Archive for 2009
SERIES: Fundamental Rules Of Money Management I
Welcome to a new series on the wildly popular JosephSangl.com! In this series, I will be sharing what I believe are Fundamental Rules Of Money Management. I look forward to reading your thoughts on this topic!
Rule #1 Make hay while the sun shines.
I was raised on a farm in Indiana, and one thing we learned was that we needed to make hay while the sun was shining. We knew that a time of famine was coming (winter) when there would be no fresh food to feed the livestock. This made it imperative that we cut the grass, dry it in the sun, bale it, and store it WHILE IT WAS AVAILABLE.
How does this relate to finances? I see some key similarities:
- There will almost always be a time of famine The job lay-off, an unexpected pay-cut, an unanticipated healthcare issue, or increased expenses can lead to financial famine – especially if one has not saved for such a famine.
- When you cut hay, more will grow to replace it If the grass is not cut, it will mature and die off. It will also prevent additional growth. If you cut the hay, it stimulates new growth. The same is true for finances. If you save some, it will lead to new financial growth!
- When you have plenty of hay saved up, it leads to confidence When you have an emergency fund of money saved up, it can help you take a few risks and not jeopardize your entire financial situation. You can absorb some costly expenses.
When you are in a period where you are making excellent money and life is good, it is time to save and store up for the future. Make hay while the sun shines.
John Maxwell & Stewardship Challenge Conference
On August 18 and 20, I had the privilege and honor of speaking along with Dr. John Maxwell, Pastor Brian Tome, and Pastor Steven Furtick at the Stewardship Challenge Conferences held in Cincinnati, OH and Charlotte, NC.
On October 15th and November 9th, two more of these outstanding conferences will be happening. If you are in church leadership or are leading stewardship for your church, this is one event you do not want to miss. I PROMISE that you will be challenged AND equipped to address stewardship challenges in new and effective ways!
On October 15th, the Stewardship Challenge will be in ORLANDO, Florida!
On November 9th, we will be in BALTIMORE, Maryland!
At each event, Dr. John Maxwell, Dr. Rick Campbell, and I will be speaking. In Orlando, Pastor Tom Mullins will be the guest speaker. In Baltimore, Bishop Walter Thomas will be the guest speaker.
Click HERE to learn more and to register.
I would love to see you there! I can't wait!
Top 10 Signs You Are In A Financial Mess
A friend of mine recently asked me what were some of the top signs that someone was in financial distress. I sent him the below list.
- You have $0 in savings
- You know exactly how much you have left in overdraft protection – and you USE it
- You are well aware of what the term "NSF" means
- You leave bills unopened because you are scared of what is inside
- You are saving nothing for retirement and planning on the lottery and the government to take care of you
- Your kid has 53 Webkinz, but you have nothing saved for their college
- You borrow money from your children
- You borrow money from a payday loan store or a pawn shop
- You have $483,000 in credit card debt
- You are 35, have no job or income, live in Mom's basement, and wonder why things are not going well (financially or otherwise)
Would you add anything to this list?
Next Steps Site Update – Free Samples
For this Saturday morning, we have updated our Next Steps site "Free Samples" section with a link to Shop4Freebies.com. It is a great place to sign up for a variety of free stuff – if you don't mind increasing the quantity of e-mail and regular mail!
Check out the free samples link HERE. You might just want to browse the entire "Budget Boosters" section while you are at it. It is how me and my team have saved TONS of money!
Free Coupons For Groceries
For those of you who are saving money on groceries by using COUPONS (if you are not – you should be!), Coupons.com provides FREE COUPONS HERE.
I have been saving anywhere from 35% – 85% off of my grocery bill by using coupons. It is AMAZING, and it is helping my family be able to save money as we prepare to welcome Baby Sangl to the world in early February. It is possible that my grocery bill will not change as we add another member to the family – I am so PUMPED!
There are still tickets available for the I Was Broke. Now I'm Not. Book Signing/Seminar in Anderson, SC. It is one week from today. Each ticket purchase will receive a signed copy of I Was Broke. Now I'm Not., seminar materials, PLUS will learn how to save money on groceries and nearly everything you buy – topics will include insurance, travel, groceries, restaurants, home and cell phone service, shopping, and more! You can purchase tickets HERE.