Investing

Betterment Update and Lower Fees!

February 27, 2012 by Jon Doyle

Remember that review of Betterment I wrote a while back? Well guess what? Betterment has outdone themselves once again and lowered their fees. Couple that with their no nonsense investing structure, you have yourself a winning retirement savings strategy.

One of the biggest complaints I originally had about Betterment were their high fees. It’s hard to justify investing with a company that has high fees compared to other big names like Vanguard. Well, those fees I used to talk about are no longer uncomfortably high. Betterment has listened to the customer base and lowered their fees. I’m sure this took a hit to their bottom line but it goes to show how “customer driven” Betterment really is. Betterment is a company I trust and recommend.

So, what got affected with this new fee reduction announcement? Well, Roth-IRAs, Traditional Roth-IRAs and all other accounts were affected. Before I go on, did you know that anyone can join Betterment? If you;re considering opening an IRA account, just go with Betterment. They have a broad base of funds and now offer new lower fees.

What the fees used to be

Back when I first wrote my Betterment review, the fees were ginormous! They ranged between .3% and .9%! Those are high when compared to the rest of the companies out there. For the average investor, that’s ahuge chunk of change that is just unnecessary to lose to a stupid thing like fees.

The good news, lower fees!

Betterment has listened and now their fees are substantially lower! Their new fee strucrure puts them on par with their competitors across the industry. I’m very impressed with this decision. Here is an infographic of their new fee structure:

Notice the drastic change is fee structure? No more .9% fees, those days are long gone. Betterment has revamped their structure to now include just three options:

Builder Plan: For this account you will need a starting balance of $0. You’ll also need to setup monthly deposits of $100. The fee for this account is .35%.

Better Plan: For the Better Plan, you will need a starting balance of $10,000. With this account comes a fee of .25%.

Best Plan: For the big money investors, this account requires that you initially invest $100,000. Because of the high dollar amount, Betterment offers a super low fee of .15%.

Other changes to Betterment

Besides fee restructuring, Betterment is now offering the ability to roll-over a 401k into a Roth-IRA. Betterment also offers the switch from a 401k or IRA into a Betterment IRA. This is a great option for people changing companies or wishing to consolidate their investments. With a broad/simplistic investing platform, using Betterment for this will make sense for most investors.

Start now and get $25 FREE

Are you scared about investing or don’t know where to place your money? Take the burden off your shoulders and let Betterment do all the work. If you’re on the fence, Betterment is now offering a $25 signup bonus! It’s a great time to dive in and get some free cash to start investing. Betterment is an awesome company, so start growing your dollars and stop stressing out!

Filed Under: Investing

Conveniently Wasting Money out of Convenience to Save Time

February 6, 2012 by Jon Doyle

Time is life. How you manage your time is how you manage your life.

Think of your time as $24 a day. But you can’t put your money in a bank (or a credit union if you’ve abandoned ship after feeling betrayed by $5 debit card fees!). You get a $1 for each hour, and as that hour expires so does your $1 disappear. Where will you invest your $1 a day? The place where it brings the greatest return-whether that be financially, relationship, or into living a longer, healthy life?

With this reasoning in mind, we could temporarily agree that time is money. Oddly enough, in order to save time, we spend money. But do we sometimes do this hastily? Without warrant? Do we blow through cash like someone blows through McDonald’s–merely out of convenience?

Let’s talk about what areas we can improve in so we don’t blow money, or time, or life!

Fast Food

You certainly can feed a small army at KFC and Taco Bell for the right price. And it is convenient. If you fed a family of four three fast food meals a week you will quickly spend $75 or more. But if you stick to some chicken, fish, beef, veggies and another side you can cook this food in advance-cutting out multiple trips to the McNugget shop-and easily save at least a third on what you would spend.

Restaurants

I know when you’re tired and have nothing planned going to a steakhouse or getting a salad at your medium-end restaurant sounds nice and easy. But is it really saving you time with the wait? Negative. And it’s definitely not going to save you in the pants-your wallet I mean.

Now for a big ticket item: buying a car.

You might like pricey cars, I do! You might like a sub-$25,000 car. I like those as well. But, as much as you can control, never buy whatever price range car you like, at the time you most need it. Short of your car exploding in a Michael Bay film, you should be able to project when you NEED to sell your car. Try to sell it a bit earlier before it goes ‘kaput’.

There are a couple ideal times of the year to buy a car-the best being the end of the model year. When I was 20 I loved Mustangs. I didn’t like my grandma’s white, 1992 Mercury Topaz with the red interior. I hated being seen by young ladies in that car. I felt like they were looking at a criminal. I couldn’t hide my shame-but I tempered it for months until the end of the model year.

I waited until Memorial Day weekend then struck with vengeance. The new Mustangs were filling lots and Ford really couldn’t afford to have the previous year’s brand new models on the lot. I got a $21,500 car for $16,800. $3000 factory rebate, $1,000 really rebate, and talked them down another $700.

Paying too much for insurance

Have you researched other insurance companies lately? If not, a company that may have once had higher rates may have dropped and you could be saving a lot of money for an extra date night each month if you did a little shopping around.

Once again, you may be saving time out of convenience, but if time is money you can save some time by doing some insurance research.

Not understanding your medical insurance

this is a pretty in depth subject. But while I was in college I worked for an HMO and talked to endless patients who didn’t understand what they were paying for. It’s complicated. But you don’t need a doctorate to understand how you can save. Speak to your insurance provider and ask if they have a Patient Advocate that can help navigate the intricacies and nuances of your insurance and finances.

Paying fees for being late

Some people have a habit of paying a late fee here or there each month or quarter. These may not seem like much but by the end of the year you may have raked up a few hundred dollars in late fees. Paying to be late when we have the opportunity to be on time! Make sure to sign up every bill account you can with autopay. If that’s not an option, see if you bank has an autopay transaction system where the money can be wired-or even a check mailed (usually for a small fee).

Time is life and how you spend your time is how you spend your life. It may be nice to save some time out of convenience, but how much money did you have to earn to buy that convenience?

(This has been a guest post by Todd Mayfield, a fellow Christian and good friend. Todd has a passion for youth ministry and working out.)

Filed Under: Investing

Why Early Retirement Is So Important To Me

January 18, 2012 by Jon Doyle

If you have ever thought about retirement, I am sure the question of whether you can retire early has accompanied it. With the financial difficulties that this economies brings, many people are forced to work longer than generations before them. While people are forced to postpone retirement, I am planning my early retirement. In fact, I have a crazy goal of retiring by the age of 27. I am 24 right now, so that only gives me about 2.5 years to establish financial security. I want to explain not only how I plan on achieving this, but why it is so important to me.

How I Plan to Retire Early

I know what you are thinking: “If people take 40 years to save for their retirement, how is it possible that a person such as yourself could do it in such a short period?” Before you assume that I have a high paying job or wealthy family, I can assure you that neither of those are true. Instead, I plan on retiring early by shifting the goal of retirement.

Many people in planning for their retirement, save a percentage of their income throughout their long careers. Between the money put away and the compound interest, over the course of their life they are able to save up enough money to live off of during their retirement years. As a result, what happens is that people who are motivated to retire a few years early, make sacrifices in order to get out of their job. This often results in the connected idea that you have to wait until you are retired to do what you really desire to do.

When I started thinking about my retirement, I realized that I didn’t want to wait that long and I didn’t want to have to sacrifice too much in order to retire early. For example, I knew I didn’t want to live on the street just so that I didn’t have to work. Instead of trying to build up a lump sum to live off of, I hope to go about it a different way. I plan on creating passive income streams that will generate enough income to replace my day job. If I can generate enough income from my investments, I won’t be forced to work to earn a regular salary. I am starting by creating an online portfolio of blogs that are earning money. Once I have enough money saved, I will invest this money into real estate for a longer term investment. By focusing on cash flow instead of a lump sum, I am able to retire much earlier.

I recognize that maintaining these efforts will take some time, but I should be able to manage it in 3 days a week. Because I don’t see retirement as sitting around doing nothing, I am perfectly okay with this. Plus, I would rather work 3 days a week sustaining my income than stay in the rat race, working 40-50 hours per week.

Why I Want to Retire Early

If there is anything that I have now become passionate about, it is about my goal to retire early. My early retirement plan isn’t just about making lots of money and sitting around. Instead, it is about so much more. My plan to quit my day job and sustain my income from online efforts and real estate is ultimately about giving myself the freedom to make a significant change.

I don’t just want to be as wealthy as possible or have all of the newest things. I don’t see fulfillment in these things. Instead, I see my goal as a way to give myself two more days each week to volunteer for worthy causes. There is a lot of change that I would like to see in this world and if I can contribute to changing for the good, it is worth every effort to make this happen.

Too many people are stuck in 9-to-5 jobs and can’t be a part of anything meaningful because of their life commitments. I have been in college and now graduate school for the past 7 years and I know the feeling of constantly being busy all too well. Because I don’t want to the person who can’t help with anything, I am working towards financial freedom in order to free up my time while I am still young.

What would motivate you enough to retire early?

(This was a guest post from Corey at Passive Income to Retire and 20’s Finances. He writes to provide important information for young people while generating an income that will allow him to retire by the age of 27.)

Filed Under: Investing, Retirement

10 Christian Personal Finance Blogs That Rock!

December 22, 2011 by Jon Doyle

There are many personal finance blogs out on the web, but which blogs are worth your time if you’re a Christian? No need to go out and research because I have hand picked ten top notch Bible based personal finance blogs. Each of these blogs have epic content that you won’t want to miss. I have a mini review for each blog, enjoy!

1- ChristianPF

Bob authors the blog over at Christian personal finance. Christian PF was the first personal finance blog that I read when i first got interested in the subject. He has been a mentor and helper in my journey to make side income from my online endeavors. His content is always top notch and has a wide array of staff writers (I’m one of them). You can always count on a new article each day and know that Bob is always putting the readers first. I highly recommend that you check him out in 2012.

2- Faith and Finance

Tim authors a Christian personal finance blog by the name of Faith and Finance. Tim is the man. Not only is he a friend but he is a business partner of mine. We started our blogs at the same time so we have seen each other grow over this last year. Tim writes Bible centered content and never strays from his goal of sharing the good news. He is a Christian first and blogger second. I highly respect Tim for what he has done with his site. It would be a mistake to not check out his site.

3- One Money Design

Jason from One Money Design has been around for a while and has been a top Christian personal finance blogger for some time now. His true personality comes out in his articles and it’s always a breath of fresh air to see him relate real life events back into his articles. I also enjoy the fact that he isn’t scared to delve into video. It’s been fun getting to know Jason through his writing! He covers a wealth of topics from retirement to Biblical finance. I hope you enjoy his articles as much as I have.

4- Redeeming Riches

Jason Price has got to have one of the best looking personal finance blogs around! His design has always attracted me and love his down to Earth articles. It’s nice to see a blogger who focuses on getting to the point instead of long winded articles. Redeeming Riches is a blog you don’t want to miss in 2012.

5- Money Help for Christians

Craig is an example of truly living out the Lord’s mission in life. Not only does he author a fantastic personal finance blog at Money Help for Christians but he is a missionary in Papa New Guinea! Talk about multi-tasking! The man is a machine and put a ton of effort into his writing. When you visit his blog you can be confident it’s based on Biblical content. He goes deeper than other PF bloggers and tries to dig deep into portions of the Bible. Check him out!

6- The Christian Dollar

John has been writing for the Christian Dollar for quite some time now and it shows. I have seen his writing improve over time and it’s evident he places a high importance on quality content. The Christian Dollar covers everything from blogging to eliminating debt. I love John’t Biblical viewpoint when it comes to money. Don’t miss out on his articles, truly epic content.

7- Free Money Finance

Free Money Finance is a blogging powerhouse. FMF takes home the bacon in terms of site size and industry influence. Everyone knows about this blog and there is good reason for his. Biblical principles are behind every article and you can be sure there will be a new article posted the next day. Free Money Finance also shares insights into the success behind the blog and how others can do the same. Honesty and transparency are what this Christian blog is about.

8- KNS Financial

Faithful With a Few has always had a special place in my heart. Although posting is not as often as other blogs, when articles are posted, it’s always great content. I look forward to reading new posts from this blog and I never regret doing so. With a Christian foundation, Faithful With a Few is a wonderful blog for someone looking for a Gospel centered personal finance site with a touch of “average American.” You need to go check this site out.

9- Debt Free Adventure

Matt from Debt Free Adventure is one cool dude. I used to staff write for his site and he has helped me out whenever I have had a question. He has devoted his time to improving people’s financial lives and helping me get out of debt (thus his blog’s title). Matt has a great group of staff writers who are excellent contributors. Matt always puts his personal spin on his articles and makes sure it’s useful content for daily life.

10- Bible Money Matters

Bible Money Matters is another blog that I staff wrote for. Peter put tons of effort into his design and blog content. Not only does he lay out step by step how to save for retirement and get out of debt but he explains all these topics in video too. Peter loves to cover personal finance topics but also puts in time to research current events and tie them back into our financial lives.

Well, I hope you check these guys out! They are awesome personal finance bloggers who have a heart for the Lord. There may be few of us Christian personal finance bloggers but we make up for it with epic content. I can safely say that you will not be disappointed with any of these big time websites. Good articles, personality, and blunt honesty are what describe each of these bloggers. Do yourself a favor and check them out!

Filed Under: Investing

The Bible and Finance: The Myth of the Prosperity Gospel

December 19, 2011 by TJ

In my last article, I talked about the story of the rich young man and how finances is merely one of many idols people can have in front of God. I also pointed out that the Bible does not condemn wealth, per se, but what is done with it. On the other side of the coin, however, is one of the more subversive beliefs today within the Christian Church: The Prosperity Gospel.

Pure heresy at it’s finest

Make no mistake about it; it is more than a simple misunderstanding or poor reading of Scriptures; it’s pure heresy. The Prosperity Gospel teaches that if you are a “good” Christian, you will be rewarded with success in worldly endeavors, i.e. your wishes and desires, whatever they may be, will be fulfilled.

Christianity, under this Gospel, becomes a mathematical formula in which your righteousness is directly proportional to your worldly blessings. In America and many developed nations, this false Gospel has taken root due to our unparalleled degree of personal and national wealth.

Preachers and followers of this Gospel use examples from the Bible where righteous men such as the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) were all wealthy, as were kings such as David and Solomen, under whom gold became so common that it was practically worthless.
One such verse they use to advocate this belief comes from Psalms 37:4

“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

False teachers are everywhere

What makes this belief so subversive and destructive is that those who promote it do not do so blatantly, but discreetly. Prosperity Gospel preachers and churches will not state directly that if you are poor or financially struggling that you are somehow less of a Christian than someone who is rich. If you listen to their sermons, however, and listen carefully to what they are actually saying, there is a subtle, yet unmistakable theme that righteousness is connected to worldly success. Their sermons consist of how if you accept God as your savior everything in your life will get better and the things you desire can be gained through “trusting God.”

They will quote Scripture, such as Deuteronomy 30:15-20, where God promises blessings on those who are obedient to his word and trouble on those who do not.
Or they will point out stories such as King Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:1-20) and King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:28-36). Both were torn from their throne and riches because of their flagrant disobedience to God. After they turned back to Him, their kingdoms and riches were restored to them.

Yet, the Prosperity Gospel falls apart under the weight of both Scripture and the example Jesus set for Christians. All one need do is point to Jesus’ warning in John 16:33:

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!”

Yes, there were men in the Bible who were blessed with wealth for their faithfulness. There were also men who were not, and it had nothing to do with their faith.

The Prophet Elijah lived penniless and homeless for years while he prophesied against King Ahab. He was so poor he had to beg a woman, who was on the cusp of starvation, for food.

John the Baptist lived a spartan-like existence in the desert by himself, subsisting off of locust and honey. All he had for clothes was a leather belt and camel hair. He was ultimately was beheaded by King Herod.

Yet, in both instances, these men were praised for their righteousness. Elijah was taken up into Heaven and did not experience death. Jesus called John the greatest man – aside from himself – who ever lived.
It’s absurd that such a belief like the Prosperity Gospel has taken root, since the entire Book of Job is dedicated to squashing this attitude. Unfortunately the sad truth is that it is easy for us to jump to the same conclusion as those who follow the Prosperity Gospel.

Bible and modern day

Sometimes it can be hard to understand Biblical stories without giving them a modern comparison. As I pointed out in my previous article, Job was probably the richest man who ever lived. The Bible says he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 oxen, 500 donkeys, as well as the necessary servants to tend to these flocks. He also had a large family, seven sons and three daughters. Later chapters in the book imply he also held considerable sway over the political issues in his region and was well-respected.

Try to imagine a billionaire businessman/politician who had a large, closely-knit family, power and influence on a national level, and outwardly showed every sign of godliness.
Then suddenly, he loses everything he owns through a series of natural and unnatural events in a single day, along with all of his children. Shortly after, he is stricken with a myriad of diseases and illnesses.

Our first reaction to such news would be, sadly, predictable. What did he do to make God so angry at him? According to the Prosperity Gospel, this is the only possible explanation. Why else would God cause one of his followers so much pain?

This is exactly what Job’s friends believed; the the Book of Job contains long lectures Job’s friends give him, telling him he had to have sinned horribly in order to have brought such a disaster down on himself, and that only by repentance could things change.

Job knew in his heart this was not so. While he did not understand why God has caused him so much sorrow, he knew that it had not been because of anything he had done.
Job 2:10 is probably the best verse to dismantle the Prosperity Gospel.

“Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

Only the reader is aware that Job is being tested by God to see if he will hold onto his faith after losing everything.

In the end, God chastised Job’s friends for their false teachings, which is essentially the Prosperity Gospel, and rewarded Job for not accepting it by returning his wealth, then doubling it.

Inasmuch as Job contradicts the Prosperity Gospel, the rest of the Bible is full of examples which disprove this myth.

Not one of Jesus’ disciples ever became rich; they all died gruesome, horrific deaths preaching the Gospel. The Apostle Paul was flogged, whipped, stoned, beaten, ship wrecked, and finally beheaded.

Other Christians in the first century were covered in pitch and burned as torches by Nero or torn to pieces by wild beasts in the Colosseum because they refused to recant their faith. Martyrs like Polycarp and John Hus were burned to death.

What about the rest of the world?

To this day, Christians in Africa and the Middle East are martyred or live in constant fear of death or imprisonment.

If the Prosperity Gospel is true, then what are they doing wrong? The sad truth is that this heresy only exists in developed countries, such as America, because only in such countries would it ever make any logical sense. Insomuch as people complain about income inequality and the 99 vs. 1 percent, we have attained such luxury that all one has to do is avoid making poor life choices and one can still live a life of relative affluence.

In Third World countries, where death, war, terror, disease, and persecution are commonplace, the Prosperity Gospel and its believers would be ridiculed. In developed countries, proclaiming faith in Jesus Christ will bring scorn or ridiculed, but in countries like Iran or Afghanistan, it’s akin to signing one’s own death warrant.

Prosperity gospel a bunch of non-sense

The Prosperity Gospel is essentially a blend of Christian gnosticism and eastern religions’ belief in karma, where the unfathomable complexity of God’s divine plan for the individual and all of mankind is reduced down to a facile modus operandi. It also takes away the true purpose for following God and replaces it with the greed desire for possessions.

Nowhere in Scripture does it guarantee that a Christian will live a life blessed with material possessions if they follow God. Any verses used to promote this idea are twisted and taken out of their proper context.

The Apostle Paul and the other authors of the News Testament state a very consistent message; if you are faithful to God, he will strengthen you spiritually. He will enable you to accomplish great things in advance of the Gospel.

He will not, however, necessarily make life easy in terms of finances or anything else. As I stated before, however, this also does not mean that as Christians we are commanded to be poor or shun wealth. Wealth can be a sign of God’s blessing on an individual, but it also may simply be an indication of what a person truly worships in life.

Christians should never look at their worldly possessions, financial security, or social status as an indication of their favor with God. Rather, they ask themselves how great their wealth is that they have stored up for themselves in Heaven.

As Jesus said,

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Filed Under: Investing Tagged With: bible, finance, prosperity gospel

I Joined Online Money Bloggers

December 18, 2011 by Jon Doyle

Happy Sunday everyone! I have a special post to share with you this fine day. As all of you know, I make a nice side income from this blog and have loved every minute of it. With success, a loss of drive or initiative can happen. I’ll be honest, I haven”t been the inspired self that I once was when I first started.

While I was on cruise control, I had no one to push me to the next level. This is where Derek from Life and my Finances comes in. He has launched a growth centered blog called Online Money Bloggers and invited me to be part of it. The goal is to make at least $30,000 in extra income through online endeavors. Talk about inspiration! It was the kick in the butt that I needed. I of course joined and I’m looking forward to not only taking my blog to the next level but helping the other participants achieve their goals also!

So what can you expect from this?

Well, first off, I’ll be sharing my inside secrets on Online Money Bloggers. You can check out their blog once every three months where you can find my guest posts on what I’m doing to take my blog to the next level.

You’ll also see a badge for this competition on my right sidebar. This badge will be here during 2012.

A also wanted to give all my fans a huge thank you. Behind God’s blessing on my online ventures, you the fans are what has contributed to much of my online success.

So get excited about this new competition, $30,000 in 2012 here I come!

Filed Under: Investing

After the Crash – How to Survive a Stock Market Freefall

December 15, 2011 by Jon Doyle

In today’s rocky financial market, do you have days when you wonder should I still be investing? Trust me. I do, too.

Most of us have had that passing thought at one time or another and even more so in the last few years since the big stock market crash.

It seems one day the market goes up only to go back down the next day. Even though the market continues to have its ups and downs it is still important to look to the future and while you should possibly make some tweaks in your investment planning, you absolutely should still continue to invest. Here is a lowdown of what you should be doing to protect your financial future.

Keep Funding Your 401(k) And Your Roth IRA

While you may not be seeing huge returns right now, that does not mean you should stop funding your investment accounts. Make sure your funds are allocated in such a way that you feel comfortable and at the very least make sure you are contributing the maximum yearly amount to your Roth IRA and any employee match to your 401(k).

Even if your company pulled the plug on the 401k match, that doesn’t mean you should stop contributing. Remember: if you’re not saving for your own retirement, then NO ONE is.

If you’re a small business owner, now is a better than time than any in opening a business retirement plan. A very inexpensive option is the SEP IRA. The rules of the SEP IRA allow you to invest up to 25% of your income (depending if you’re a LLC or individual) each year. That’s a huge business expense as well as investment in your retirement!

Diversify

Yes you have heard it before, make sure you diversify your investments. Even young investors probably don’t want to put all of their funds into risky options today, but at the same time you shouldn’t have your entire portfolio in bonds, for example. Carefully consider your age, your financial goals and work to create a portfolio that will make sense for you.

If the stock market isn’t your thing, then consider Peer to Peer Lending. Companies such as Lending Club and Prosper allow you to act as the bank loaning small increments to those in need and collecting on the interest.

Consider A Roth Conversion

If you did not jump on the opportunity in 2010 to convert a traditional account into a Roth IRA you still have time. Prior to 2010 you could not make such a conversion if your AGI was $100,000 or over.

In 2011 just like 2010 your income does not matter and anyone can convert. For many, now is a perfect time to convert as account balances are still down which means you will owe less tax dollars on the conversion.

Applies to old 401k’s, too. You have the ability convert old 401k’s into Roth IRA’s, too. This is only an option if you are no longer with that employer.

Perform A Check Up On Your Retirement Plan

Periodically you should review your retirement plan, after all times and circumstances do change and your plan may need to change as well. Being proactive will help to make you aware of any possible shortcomings, etc.

Planning for retirement is serious business and if you do not plan accordingly you could be scrambling once you do hit retirement age. Take the time now to review where you are and what you need to do here and forward to be financially ready to retire when the time comes.

Everything Else You Should Be Doing

In financial times like today, it is increasingly important to make sure you are on top of your finances and seize every financial opportunity that comes your way, no matter how small. Be smart about your money. For example, if you have credit card or other debts, pay them off. Make sure you have an emergency fund and find an account to keep it in where you are at least making more than 1% return each year. Make sure you are contributing to matching employee accounts and watch your spending habits. Bottom line, every financial decision we make today can make a difference in our future.

(This has been a guest post by Jeff Rose, an Illinois Certified Financial Planner and also offers term life insurance in Illinois who authors the blogs Good Financial Cents and Soldier of Finance. He is a father of 3 awesome boys, husband to the coolest chick on the planet, In-N-Out Burger junkie and Crossfit addict.)

Filed Under: Investing, Retirement

199 Bible Verses About Money & Finances

December 12, 2011 by Jon Doyle

Here are 199 Bible verses related to money. There are plenty more, but I have selected these to be the most applicable. FYI, most of these verses are from the NIV. There may be some from other versions. Go ahead and bookmark this post if you want, I know I will!

When things get tough, it’s always great to have Bible verses to remind you that God is by your side always. These verses are organized by popular personal finance issues that we all deal with on a daily basis. The topics will be in bold font. Enjoy!

Blessings

Genesis 12:2-3
I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

Genesis 22:15-18
The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.

Genesis 26:2-5
The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws.

Genesis 48:15-16
Then he blessed Joseph and said, “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the Angel who has delivered me from all harm â”may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly upon the earth.

Deuteronomy 7:12-15
If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers. He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your landâ”your grain, new wine and oilâ”the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you. You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young. The LORD will keep you free from every disease.

Psalm 1:1
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

Psalm 67:1-2
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.

Ezekiel 34:25-26
I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of wild beasts so that they may live in the desert and sleep in the forests in safety. I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing

Luke 11:28
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Ephesians 1:3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Revelation 1:3
Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Budgeting

Proverbs 3:9-10
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Proverbs 6:6-8
Go to the ant, sluggard; consider her ways and be wise; who, having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provides her food in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest.

Proverbs 22:3
A prudent one foresees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.

Proverbs 21:5
The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenty; but the thoughts of everyone who is hasty only to poverty.

Proverbs 21:17
Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

Proverbs 24:3-4
Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms shall be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

Proverbs 25:28
He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a broken down city without a wall.

Proverbs 27:12
A sensible man watches for problems ahead and prepares to meet them. The simpleton never looks, and suffers the consequences.

Proverbs 27:23
Know well the face of your flocks; set your heart on your herds.

Proverbs 27:26
The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.

1 Corinthians 16:2
On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.

Luke 14:28-30
For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he may have enough to finish it; lest perhaps, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all those seeing begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish.

Business

Proverbs 6:6-11
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

Genesis 41:39-41
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

Hebrews 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

Leviticus 4:22
When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the LORD his God, he is guilty.

Psalm 25:9
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches them his way.â

Proverbs 21:20
In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.

Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 6:7
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10, 12
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: 10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who has no one to help him up! â¦ 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Luke 16:8-13
The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Exodus 18:15-22
Moses’ father-in-law said to him, â˜What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times.’â

Exodus 32: 19-32
Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him. Then he said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’ ” The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.

Contentment

Philippians 4:12
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

1 Timothy 6:8
But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

Luke 3:14
Then some soldiers asked him, And what should we do?â He replied, Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falselyâ”be content with your pay.â

Song of Solomon 8:10
She I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. Thus I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment.

Ecclesiastes 4:8
There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. For whom am I toiling,â he asked, and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?â This too is meaninglessâ” a miserable business!

Psalm 131:2
But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.

Genesis 25:27
The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents.

Joshua 7:7
And Joshua said, Alas, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!

Daniel 4:4
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous.

Job 36:11
If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.

Proverbs 19:23
The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

Proverbs 13:25
The righteous eat to their hearts’ content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.

Philippians 4:11
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

1 Timothy 6:6
But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.â

Job 1:21
and said:Naked I came from my mother’s womb, â¨ and naked I will depart. â¨The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; â¨ may the name of the LORD be praised.â

Proverbs 15:15
All the days of the oppressed are wretched, â¨ but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

Debt

Deuteronomy 15:6
For the LORD your God will bless you as He has promised you, and you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; and you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.

Psalm 37:21
The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives.

Proverbs 22:7
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender s slave.

Romans 13:8
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Proverbs 22:26-27
Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you

Deuteronomy 28:12
The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.

Ecclesiastes 5:5
It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay

Matthew 5:42
Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

Proverbs 3:27-28
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give it,” when you have it with you.

Exodus 22:25
If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you shall not charge him interest.

Leviticus 25:35-37
Now in case a countryman of yours becomes poor and his means with regard to you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. Do not take usurious interest from him, but revere your God, that your countryman may live with you. You shall not give him your silver at interest, nor your food for gain.

Deuteronomy 23:19-20
You shall not charge interest to your countrymen: interest on money, food, or anything that may be loaned at interest. You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your countrymen you shall not charge interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land which you are about to enter to possess.

Proverbs 28:8
He who increases his wealth by interest and usury gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor.

Hard Times

Romans 8:35, 37-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Corinthians 1:8
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.

2 Corinthians 6:3-5
We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;

2 Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Thessalonians 2:9
Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.

2 Timothy 2:3
Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 4:5
But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Hebrews 12:7
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Revelation 2:3
You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

Ecclesiastes 11:2
Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.

Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Proverbs 6:6-8
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.

Proverbs 13:11
Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Proverbs 28:20
A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 24:27
Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Planning

Proverbs 21:5
The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

Proverbs 22:3
The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naive go on, and are punished for it.

Proverbs 24:3-4
By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

Luke 14:28-30
For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it “Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish. ‘”

1 Corinthians 16:1-2
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.

Proverb 16:9
A man s heart deviseth his way: but, the Lord directeth his steps.

Proverbs 24:27
Prepare your work outside and make it ready for yourself in the field; afterwards, then, build your house.

Genesis 41:34-36
Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers in charge of the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance. “Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh’s authority, and let them guard it. “Let the food become as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine.

Ecclesiastes 11:2
Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.

Proverbs 6:6-8
Go to the ant,o sluggard, observe her ways and be wise, which, having no chief, officer or ruler, prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.

Proverbs 15:22
Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.

Prosperity

Matthew 19:29
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.

Ephesians 3:20
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Joshua 1:8
This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

1 Chronicles 22:12
Only may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the Lord charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed.

Psalm 1: 1-3
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Psalm 122:6
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.

Matthew 6:4
That your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

3 John 1:2
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Genesis 26:12
Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him

Proverbs 10:22
The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.

Proverbs 13:11
Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, but the one who gathers by labor increases it.

Malachi 3:10
“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.

Genesis 39:3
Now his master saw that the Lord was with him and how the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hand.

2 Chronicles 31:21
Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered.

Psalm 35:27
Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; and let them say continually, “The Lord be magnified, who delights in the prosperity of His servant.”

Philippians 4:19
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Deuteronomy 8:18
Remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”

Deuteronomy 15:10
You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.

Provision

Nehemiah 6:9
For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

1 Kings 17:13-16
And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

Psalm 37:25
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Matthew 6:31-32
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Matthew 7:11
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Luke 12:7
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

John 21:6
And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Philippians 4:19
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Retirement

Proverbs 16:31
Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.

Proverbs 17:6
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,â says the LORD. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Psalm 37:25
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Psalm 71:9
Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

Psalm 92:14
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

Isaiah 46:4
And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

Isaiah 46:3-4
Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Psalm 71:9
Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

Psalm 92:14
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.

Saving

1 Corinthians 16:2
On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.

Proverbs 6:6-8
Go to the ant, sluggard; consider her ways and be wise; who having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provides her food in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest.

Proverbs 19:2
Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, and he who hurries his footsteps errs.

Proverbs 21:5
The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

Proverbs 21:20
The wise man saves for the future but the foolish man spends whatever he gets

Proverbs 27:12
A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, the naive proceed and pay the penalty

Proverbs 30:24-25
Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: The ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer;

Ecclesiastes 11:2
Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.

Taxes

Matthew 22:21
They said to Him, Caesar’s.â Then He said to them, Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.

Romans 13:7
Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

Thankfulness

Ephesians 5:20
Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Psalm 118:1-18
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, His steadfast love endures forever.â Let the house of Aaron say, His steadfast love endures forever.â Let those who fear the Lord say, His steadfast love endures forever.â Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.

Psalm 105:1
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

Psalm 107:1
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 106:1
Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

2 Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Colossians 3:15-17
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Colossians 4:2
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Colossians 3:15
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Romans 1:21
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Psalm 20:4
May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!

Acts 2:38
And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5:21
But test everything; hold fast what is good.

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Ephesians 1:11
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.

Tithing

Genesis 14:20
Melchizedek comes out to meet Abraham, as Abraham gives him atithe of the spoils of his victory.

Genesis 28:20-22
After the vision of God’s renewed covenant, Jacob initiates a covenant with God vowing to give him a tithe of what he receives from the promised land.

Leviticus 27:30-32
The specifications of the tithe is introduced into the law of Moses.

Numbers 18:21
The tithe is dedicated the Levites for the work in the tabernacle.

Deuteronomy 12:5-11
God gives instructions for what to do with the tithe once Israel crosses the Jordan.

Deuteronomy 14:22-29
God gives instructions on how to disperse and exchange the tithe.

Deuteronomy 26:12-15
God gives instructions on how Israel should sanctify the tithe before they can ask for a blessing.

2 Chronicles 31:5-12
The children of Israel do what’s right under the reign of Hezekiah, and bring the tithes to the designated places.

Nehemiah 10:37-38
Israel obeys God and brings the tithes to the storehouse.

Nehemiah 12:44
Officers were appointed to watch over the tithes in the storehouse.

Nehemiah 13:5-12
Nehemiah cleanses the storehouse and kicks Tobiah out of the room that was designated to store the tithe. He then restores order.

Amos 4:4
God commands Israel to bring back the tithe and reiterates the curse that is upon them if they don’t.

Malachi 3:8-10
God reprimands Israel for not delivering the tithe, and reiterates the blessings and curse that would be in result of whatever decision they chose.

Matthew 23:23
Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for not obeying the weightier matters of the law along with tithing.

Luke 11:42
A parallel passage of Matthew 23:23 as Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for not obeying the weightier matters of the law along with tithing.

Luke 18:12
A Pharisee brags about his obedience to the law and tithing.

Hebrews 7:5-9
Abraham’s tithe is used to illustrate a change concerning the priesthood.

Work

Deuteronomy 15:10
Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

Deuteronomy 24:14
Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns.

Psalm 90:17
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us-yes, establish the work of our hands.

Psalm 128:2
You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Proverbs 12:11
Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.

Proverbs 14:23
All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

Proverbs 18:9
One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.

Ecclesiastes 3:22
So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?

Ecclesiastes 4:9
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:

Isaiah 64:8
Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.Luke 10:40
But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

John 5:17
In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”

John 6:27
Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.

Acts 20:35
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

1 Corinthians 4:12
We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,

1 Thessalonians 4:11
…and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,

2 Thessalonians 3:10
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

Hebrews 6:10
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

1 Timothy 4:10
That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

Filed Under: Investing

Start Your Long Term Savings Before It’s Too Late

December 7, 2011 by Jon Doyle

During an economic downswing, many people shy away from investing. After all, when spending decreases, and unemployment rates increase, investing in your future may seem like a giant leap of faith.

Historically, the stock market has always recovered from every economic downturn, and generally can be relied upon as a safe place for long-term investment. Consider investing as part of your plan to save money for your future.

Long-term vs. Short-term Investments

Short-term investments often don’t pay off during an economic downswing. They can have high returns in a few weeks or a few months, but entail additional risks not usually found in long-term investments due to sudden fluctuations. When the economy seems volatile, you don’t want to expose your capital to the risks found in short-term investments.

Instead, invest money to save for retirement, focusing on investments with more robust gains garnered over the long-term rather than trying to gain from short-term volatility.

You can invest smaller amounts of money over a long period of time when you focus on long-term investments. Slowly but surely, your investments grow, and by the time you reach retirement you can have a tidy sum set aside to supplement your other retirement income.

Important Investment Strategies to Consider

If you have never invested before, the process may seem intimidating. Working with a professional financial advisor can assist you in planning for retirement. Financial advisors help assess risks and the amount of money you have available to invest, and recommend the wisest investments for you and your family.

Some strategies to help you begin investing include:

1. Begin Saving for Retirement With an IRA
Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs each have a different set of benefits and drawbacks. Investigate both options before choosing the best one for you.

2. Strongly Consider Investing in a Mutual Fund
American-based Vanguard offers mutual funds for investors. The company has an excellent reputation and offers many investment options. A Vanguard funds manager can work with you to determine your financial goals and to help you with your investment choices. Thoroughly research any mutual fund before investing.

3. Open a College Savings Plan
If you have children or plan to have children, open a college savings plan. The two most popular options are the 529 college savings plan and the Education Savings Account (ESA). The plans provide tax benefits for participants saving for their children’s college education.

4. Diversify
You may have heard this tip before, and it still rings true. Make sure you have a well-balanced, diversified portfolio. Spread assets around, rather than placing all of your savings in one type of investment. Invest across a mix of stocks, bonds, cash, and international funds. Within your investments, diversify between different sectors and industries. Diversifying your portfolio helps you to manage your investment risk and protect your savings in the event of an economic downswing.

Don’t set up your portfolio and then forget about it until retirement time. You need to review your portfolio periodically, at least quarterly, to make sure no revisions need to be made to your plan. Meet with your financial adviser annually on a more frequent basis, depending upon your needs. Your investment portfolio needs regular care and maintenance in order to flourish.

Final Thoughts

These tips can help you begin saving for your future, but you need to conduct additional research before investing your savings. Further educate yourself by meeting with a financial advisor, taking classes, or joining an investment club – or simply do research online or at your local library. Your willingness to learn helps ensure that your investment portfolio will pay off during your golden years.

What’s your strategy for investing for the long run?

(This has been a guest post by David Bakke who is a contributor for the Money Crashers personal finance blog. He covers financial topics including budgeting, finding the best shopping deals, investing, and planning for retirement.)

Filed Under: Investing, Retirement

November Stats and Income Update

December 3, 2011 by Jon Doyle

Welcome to my November blog and income update! Notice I added “income” to the title. Guess what everyone, I’m going to start sharing my income reports from this blog. I’ve had numerous requests to share this information, so why not right?

First off, let me tell you that I’m not doing this to gloat or to “show off.” I’m doing this to share with you things I’m learning along the way. Also, it’s a great opportunity to take my mistakes, avoid them, and have the same success with your blog!

Another reason is for pure transparency. I hate the feeling of a veil over my online endeavors, so this will help my mind stay at ease in terms of staying honest with you the readers!

As this is my first income report, I want to give you a disclaimer. If you read this article and start to think that online income is easy, WRONG! It took hours upon hours to build this site up and get it to where it is now. Late nights, blood shot eyes, missed gym workouts, sacrifices were made for sure. So keep that in mind if you have wishes of online success overnight!

General Blog Update

November was definitely a month of introspection in terms of where I want this blog to go. After much consideration, I’m making it a goal for 2012 to finally break into video and start a YouTube channel. Blogging in text alone just isn’t enough. I’m finding that many people just don’t engage in visual text as much as they do video.

You can expect a Free Money Wisdom you tube channel to pop up sometime in January. I plan on talking about various personal finance topics and even taking reader questions and answering them on video. This is a huge step for me as video just flat out scares me! I’m nervous but it’s something I need to do.

As for the blog itself, I’m sure you’ve noticed various design changes. A big change was to take down 99% of the advertising. I want to create a reader driven platform and focus on my content. I don’t want my readers to be distracted by large advertising banners. You’ll notice a single banner up top to the right of my header. Feel free to sign up for whatever ad is shown. I will only be placing ads in that spot for companies I support 100%. Your wellbeing comes before any type of affiliate commission I make from this blog.

Another goal of mine is to guest post at least twice a month. Part of this is to attract new readers, but it’s also to share some of my content on other personal finance websites.

Guest posts during November:

Consumerism Commentary- “Construction Revolutionized my Finances.”

Moneyning- “Take Control of Your Finances, or Else!”

Another big even that happened on this blog during November was the addition of my fiancee (Hannah) as a staff writer! She is a wonderful writer and will provide readers with a unique female perspective on personal finance issues. I’m really excited to have her aboard and contributing. Feel free to hit up my ABOUT PAGE to see a picture of us. We’re getting married May 12th and I couldn’t be more excited, woo hoo! You can check out her latest article “Cut it out America” here.

Blog Stats for November

It was yet another solid month for Free Money Wisdom. With a combination of guest posting and an added focus on SEO, I saw my Google traffic spike. I want to give a big thanks to all my dedicated readers for sharing my article via social media. It really means a lot when I see mentions!

Alright, here are the stats for the month of November-

Page Rank: Still at 3…

Alexa Rank: 82,000

Facebook fans: 943

Twitter followers: 1,546

Total subscribers: 398 (Feel free to join my email list!)

Total visits: 8,237

Absolute unique visitors: 7,707

Total page views: 13,207

Average time on the site: 1.29 minutes

I’m happy with the traffic stats but I’m NOT happy with the average time on my site! I’ve tried to create a site layout that encourages readers to check out other articles, but something isn’t working! I have my suspicions that it may be my content. Adding links within articles is something I’m pretty lazy at… I’d like to see this hit two minutes by the end of December.

Income Report for November

Income was pretty solid for the month of November considering the holidays. I’m hoping things pick up in January. I’ve been really trying to make a push to make more of my income through affiliate marketing. One thing that is important to point out is that I refuse to push products that I don’t support 100%. So, if you see a review or a mention on Twitter, you’ll know that it has my “stamp of approval.”

Affiliate Earnings: $602

Private Ads: $1,505

Staff Writing: $250

Total income for the month of November: $2,357

Woo hoo! All in all it was a great month. A big thanks to everyone that fosters the Free Money Wisdom community and for singing up through my affiliate links. I’m so extremely thankful for everything and praise God for this opportunity to help people with their finances and make some extra money on the side!

You’ll notice some changes to my navigation bar! I’ve added some resource pages packed full of content on this site as well as products and totally free services that I recommend. Here they are:

Must Reads– This page lists out the most popular articles on free Money Wisdom as well as articles that I feel you should read! It’s the “cream of the crop” if you will 😉

Bible and Money– Since this is a Christian website, it’s natural to have numerous Bible based financial articles. Did you know that the Bible refers to money thousands of times? Well, on this page, I list out various articles I’ve written and hope you enjoy the content.

Credit Cards I Like– This page entails my favorite credit cards and are cards that I recommend to everyone. You can’t go wrong with these. Remember, if you are irresponsible with money, don’t get a credit card! I would never want someone to go into debt because I wanted some extra affiliate income. Your personal financial life is more important to me than making money on this blog.

Best Banks– Are you ever confused about banks and which ones you should open your next account with? I did all the leg work for you and came up with my personal favorite list of the top banks you should invest your money. Many of these banks offer high yield interest accounts so you can start growing things like your emergency fund!

Top Brokers– As an avid investor, I’ve dabbled with numerous online brokers and I feel that this page points you in the right direction. You can check out my take on the different brokerages and make your own decision on where you want to trade.

During the month of November, I was featured in quite a few Carnivals. Here they are:

Carnival of PF #333

Money go Around Carnival November

Canadian Finance #61

Best of Money #117

Carnival of Financial Planning #210

Carnival of Financial Camaraderie #7

Canadian Finance Carnival #62

Carnival of Financial Camaraderie #8

Canadian Finance Carnival #63

Carnival of Financial Planning Thanksgiving Edition

Carnival of Financial Camaraderie #9

Canadian Finance Carnival #64

Yakezie Carnival: San Diego Edition

Festival of Frugality #307

And that concludes the November blog stats and income update! I’m looking forward to much more growth in 2012 and beyond. Again, a big thanks to all my readers who have helped spread the word of what we’re doing on this blog.

If you haven’t signed up for my 7 day e-course “How to Retire a Millionaire” I recommend you do by going here. Don’t be shy, please feel free to contact me with a question or just to say hello!

Have an excellent December and God bless!

Filed Under: Investing

What the fees used to be

The good news, lower fees!

Other changes to Betterment

Start now and get $25 FREE

Fast Food

Restaurants

Now for a big ticket item: buying a car.

Paying too much for insurance

Not understanding your medical insurance

Paying fees for being late

How I Plan to Retire Early

Why I Want to Retire Early

1- ChristianPF

2- Faith and Finance

3- One Money Design

4- Redeeming Riches

5- Money Help for Christians

6- The Christian Dollar

7- Free Money Finance

8- KNS Financial

9- Debt Free Adventure

10- Bible Money Matters

Pure heresy at it’s finest

False teachers are everywhere

Bible and modern day

What about the rest of the world?

Prosperity gospel a bunch of non-sense

Keep Funding Your 401(k) And Your Roth IRA

Diversify

Consider A Roth Conversion

Perform A Check Up On Your Retirement Plan

Everything Else You Should Be Doing

Blessings

Budgeting

Business

Contentment

Debt

Hard Times

Investing

Planning

Prosperity

Provision

Retirement

Saving

Taxes

Thankfulness

Tithing

Work

Long-term vs. Short-term Investments

Important Investment Strategies to Consider

Final Thoughts

General Blog Update

Blog Stats for November

Income Report for November

Follow Us!

Categories