So, our computer was acting crazy last week. Then it just stopped working. GRRRR! It was only a little over 2 years old, so I was very angry. Best Buy took a look....for $170; they said we had 354 viral threats on the computer but that the hard drive was fine. Phew! Except, it was going to cost an additional $130 to TRY and repair the OS, and if that didn't work then it was damage to something physical and would have to be sent out for parts. Well, the tower wasn't even worth the $300 we'd be putting into it, so we decided to get a new one. Of course, we had not been saving to purchase a new computer, so this was going to come out of pocket. We are doing the debt-free living these days, so there was no way we were going to charge/finance a new one. The Apple computers/laptops/iPads looked great, but not for a whopping $1000! We went with a simple Asus netbook and just got the external hard drive and portable CD drive for the additional needs we have. All in all, it's a great computer. Total purchase was under $700, and we can still do everything we could before....plus, now we're mobile with it! So, God really provided by making it affordable with the computer, extra drives, and the 2 yr protection plan. We paid cash and don't have to worry about a monthly payment......just replenishing our emergency fund now.
It seemed like a little thing at the time, but God really did a HUGE thing for us by providing for us to be able to pay cash. Credit cards seem like no big deals some times, but they really eat up your money. I'm very thankful that God has allowed to be living without the credit card for almost 3 months now! Not very long, but that's the longest we've gone I think. Zero balance means zero interest and zero monies owed to someone else. Now, we're paying down the car loans....I never want to finance a car again. What a waste of money. If we can pay them both off in the next 12 months, we'll be in really good shape to start knocking down the house loan and putting away money in investments and the girls' funds. We have just a little in their accounts now, but if we can stop paying on loans (except for the house), then we can definitely set aside much more for the girls' education.
God does so much for us between paychecks. And we definitely haven't been able to live without the big money worries until we started tithing. Seriously. Seems ridiculous and doesn't make sense sometimes, but we actually have MORE money each pay period after we give the tithe. Weird, I know, but God is doing just as He promised He would if we obeyed....He's taking care of the things we need and He's even blessing us beyond that. Of course, we (humanly) still worry about money every week....which is silly because we've never been without - never missed a meal, a bill, a tuition payment, etc.
I know God will continue to take care of and bless us as long as we're doing what He's asked and doing it with the right heart - not grudgingly but rather with a grateful spirit. We are all responsible for the things He's entrusted to us. That is one of the many reasons I like to coupon. He has given me a great responsibility to manage for the househould and family needs. My husband manages our checkbook, but I have the cash that takes care of groceries and clothing and gas and whatnot. Why would I NOT want to do everything I can to handle it properly and wisely, so that we can enjoy the fruits of our labor rather than spoil them by buying anything and everything?!
My goal is to always be aware of what and how I'm spending and to remember to be thankful constantly for God's provision and to trust Him to do as He's promised as long as I do as He's asked. What a great God I have! Thank You, Jesus, for Your blessings and guidance.
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