Crosswalk.com - Finances

Today's Great Fear: What if I Lose My Job?

Steve Diggs — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 07:19:00 GMT

As I write this, unemployment is at about seven percent and we’re being told that it may rise to nine percent or higher...

Keys to Investing Success: Dollar Cost Averaging

Austin Pryor — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:36:00 GMT

Dollar-cost-averaging (DCA) is a systematic "formula" strategy that requires that you make your buying and selling decisions based solely on mechanical guidelines.

Keep Heat from Going Through the Roof

Mary Hunt — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:49:00 GMT

Soaring costs will still send our heating bills through the roof. Learn these easy ways to keep your heating costs down, and you'll be warm and snug until spring...

Debt-Free is the New Rich

Steve Scalici, CFP(r) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:43:00 GMT

Close your eyes and picture a life without any debt: no mortgage payments, credit card bills or auto loans. In today's shaky job market, the image holds particular appeal...

The Currency of Heaven

Mark Biller — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Each of us chooses, purposefully or passively, how we invest our time and treasure. The wise man invests his life carefully, using the temporary currencies of this life to gain riches that will last forever...

Get With God

Tullian Tchividjian — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:43:00 GMT

It’s amazing how clear God’s voice can be when you’re still.

Book Blurbs

Abraham Piper — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:11:00 GMT

Buying a book based on blurbs is like begging to be bamboozled.

A Chilling Account and a Word of Warning

Albert Mohler — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:36:00 GMT

Most Americans would probably be surprised to know that Sen. Edward Kennedy, Jesse Jackson, and former Vice President Al Gore all were once solidly anti-abortion. That seems almost incomprehensible now, but the record is clear -- and the pattern is chilling.

"You're Not A Real Christian!"

John Shore — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:28:00 GMT

Whenever Christians engage in an exchange on the Internet about anything of almost any substance whatsoever---gays, hell, universal salvation, infallibility of Scripture, women as clergy, cushions on pews, colognes worn by pastors, cookies vs. donuts, off-key hymn belters---it's inevitable that some Christians will start declaring that other Christians in the conversation aren't really Christian at all.

What's Hot? 1/9/09

Jim Liebelt — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:38:00 GMT

A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies.

To save money on grocery shopping...

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 07:32:00 GMT

To save money on grocery shopping, keep a price book, recommends Amy Dacyczyn in The Tightwad Gazette. Shopping at a number of stores including grocery stores, warehouse stores, and day-old bread stores, Dacyczyn writes in a small binder the price she pays for different items. Each item has its own page; on it she includes the brand, the store where purchased, the size of the item, the price, and the unit price. When she finds a source that's cheaper than the last, she marks it in her book. Before shopping, she knows which stores offer the best prices on which items. ~ Lynn Bowen Walker, from Queen of the Castle (Integrity Publishers, 2006)

Social Security

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Social Security. "If you make $100,000 a year just before you retire, you might only have about 20% of your regular income replaced by Social Security. Please understand! This is very important -- Social Security benefits, per person, currently max out today under $20,000 a year. That's it. Whether your name is Rocky or Rockefeller! ... What you used to make doesn't really matter. Social Security is not an income replacement program; it's a safety net against abject poverty." James

Effective Budgeting

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:41:00 GMT

Effective Budgeting. Review your spending monthly, or even weekly if necessary. Modify your budget as needed. After all, your account balance today will be different from what it was yesterday – and different from what it will be tomorrow. Knowing what and when to change takes constant monitoring. -- Sandra Lundberg, The First Five Years of Marriage

Dressing for the Holidays

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:36:00 GMT

Dressing for the Holidays. Check out yard sales, consignment shops, and next-to-new stores. These are especially great places to find clothing for younger kids. When kids are small, they usually outgrow their cloths before they wear them out. This means that you will find lots of high-quality, barely worn outfits at prices far below what they would cost in retail stores. -- Steve Diggs, No Debt, No Sweat! Financial Seminar Ministry

Surviving and Saving When You're Sick

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 04:04:00 GMT

Surviving and Saving When You're Sick. Tips by Tawra Kellam, LivingOnADime.com: Keep meals simple. Try any of these simple meals: -Chicken, with a bottle of hot and sour sauce dumped over the top and served with rice. -Taco salad made with bagged lettuce, hamburger browned with taco seasoning, sour cream, salsa and olives. -Baked chicken with freezer rolls and sliced cucumbers, peppers, carrots, tomatoes and ranch dressing. Use paper plates. They are cheap, come from a renewable r

Avoiding Double Taxation When Calculating Mutual Fund Gains

Mark Biller — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:06:00 GMT

Periodically, mutual funds make payments to shareholders representing their share of the interest, dividend, and capital gain income earned by the fund. If you're not careful in accounting for these distributions, you could pay more federal and state income taxes than necessary when the fund shares are eventually sold...

What to Do With Your 401(k) or 403(b) Now?

James O’Donnell — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:38:00 GMT

Here are some practical, historically-proven steps to help your retirement weather out this current financial storm. These steps will require faith, courage, and discipline...

How Gift Annuities Can Increase Your Income During Retirement

Austin Pryor — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:07:00 GMT

Most gifts to charity are pretty easy to understand — you give, the charity receives. But how about a gift with an extra wrinkle — you give, the charity receives, and you get monthly (or quarterly) income back from the charity for as long as you live?

Diversifying Your Stock Investments

Mark Biller — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 07:34:00 GMT

Diversifying by shifting some money from stocks into bonds has the effect of lowering overall returns somewhat, but it also greatly reduces the volatility of your portfolio...

Should You Have a Living Will? A Christian Lawyer's Perspective

Stephen Bloom, Esq. — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:52:00 GMT

Medical advancements carry a price: families must increasingly face murky ethical questions. Attorney Stephen Bloom explains "living wills" (or "advanced directives") in layman's terms while weighing in on some of the dangers he’s observed with these documents…

What Your Kids Need To Know about Tough Economic Times

Mary Hunt — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:33:00 GMT

Just how much should your youngsters know about the national economy and your personal financial situation?

How Giving Blesses the Receiver

LeAnn Weiss — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:40:00 GMT

My dear friend April received an unexpected but much needed blessing more than 20 years ago. I’ve often wondered if that unknown angel has any idea how much he or she impacted my girlfriend’s life at such a critical time...

Financial Mustard Seeds

Jerry Bowyer — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 03:09:00 GMT

You don’t hear many references to the New Testament in financial journalism these days. Maybe that’s part of the problem...

Years of Plenty, Years of Famine

Mark Biller — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:25:00 GMT

Joseph has always been one of my favorite Bible characters. He wisely saved 20% of the harvested grain, and was able to save not only Egypt during famine, but the surrounding nations as well...

Financial Tips for Newlyweds

Howard Dayton — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:22:00 GMT

Financial adjustments for newlyweds are seldom easy, because both have been accustomed to making money decisions on their own -- and probably feel they're pretty good at it. So here are some suggestions...

Evaluate Where You Will Spend Time, Money in New Year

Judy Woodward Bates — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:19:00 GMT

In verse 7 of 1 Corinthians 5, Paul warns the church "... to get rid of the old yeast [leaven], that ye may be a new lump." As the year 2009 begins, let's re-commit our cluttered lives to the Lord and ask Him to show us how to become brand new "lumps" for His glory...

The Financial Crisis: Lessons On the Value of Thrift

S. Michael Craven — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 07:49:00 GMT

I don’t claim to be a financial expert or economist; however, economics are not so much the source of this debacle as is a fundamental shift in values, namely, away from the historic Christian virtue of thrift.

Years of Plenty, Years of Famine

Mark Biller — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:25:00 GMT

Joseph has always been one of my favorite Bible characters. He wisely saved 20% of the harvested grain, and was able to save not only Egypt during famine, but the surrounding nations as well...

5 Reasons to Avoid Gift Cards

Steve Diggs, No Debt No Sweat! — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 07:54:00 GMT

While the giver finds giving gift cards easy, some recipients don’t like them because they can be a real pain. Let me share a few things to consider before selecting a gift card this season...

Being Light in the Midst of Financial Darkness

S. Michael Craven — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:08:00 GMT

Throughout history there have been extraordinary events in which the Christian community has stood in stark contrast to the world, offering hope and pointing to the truth of a providential God. Such a time may be upon us and so the question occurs: will we be ready?

Discuss Links for Finances

Faith Community Network Forums — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 05:00:00 GMT

Discuss Links for Finances