let's talk about ... money?

Did any of you ever talk about money or finances with your parents growing up? Did anyone's parents ever model budgeting or balancing your account? I grew up in a household where we had enough money for most of our needs, with very little, or any, leftover for wants. Don't get me wrong. There were gifts for birthdays and Christmas, but financially, things were simpler. Food for holidays consisted of mixed nuts, veggie trays with dip, chips and dip, turkey, roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, pies, Christmas baking. I remember lunches of a sandwich, maybe a cookie, and an apple. We could drink water out of the school fountain. In highschool my lunch of choice was Melba toast, a carrot, and an apple. When the money ran out for the month, there was no credit card for overextending ourselves or living beyond our means. Mom and Dad gave money away at the beginning of the month to ensure it was there to give, instead of waiting until other obligations were met. We always had enough.

Fast forward 20-25 years. Here I sit with 2 children of my own, more aware than ever of the imbalance of resources in our world. In fact, check out The Global Rich List for 2011 and see where you rank. We sit in the top .37% richest people in the world. That's mind blowing. It is imbalance. How has this happened? Why does this continue to happen? We can ask ourselves these questions, but the biggest question is WHAT AM I DOING ABOUT IT? And to answer "nothing" or spew some excuse is not acceptable. To say there will always be the poor is disgusting. Period.

A daily refocus is required. A true evaluation of "want" and "need" is essential. Education of our children is imperative. A heart broken for those around is critical. Jesus' heart and eyes is a prayerful necessity. So again I ask, what are we doing? We need to be openly communicating about these things, challenging each other, holding each other accountable. Here are some steps we all can take:

1. How much food do we waste each month? Food that rots in our fridge because we forgot about it, or didn't want to eat it as leftovers, or we didn't feel like making dinner? Only in our wealthy homes do we think such things. Make a menu plan for the week so we have less waste. For example, overlap ingredients so that if you are making something that calls for 1/2 onion, find another recipe that will use the other half. Yes, this takes some tine and effort to get your head thinking in these terms, but it is worth it to free up money to give away, and it is environmentally responsible.

2. Eat simply. We have been programmed to think variety is a necessity, that exotic foods are better, that rich foods are more delicious. Spices and herbs can really kick up a meal. There is nothing wrong with eating foods that are found in your neck of the woods (read The 100 Mile Diet for more on this). Again, an environmentally responsible move, a challenge, but eating simpler will again free up resources.

3. Make a reasonable budget and stick with it. This is not as difficult as some make it out to be. Download bank statements online for the last 6 months and see how much you have spending on what. Do a gut check. Are we spending too much on eating out? On clothing? On entertainment? Do my kids really need 10 pairs of pants for the new season? You see my drift. We need to ask the tough questions and do the soul search to find your own answer. What is right for some, what works for some, might not work for everyone. Ask someone you respect and trust for input. Jesus is happy to help.

4. TALK TO OUR KIDS ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND THEM. They can handle it. But please, do it in a developmentally appropriate way. You know your child. Use the wisdom you have to make wise choices and have good discussions. Just 3 days ago, Ro and I watched a video put together by friends at The Meeting House and talked about the images we saw - what people were wearing or not wearing, how people moved around (walking), what their homes were like (mud huts), what their hospital was like, etc. What moved my future doctor was the state of their hospital and the lack of technology. Kids need hooks to hang ideas off of. So do we. From there, we talked about what we can do to help (some examples included sponsor a child, give money to organizations that have workers on the ground who can help provide aid, food, medicine, water, etc., change how we spend money so we have more to give away, adoption). Because Ro is so interested in money right now, Ben and I decided to give Ro money each week for completing helpful chores (make her bed, put her pajamas away, clear the table, put her toys away, put her dirty clothes in the laundry hamper, and deal with her school stuff on school days). She does some of these things sporadically, some things she already does every day. We talked about the purpose of this with Ro. Not only does it teach the "family mentality" (I'm part of this family so I can do my part), we are going to teach her about saving, about spending, about being generous. I'm excited about laying this foundation with her, and how this will also keep me mindful while managing our household finances.

We have such a long way to go, but we cannot close our eyes, plug our ears, sink into societal numbness. We must do all we can, and we must do it now. Join us? It's our prayer that we do so, humbling ourselves, joining together with sisters and brothers.

What are we doing?
Tam