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Enjoy!
Ericka Young

How are you managing your resources?
God has given everyone resources to manage. It may seem like a little or a lot, but you still have some. The question is what are you doing with it? Do you constantly wish you had more? Do you have a lot to manage, but are not doing a great job at it? Take a close look at the money that has been given to you and be real with yourself. Do you fit the definition below of a faithful steward as described by Dr. J. Victor and Catherine Eagan in their book Dominating Money?

Faithful stewardship includes:
á Proper budgeting

á Eliminating debt

á Faithfully handling money and possessions

á Maintaining excellent care of the money and possessions under your control

á Not attempting to manage more than you are currently prepared to handle

á Maximizing or increasing the money or possessions under your control

That last point; maximizing the money under your control, is easier than you think. Read on and find out what you can implement immediately to maximize your financial flow.

Get Real·
One of the things I often ask my clients when preparing a budget plan is: Are you really eating all of the groceries you buy? Many times we have the good intention to eat a certain way or buy certain foods that are good for us, but in reality our lifestyles cannot support preparing all of the foods we just bought. We have events, meetings, or are too tired in the evenings and because of this we donât always want to nor do we have the time to cook. Be realistic with yourself about categories like groceries, dining out, and clothing. This is the key to maintaining a good budget. You must be able to accurately determine how much you spend on groceries and if it is realistic for your household. For one month, add up all of your grocery receipts and see if it is higher or lower than you expect.

How much is your 14%?
Timothy W. Jones, a professor at the University of Arizona, estimates that American households throw away about 14% or 1.28 pounds per day of the food that we buy. This estimate does not even include plate scrapings! In my household of four, this amounts to at least $56 being thrown away each month. I donât know about you, but I have better things to do with $56 per month than throw it in the trash every month. In one year, that adds up to nearly $700! Letâs stop fooling ourselves by thinking we are healthier than we are just because we purchase fresh vegetables and fruits. Purchase only what you know you will eat. Right now I have two containers of yogurt in my refrigerator with last weekâs expiration dates and I feel bad that they must be thrown away. Take a look in your refrigerator and see how much is being wasted and choose to·

February 2006

Ways to Save Spotlight
OK so when you really donât want to cook & donât want to spend a lot of money eating out, go to restaurant.com.  You can purchase dining certificates for reduced rates.

Get out on me!
For every referral that results in a new client for Tailor-Made Budgets I am offering 2 movie passes. So get the word out and enjoy a night out on me.

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