GoldenEagle Posted December 20, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 764 Topics Per Day: 0.18 Content Count: 7,626 Content Per Day: 1.80 Reputation: 1,559 Days Won: 44 Joined: 10/03/2012 Status: Offline Share Posted December 20, 2012 Everyone has stress. Financial stress is one of the worst IMO. Here's a helpful article. What do you think? What ways do you relieve stress? God bless, GE How to Handle Financial Stress by John Frainee on November 21, 2012 From: http://christianpf.com/how-to-handle-financial-stress/ Financial stress affects your entire life. To compartmentalize financial stress to a tiny corner of your world is nearly impossible. It affects everything: your marriage, your health, your mindset, you name it! So how do you effectively handle financial stress? Here are some steps and tips to reduce – and eventually eliminate – this life-hindering condition. 3 Steps to Reduce Financial Stress 1. Write down all of your financial responsibilities. A major portion of your stress probably has to do with you keeping all of your financial responsibilities in your head. When you try to remember that you have to pay that bill, call that collection agency, hire that financial advisor, refinance the house, etc., you’re going to feel overwhelmed. Have you ever noticed when you make a list you feel a sense of relief? You can do the same thing with your financial responsibilities. Block out an hour to write them all down! You’ll be surprised at how much you’ve been trying to remember all at the same time. 2. Organize and identify the most important tasks and projects. Now that you’ve written down all of your responsibilities, it’s time to organize them into individual tasks and projects. Some items you’re going to be able to complete in 15 minutes or a day. Other items you’ll need several weeks or maybe a few years! With each item on your list, ask yourself if it is a task or a project. Here are two examples: Cutting up a credit card is a task. Getting out of debt is a project. After you’ve organized everything into tasks and projects, it’s time to identify the most important tasks and projects. Remember that sometimes the tasks and projects that are urgent aren’t necessarily the most important. Figure out what you value most and free up some time for those tasks and projects. 3. Act with a plan. You now know what is most important. You have everything written down. And, you’ve identified projects that might take you a while to complete. Now what? It is best to take a look at some financial plans that can help you achieve the goals you’ve identified. Bob at ChristianPF has written an excellent Getting Started Course that can help you identity even more goals you can add to your list. You’ll also learn how to get out of debt, better organize and manage your finances, and prepare for your financial future. Best of all, it’s free! Dave Ramsey, a popular Christian financial advisor has a “big picture” plan with his 7 Baby Steps. This too is free! An important part of handling financial stress is acting on your plan. It’s not enough to have the head knowledge, you have to do something about your stress! 6 Additional Tips to Reduce Financial Stress As you move through the three steps outlined above, here are some helpful tidbits that can put you on the fast track to financial freedom. These have been a lifesaver for me, and I believe they will be in yours as well. 1. Say “No” to new debt. If you have financial stress, a major portion (if not all of it) is probably due to being in debt. The good news is that if you don’t take on more debt, eventually you’ll pay it off – even without a plan! But hey, you and I both know it’s better to have a plan. If credit cards are ruling your life, cut them up. Try a cash back debit card instead. You’ll be spending your own money and earning rewards at the same time. 2. Eat healthy and exercise! If you don’t have enough energy to work a second job so that you can throw some extra money at your financial goals, it might be because of your lifestyle. What are you putting in your body? Fruits and vegetables or cupcakes and donuts? The fuel you feed yourself matters. Try this: Eat nothing but natural, whole foods for a week and see if you feel better – you might never go back! Exercise is important too. Try for at least three times a week to start and do more if possible. Even just walking or running three times a week will do the trick! These healthy lifestyle choices aren’t easy to make (I’m always trying to improve on this one), but if you do make them, you’ll have more energy to put into your financial plan. Oh, and did I mention eating right and exercising naturally reduces stress? 3. Focus on one goal at a time. You can’t clean up your mess in a day. It’s going to take time. So why try to do everything at once? There’s a power to focused intensity, and it will get you to where you want to go faster. 4. Make a budget. This is a big one, folks. By learning how to make a great budget, you’ll have a skill that will literally save you thousands of dollars over your lifetime. Prioritizing where you spend your money is essential so that you can not only survive, but thrive! 5. Find unique ways to save money and have fun with it! While working a budget can do wonders, you’re going to have to make some behavioral changes as well to succeed. Sometimes, that means finding unconventional ways to save money. You know, like installing L.E.D. light bulbs, keeping your dryer vent clean, and other interesting ways to save money on electricity – you get the picture! 6. Pray. For real this time. You don’t have to make your prayer fancy. You’re talking with God, and he knows what you’re going to say anyway! Have a conversation with your Heavenly Father, and ask him to help you deal with your financial stress! The Lord loves you more than you could ever imagine, and wants to help you in your time of need. Keep it real, and ask God lighten your load! Cast your cares on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. – Psalm 55:22 (NIV) Do you have a lot of financial stress? How do you handle it? Tell us what’s going on in your life in the comments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desi2007 Posted December 20, 2012 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 61 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,220 Content Per Day: 0.20 Reputation: 219 Days Won: 3 Joined: 10/05/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/18/1966 Share Posted December 20, 2012 this is helpful, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenEagle Posted December 20, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 764 Topics Per Day: 0.18 Content Count: 7,626 Content Per Day: 1.80 Reputation: 1,559 Days Won: 44 Joined: 10/03/2012 Status: Offline Author Share Posted December 20, 2012 this is helpful, thanks for sharing. Glad it helped Desi. God bless you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redroses42 Posted December 21, 2012 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 10 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 213 Content Per Day: 0.05 Reputation: 78 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/05/2012 Status: Offline Share Posted December 21, 2012 a good idea for money worries is to cut your cloth according to your means if you cant pay for it you cant have it the trouble is we are not willing to wait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneLight Posted December 21, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 22 Topic Count: 1,294 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 31,762 Content Per Day: 5.23 Reputation: 9,762 Days Won: 115 Joined: 09/14/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted December 21, 2012 God makes it so simple ... 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.”" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChazzC Posted December 22, 2012 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 0 Topics Per Day: 0 Content Count: 3 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/08/2012 Status: Offline Share Posted December 22, 2012 Jesus never wrung his hands or worried because He knew His purpose was to fulfill God’s plans, not His own. In contrast, much of our anxiety and worry tends to come from planning without God and forgetting that nothing is too much for God to handle. Once we've mellowed out, once we’ve rested in the Lord, we can then go ahead and devise our financial plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenEagle Posted December 23, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 764 Topics Per Day: 0.18 Content Count: 7,626 Content Per Day: 1.80 Reputation: 1,559 Days Won: 44 Joined: 10/03/2012 Status: Offline Author Share Posted December 23, 2012 a good idea for money worries is to cut your cloth according to your means if you cant pay for it you cant have it the trouble is we are not willing to wait I agree Redroses. It seems people love the whole idea of "buy now pay later." Patience is a virtue after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenEagle Posted December 23, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 764 Topics Per Day: 0.18 Content Count: 7,626 Content Per Day: 1.80 Reputation: 1,559 Days Won: 44 Joined: 10/03/2012 Status: Offline Author Share Posted December 23, 2012 God makes it so simple ... 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.”" Good passage OneLight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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