forgotten.
You've been consuming so much so long you don't know what it's like to give.
You have no idea what financial margin feels like.
You have stopped seeing yourself as rich and privileged as a citizen of an elite nation, and you think of yourself as poor, needy with no way out.

Christ paid too high a price for our freedom.
Don't foolishly and knowingly put yourself in a position of slavery.
Yeah, slavery, that's what the bible says.
"The borrower is slave to the lender." Proverbs 22:7

If you are in ANY consumer debt...

That means credit card debt, payday loans, pawn shop loans (which are on the rise!) and home equity loans (yeah, these are REALLY dangerous for a lot of people)...

If you have any of this kind of debt your number one goal in life right now should be getting out of that debt.

The way you do that-
First, start tracking every single penny. Not dollar, but penny.
Second, make you budget based on what comes in and what is going out.
Third, give some away. Yep, break the hold money has on you IMMEDIATELY by giving a portion away. Start with at least 1%. Work up to a tithe of 10%. Then work past that to live on a graduated tithe.
FOURTH- CREATE YOUR AGGRESSIVE DEBT ELIMINATION PLAN.

Here are some practical tools:
First, watch this video: http://www.lifechurch.tv/message-archive/watch/life-money-hope/2
Second, take the financial freedom course: http://www.daveramsey.com/etc/cms/new_to_dave_2926.htmlc?ictid=new_to_dave

Here's a bonus tool:
http://www.gailvazoxlade.com/debt.htm
It the "Til Debt Do Us Part" lady.
I've only watched this show once, but it was great, and the website has some great tools.
This show and site are proof of the wisdom of God. It is partially based on the FACT that most marriages that split pinpoint financial frustrations as one of the top reasons.
Gail knows if she can fix a couples financial troubles, their marriage will basically be saved.
The bible talked about this a long time ago.

Tomorrow: How to better budget.