Back to Money

Making (And Enjoying) It On a Little

Living on a little is one thing. But liking it? It all depends on your point of view.

There are two keys to surviving on a youth worker’s income: Learning how to make and stick to a budget, and learning how to be truly content, whatever the circumstances.

John and Laura Cowan are living examples of how these two keys can be successfully mastered. As students, musicians, parents (of 3 and 4/9 children), and now clergy, they have learned to be content on a little— sometimes nothing. YOUTHWORKER asked John and Laura to share from their hearts and their heads about how to happily steward sometimes meager resources.

A Christian approach to finances begins in the heart. If budgeting is just an application of practical formulas, then any good, secular introduction on personal finances will fit the bill. The difference for the Christian is in the personal attitudes we, as believers, bring to the financial arena.

For Laura and me, our desire is to be able to echo the words of Paul in Phil. 4:12-13: "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." The real issue is being content in all situations, not just increasing our income so we’ll become content (or so we think).

Who really owns what we have? The scriptural answer is obvious: the LORD. Recognizing and submitting to the truth of God’s sovereign ownership of all things is the first crucial step in aligning ourselves with God’s plan for our money.

The principle of tithing (giving the first fruits to God) is the essential foundation to our attitude. If we recognize the Lord as the true Owner of all that we have, then our whole perspective on giving is changed. Giving no longer becomes a question of "How much of what I have am I going to give to God?"; instead it becomes a question of "How much of what God has given me am I going to retain for my own use?"

Who Really Employs Us?

It is too easy for us to view the church or organization that we work for as the source of our income. If we feel we are receiving too little, we blame the organization for not paying us enough. The resentment that then creeps in will eventually sabotage our ministry if it isn’t dealt with properly.

The "call of the ministry" is not simply a synonym for working for a Christian organization. It is a personal response by a child of God to a specific task which the Master has called him or her to do. If God has called us to the ministry in which we are involved, then He is clearly our employer. The church or organization is simply a vehicle through which God chooses to funnel His provisions for our needs.

Doesn’t Prayer Fit in Here Somewhere?

It certainly does—and not just the frantic, last-minute call to the Lord for deliverance. We need to bring our financial lives before the Lord as we do every other part of our lives. Laura always prays before she shops. It makes a difference!

The Lord delights in showing Himself faithful to us as we trust in Him. We have experienced this miraculous help many times in our own financial lives.

I remember the time our cupboards were bare ( and I mean BARE). We had no immediate income. We were getting desperate, and we had been praying. Coming home one evening, I noticed that the front porch was filled with our household garbage bags. Thinking that Laura was giving me a not-so-subtle hint that the trash needed dumping, I went out to fulfill my duty. Instead, I discovered that the bag didn’t hold garbage; they were full of groceries. What a blessing!

Then there was the time we were out of food, prayed, and the Lord showed us how to get a free meal. A local store was offering free chickens (no strings attached) and next to the store was an empty lot full of mustard plants. We got the chicken, picked the mustard greens and had a free meal, giving thanks to the Lord for His provision.

And I’ll never forget when we knew we couldn’t pay the rent so we gave our notice, not knowing where we would be going next. As we started praying, we were asked to house-sit a beautiful home for the next month (the people who asked us had no idea of our situation). By the end of that month, the Lord had given me a great job and we were able to move into our own place.

Prayer does change things. Prayerfully invite the Lord into your financial lives. As you trust Him, He’ll prove over and over that He is trustworthy.

And Now, Some Basic Tips

God’s provision can be miraculous. What can be just as miraculous for many of us, though, is gaining control over what resources we already have. Laura and I have found basic budgeting to be the key to being content with what we have. How do you then actually pull off the nitty-gritty process of establishing a budget? We suggest the following:

• Bring your checkbook, receipts and other indicators of your normal expenses to the table.
• Pray first, second, third, and last!
• Make a list of your total income from all sources, and list when you are paid.
• Itemize your expenses.
• List them according to categories that can be easily understood.
• Establish average amounts for fluctuating expenses (like utilities and household maintenance items).
• Make a note of when expenses are paid.
• Add up your total expenses on a monthly basis. Divide annual, bi-annual and quarterly expenses into monthly portions (these should go into a savings account from which to draw for those expenses).
• Compare your total monthly expenses with your total monthly income. If your income exceeds your expenses, have a Hallelujah party! If your expenses exceed your income, don’t panic. This is what budgeting is all about: bringing your income and expenses into balance.
• Go over your list of expenses and begin identifying those items that can be cut or reduced. have a listening heart to the Lord’s input regarding your priorities.
• Go back over the budget and begin again. After trimming a little here and there, you should find that your budget is beginning to balance. If at this point you are still a long way from a balanced bottom-line, then it’s time for some "crisis budget crunching." Have someone you trust and respect go over your lists with you. Give them complete freedom to ask difficult questions and make hard suggestions. And be sure to reaffirm your friendship after it’s all over!
• Remember: a budget is only as good as your adherence to it. Budgeting and dieting are very similar. Both depend upon your self-control and discipline in order to work.

Shopping Hints

Keeping food expenditures under control can be the biggest challenge to any budget. Here are some food shopping tips that have helped us:

• Prepare a menu in advance. If possible, base your menu on store specials found in newspaper ads.
• Get to know your store. Know where everything is and write your shopping list according to the way the food is laid out in the store.
• Organize your coupons. A simple approach to keep them in an envelope clipped together according to categories (i.e., drinks, canned goods, etc.).
• Don’t shop on an empty stomach. Your tummy has absolutely no sense of stewardship.
• Stick to your list. Turn a deaf ear to those sudden flights of gastric inspiration. And keep your hand to yourself—the likelihood of your purchasing an unplanned item skyrockets once you’ve touched it.
• Be on the defensive. "Specials" often cost more than the "regulars." Check them out before you buy. Also, expensive items are often placed at eye level to induce you to buy them.
• Go generic. Although there are exceptions, generic items are generally a good buy. You’re saving money by not paying for the fancy labels and packages found on name-brand products.

There’s No Telling What Could Happen

If we accept the challenge to stretch our resources, there is no end to the creative ways we will discover for saving money.

Buying books at used bookstores. . .thriving on thrift stores. . .gleaning through garage sales for needed items. . .dressing for the temperature and using less heating or air conditioning . . .making long-distance phone calls during low rate periods, or writing letters instead. . .

Are you overwhelmed? Don’t worry. The thought of implementing all of these suggestions at once is a little much. don’t give up before you’ve begun; just outline a basic budget and then begin with a couple of basic rules. Then add one or two more adjustments to your shopping habits each month.

As you gain more and more control over your spending habits, the admonition to "be content in any and every situation" will become a joyous anthem of your new-found financial freedom in Christ.

John Cowan is pastor of Calvary Chapel in Sacramento, California. Laura Cowan is John’s wife, mother of 3 4/9 children, and a partner in a singing and songwriting ministry.