How To Handle Money To Beat Inflation

“THE blessing of the Lord makes one rich,” Proverbs 10: 22. There are about 500 Bible verses and more than 2,000 on how to handle money and possessions.

It is no surprise that money issues are often cited as a reason for divorce. There is good reason for this. Money and stress often go hand in hand. Not only does God expect us to make money, but when we honour Him, He will help us to make more money.

However, there are right and wrong ways to please God. The Bible teaches that money must come through hard work.

And five main ways to beat inflation include: Buying food in bulk and eating less outside; reducing everyday expenses by negotiating lower prices; considering postponing big purchases; keeping some of your savings in an alternative currency and diversifying your investment portfolio.

The Bible says: “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” Proverbs 10: 4.

“Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labour will increase,” Proverbs 13: 11. God expects those who labour to give a good day’s work; just as He expects those in management to pay a good day’s wage.

Labour helps management make profit, while management helps labour make salaries. A profit well earned and a salary honestly made, are both pleasing to the Lord. But your wealth must also be made by honest work.

“He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches will surely come to poverty,” Proverbs 22: 16. That is a warning to those who rip people off by charging extortionate interest rates.

“Switching price tags and padding the expense account are two things God hates, “Proverbs 20: 10. Jehovah God makes it plain: winners never cheat, and He will make sure cheaters never win.

And next to teaching your children how to walk with God, you will never teach them a more important life lesson than how to handle their money wisely. We should begin teaching our kids early the principles of industry, honesty and responsibility.

Here are a few methods which I recommend to you. One: Give your kids some jobs early in life without pay, such as making their beds and cleaning their rooms.

Inspect their rooms regularly, encouraging them as much as possible. This will begin to teach them the value of work, the fulfillment of doing a job well and the discipline of following the command of someone in authority.

Two, as your kids get older, choose some jobs they’re capable of doing: polishing shoes, car washing, and cleaning the floor. You then settle on fair compensation. This will instruct the kids the value of money and reinforce the rewards of hard work and a job well done.

Three, do not give allowances to any of your children and don’t allow them to expect any allowance from you. Rather, teach them money is earned through working for it. There is nothing wrong with giving your children money out of love or as a reward for getting good grades. But teach your kids the relationship between honest labour and just compensation. The bottom line is that these principles will stand them in good stead throughout their entire lifetime.

“He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house,” Proverbs 15: 27. An American billionaire Jean Paul Getty’s estate exceeded four billion dollars. He was considered the richest man of his time. He has five marriages on record and five divorces. Getty’s favorite son, Timothy died at age 12, his grandson Getty 111, was kidnapped but ransom was not paid and his eldest son committed suicide.