“Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance.” Isaiah 55:2
When our economy shrinks, most of us are forced into critical thinking about spending, saving and giving. Many ministry donors are looking carefully at the impact their gifts make in the world, and the uncertainty surrounding future income cause them to rethink major purchases. How can you involve your family – and teach your children – in the midst of these challenging times?
1. Share your Giving – The Christmas season provides an excellent opportunity for us to consider God’s overwhelming gift of salvation, and how we can be generous in our giving to others in need. Your children will be blessed to participate in your family giving decisions. Ask them about needs that are on their hearts or causes that matter to them. Then come up with a plan to give a special gift during this month. Collecting the coins in your house might jump start this giving fund. Laura and I offer our kids a “gift match” incentive for contributions they make out of their allowances. The chance to double their gift has inspired more generosity than we expected!
2. Share your Saving – Like an industrious squirrel who stores up nuts for the winter, your kids can participate in saving toward common family goals. If your traditional big family vacation seems daunting this year, involve your kids in the decision about vacation alternatives, and then start a family savings fund toward it. They may not have much to toss into the pot, but if they participate in saving toward the experience, it just might heighten their enjoyment once it arrives.
3. Share your Spending – If you are like us, we’ve become much more aware of how we are spending our money these days. Eating out, buying gifts, and other discretionary spending requires more dialogue. Rather than leaving our kids out of these spending choices, we’re looking for ways to solicit their input. Offer your children several acceptable options for eating out – all within the budget – and let them decide. Talk with them about the expense attached to all of their out-of-school activities, and ask them to make choices with the financial information in mind.
We don’t know what our economy will look like next year, and we certainly can’t predict what it will be when our children reach independence. We can expect they will have to navigate challenging times in their future. Let’s use this economic season as a time to impart wise principles that will bring stability throughout our children’s lives.
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