By: Chuck Bentley, Crown Financial Ministries Saving is biblical; God wants us to be savers! He wants us to have the resources we need to take care of our families and others. He also wants us to be in a position to serve Him so that He will be made known and honored. Saving does not represent a lack of … Read More
Ask Chuck: How To Use My Tax Refund To Get Out Of Debt
By: Chuck Bentley, Crown Financial Ministries Dear Chuck, I need help prioritizing how to use my tax refund. We are expecting to receive about $3,100 from our refund and want to use it wisely since we have a little over $23,000 of debt and are in desperate need of new tires for my car ($450). In what order should we … Read More
4 Tips to Spring Clean Your Finances
By: Liane Weissenberger, CFPB Spring is here, and it’s the perfect time to get your home and your finances in order. Here are a few ways to get started spring cleaning your finances: 1. Request a free credit report You can request a free credit report every 12 months from each of the three major consumer reporting companies (Equifax, Experian, and … Read More
Tax-Related Identity Theft & Scams
Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone steals your Social Security number (SSN) to file a tax return and claim a fraudulent refund. You may be unaware that this has happened until you file your return and discover that a return already has been filed using your SSN, or the IRS may send you a letter saying they have identified a … Read More
What Will You do With Your Tax Cut?
Q. My husband and I are anticipating an increase in our paychecks because of the tax cut. We are trying to decide on the best use of this extra money. Improving our financial health is one of our New Year’s resolution. We would also like to invest in some fun and relaxation for the whole family. Any suggestions on where … Read More
Valentine’s Day On A Budget
By Bonnie Spain, American Center for Credit Education Q. My husband and I are determined to reach our New Year’s Resolution to reduce our spending and improve our finances this year. We talked about what we can do for Valentine’s Day and do not want to use our credit cards. Any suggestions on ways to curb our expenses and not incur … Read More
6 Rules For True Riches
By Chuck Bentley Most of the financial principles I live by I learned because I was doing it all wrong. For the majority of my young adult life, and well into my marriage, I was focused on all the wrong things. Being a success in the eyes of the world was the most important thing to me. I had grown … Read More
A Five-Step Spending Plan to Avoid Holiday Debt
By Kristin Dohn The holidays can put a financial burden even on the savviest of shoppers and savers. But like most things, taking time to plan can help you avoid the stress that comes with overspending. Before you hit the mall or shop for holiday deals, keep reading to learn how to make a holiday spending plan that works for you. … Read More
Putting The Brakes On Impulse Buying
By Jim Garnett “Impulse buying” has become a contributing factor to why many people fail in their attempts to maintain a semblance of a budget. And what is impulse buying? It is “the buying of goods or services without planning to do so in advance, as a result of a sudden whim or impulse.” A recent study reveals: 90% of … Read More
Ask Chuck: Avoiding The Christmas Spending Trap
By Chuck Bentley Dear Chuck, The commercialization of Christmas feels like a big financial trap! My husband and I want to show love to our kids and family but the pressure to spend and borrow just to put a bunch of packages under the tree seems ridiculous. Any advice for stressed out parents like us? Bah Humbug! Dear Ebenezer’s Kin, Just kidding about … Read More