1. Written Plan. A written plan is an absolute necessity for the Christian in financial bondage. (It would benefit everyone else, too.) Use a written plan of all expenditures and their order of importance. The order of importance is crucial because it will help us differentiate between needs, wants, and desires. Let’s examine those differences: - Needs. These are necessary purchases such as food, clothing, a job, home, medical coverage and others. - Wants. Wants involve choices about the quality of goods to be used. Dress clothes, steak versus hamburger, a new car versus a used car, and so on. - Desires. Desires are choices according to God’s plan, which can be made only out of surplus funds after all other obligations have been met. The difference between needs, wants, and desires can be illustrated this way: we can see in our society that most people need an automobile. That need can be satisfied by a used Volkswagen. The want can be satisfied by a larger car such as an Oldsmobile. And the desire may only be satisfied by a brand new Cadillac. A parallel would be in the food that we eat. The protein requirement of food can be satisfied by selecting good quality vegetables or hamburger. The went may by steak, and the desire may be satisfied only by eating out every night. Each of us must assess those levels according to God’s plan for our lives. For instance, if a Christian is in financial bondage and is not able to keep his family’s needs met and bills paid, he must assess whether a television set is a need, a want, or a desire. He must also assess entertainment or vacations accordingly. Those who are in debt have no prerogative but to meet their needs and then satisfy the needs of their creditors according to God’s plan. Always analyze every expenditure in terms of those categories. 2. Living Essentials. A Christian in debt must stop any expenditure that is not absolutely essential for living (Proverbs 21:17). Look for services around the home that can be done without outside cost. Also begin to develop some home skills. By utilizing individual skills, you can begin to cut down on some of the non-essential expenditures. Learn to substitute for items of lower depreciation. For example, when purchasing appliance, select those with fewer frills; the basic components of most appliances are the same. Keep an automobile even though you may be bored with it. Learn to conserve. Begin to eliminate expenditures that are not essential, remembering that many expenditures are as summed to be essential only because society says so. Fifty years ago almost all the labor supplied in the home was through family members—not paid professionals. Christians in bondage must begin to assess what things they can do for themselves. Once a Christian has begun to do those things, whether in debt or not, it will become fun and will help stabilize family life.

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