Money Monday: Stay In Your Lane

So have you ever been waiting at a stop sign to cross into a double lane road into a turning lane?Then, someone kindly stops and decides to let you out.  However, they are inviting you to come on across with no acknowledgement of what's in the next lane.  You might be able to go over, but you can't safely reach your destination without further assessment on what's coming.  The kind driver is letting you out, but he doesn't know what you have to face once you're out there nor does he have to deal with the consequences.  Well, this can surely lead to disaster.

Sometimes it's easy for us to accept invitations into another lane even when we know it's not safe on the other side.  There were many times Andre and I've been encouraged to do things that were "out of our lane" by people who didn't know what we had to face.  "Go ahead and get it."  "Y'all could go ahead and buy that car."  "I would go on and do it."  These phrases were often told to us by people who were on a whole other financial level than we were and were not going to face any consequences for these decisions.  We could not simply do what they were doing without getting in a financial mess bigger than the one we were already in.  There were times we found ourselves trying to decide if we should cross into a lane that we knew wasn't safe for us.  However, we recognized that we couldn't do what everybody did and when they did it.  The timing wasn't right.  The road wasn't safe.  Our car was trying to be guided by too many helping hands that were pumping premium while we were struggling to get a quarter tank of 87. LOL!  If Jesus ain't got his hands on the wheel and leading you safely in that direction, you better stay in your lane until he clears a path for you!

Money Mondays - Renew Your Mind And Shut Your Mouth

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  Romans 12:2

Like many problems that we encounter, they usually erupt or are made worse by a particular way of thinking.  A negative way of thinking.  Sometimes we are so stuck in a mindset {or have been conditioned to a particular one passed down by generations and/or encouraged by our every day encounters) that we find ourselves bound to them. It is most easily accepted and believed.  It is the norm.  It is the ordinary.  It is my supposed life.

Not. Today. Satan.

We have to ask God for help to change our way of thinking, to renew our minds.  It's easy to believe the negative especially when it seems that's all you see.  However, we must change our way of thinking so we can progress in a positive direction.  We have to believe our situations can and will change.  Mark 9:23 says "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." I remember when I used to sit to the table and cry and stress over our finances.  It seemed like every step forward was followed by 10 steps back.  I believed that our situation was going to change, yet when things got worse I had doubts.  Just like the father cried out to Jesus, we have to ask God to help our unbelief.


Then, we need to shut our mouths! I mean talking that negative talk!

What goes into someone's mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them. Mathew 15:11

"I ain't gonna never get out of this debt."  "I can't save any money." "I'm not even going to try."

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  Ephesians 4:29

Remember you are listening to you!  How many others are listening to you too?  How long are we going to say that until it's the only thing we believe?  There is life and death in the power of the tongue.  We can't get discouraged or content with where we are and start speaking death over our finances or lives.  You think I'm just going to give up like that? I'm looking for greater.  I don't know when it's coming, but I'll be speaking it into existence until it gets here.   "I am going to get out of debt." "I can and will save money." "I'm going to try and keep trying."  I don't care what is looks like, feels like, or sounds like.  My greater is coming!  Our greater is coming!  Speak Life!

Big thanks to my sister for volunteering her face for my blog antics!

Read my first Money Monday post here.

Money Mondays: Learn To Use What You Have First

One who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.  Luke 16:10

"Lord, please bless my finances."  "Bless me financially."  "Deliver us in our finances." "I'm praying for a financial blessing."  "I need an increase, Lord."  We've all heard these little prayers before and have most likely called them out ourselves.  I know we have.  It is the "prayer heard 'round the world."  Everything will just be alright if I can increase my finances.  If I just had more money, I'd be able to live a little better.

We pray this impatient prayer all the time.  However, how many of us are praying for wisdom to learn how to use what we already have?  How many of us are asking for guidance so that we can make the best financial decisions with what we have now?  Too many times we are praying for the wrong thing.  Many times we don't even prepare for what we're praying for.  It doesn't make sense for me to have an increase in my finances, when I don't really know what I'm doing with the little I have.  We just have more money to make an even bigger mess than the one we started with.  When we haven't learned how to manage our money, no amount of money is going to make too much difference.  Sooner or later, we're going to find ourselves back where we started.

Start, instead, by asking God for wisdom and understanding in learning to use what you have.  When you get a handle on what you have, you'll be better prepared for when the increase comes. 

Money with Miranda

The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands. - Proverbs 14:1

Hey guys!  I hope you enjoyed this post!  I've been asked about finance workshops a lot and my hectic life is...well...you know. lol 

So this is one way, I'll be getting information out there.  Every Monday, I'll be doing "Money with Miranda" and encouraging biblical guidance with our finances.  I also speak at a few women's conferences once or twice a year.  Maybe one day soon ( and twin free for a few hours ), we'll get some workshops going.

Let me know what you guys think!

Fellow Couponers - A Few Deals This Week

If you have hung in here over the years through my various cell phone and technology trials, you might remember that I am couponer.  I did manage to have a decent stockpile while I was pregnant to keep from buying anything.  However, it is looking kind of pitiful.  So I'm back it!

Here are a few deals that I've scored this week.  All of these coupons are from the p&g insert from the 7/3 Sunday paper.

At Walmart:



You can get pods for $1.47 a bag this week!  The febreeze are 12 count, but some of the other bags are 16 count.


At CVS:



Mouthwash for 4.79
Use (1) 1.50 off coupon
Pay 3.29 tax
Get $3 back in extra care bucks
Limit 2 deals per card




Deal #3 - Tampax pearl and Always Infinity
Sale 3.99 each
Use (4) $2 off tampax coupons
Use (4) $2 off always coupons
I also used $6 in extra care bucks
Paid 9.92 2.23 tax = 12.15
Get back $10 in extra care bucks
So about 2.15 for 8 boxes or about 27 cent a box!!

Hope you enjoyed these deals!  Here's to saving money and breaking the chains of financial bondage!

Wanna Be A Coupon Queen?

Heads Up!  There's something wierd going on with the blog today.  I haven't quite figured it out but I'm working on it.  The only link from this page is couponmom.com.

Why use coupons

They save you money, that's why.  That $1 coupon is like having one dollar in your pocket.  If you have $15 worth of coupons, then that is the complete equivalent of $15.  Now would you just throw away $15?  No, you wouldn't.  You'd stash it in your pockets.   Coupons = cheaper stuff =less money spent=happier wallets.

Where to get coupons

Coupons can be obtained from your local Sunday paper.  However, I noticed that there are rarely or as many coupons in our local paper, maybe somebody's swiping them, so I always buy papers from the surrounding counties.  They always have more.  You can also print coupons online.  I print from couponmom.com.  They have several coupons and when you register (it's free-my favorite reason), they have coupons matched with store deals so you can check out the best prices at different locations.(less work for you)  You can also find coupons in magazines.  Many magazines will have coupons in them and one in particular the All You magazine (Walmart- if you can brave the masses) is usually loaded with coupons.  I always flip through to see if they are ones that I use before purchasing.  There is a list of the coupons and the amount of each in the front of the magazine.

When and How to use coupons

Don't run out and use a coupon the minute you get it.  Wait until those items go on sale.  That's how you get the best bang for your buck.  There are times where I have gotten body wash for 8 cent (it was on close out for 2.08 and I had a $2 coupon, fabric softener for about 26 cent ($3 softner -$3 coupon, just had to pay sales tax) and pasta sauce for 50 cent (sale for $1.49-.50 coupon that doubled to $1).  Check your local ads and see if you can match up any your coupons to what's on sale and see what it will cost you.  (Just because you have a coupon and it's on sale doesn't mean the price is right)  Use your Bob Barker game show voice and say "That's Too Much."  You have to decide what you are willing and not willing to pay for something.


I honestly haven't been going to the store a whole lot because I'm trying to practice a debt diet.  On top of student loans, medical bills, and car payments, we started a trucking company last year.  I'll post about it later.  I've been using what we have and trying to keep from spending anything much.
 
I'm not a big hoarder either on products. I don't believe in going to the store and clearing shelves or buying 20 bottles of something. (The show "Extreme Couponing" is a great motivator but it's also slightly ridiculous). However, I do believe in getting 'enough.' By the size of your family, you have to determine what that means

There are times that I have bought large lots of items, but hardly ever at the same time or store.(I try to think about others)  I've managed to buy wellness products (body wash, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, feminine products, etc.) for the youth in our church as a part of a back to school campaign to help kids that don't have as much.  We have a lot of children that just come to us as a refuge from a difficult life. There were about 25 children and I spend just under $200.  I also buy for my mom, mother in law, and church pantry.

Hope this helps some future couponers.  Let's pave the way to save!