on saving

I just read this blog (sometimes I get paid to read blogs, don't hate) about this lady and her family of four who live on her hubby's yearly salary of $14,000. They have ZERO debt: no credit cards, paid cash for their $30,000 house, and own both of their cars. So now we know it's possible, right? I realized that women like this are sort of my idol (idol in a good way...actually, is there such a thing?). She grocery shops only once a month, makes or thrifts their clothing, fills up the gas tank once a month, and makes all their meals at home. Wow - where do I even start with all of this? When I've always pictured the way I want my life to be, it was pretty similar to this. My parents did a really good job of giving us a love for being thrifty and saving as much as possible (being dutch and thrifty run together through our veins). Somewhere along the way, we learned that buying very expensive things is unnecessary and isn't attached with the happiness that the world likes to promise. I'm really thankful for that lesson and look forward to being able to teach others one day. I used to dream of being a college/young adult financial adviser - maybe I'll still do that.

I remember when a neighborhood friend of mine made a goal of saving $10,000 for a down payment on a house. I loved that goal, I'd always wanted a house and this sounded like a great idea of where to begin! At the time I was working full time and living at home which definitely helped because I had zero bills! It didn't take too long before I had reached my goal and purchased my first house shortly before my 22nd birthday. It was a repo that I decided to 'flip', but it was a neat experience and made me all the more excited and antsy to be able to purchase a house of my own someday!

Where people dream of expensive cars and going out to eat every meal, I dream of setting up a lasting budget that makes sense for me - I make myself sound so lame sometimes! My current salary isn't very high (sorry guys, just because I work with celebrities doesn't mean we get Hollywood paychecks) but what if I was able to tighten the reigns a little and save a good chunk what would have otherwise gone into the regretful 'wheretheheckdidallthatmoneygo' category and instead, be closer to paying cash for a house?

So back to this lady (and hundreds of others like her)...I think that people like this have a lot of wisdom to share. They generally aren't the worldly type and they often view this as their career - meaning that their job is managing their household to the best of their ability. I have friends who do this and I respect it a lot - their husbands respect it as well and it very much shows a model of the Proverbs 31 woman who spends her time and money wisely to manage the household which wins the respect and blessing of her husband and kiddos. I had a boyfriend once who couldn't quite grasp this concept and pretty much insisted that there was no way that two people, let alone a family, could live on a single salary. I probably missed an opportunity to share examples and better explain my passion for this topic, but anyways, it just bothered me.

Only one question remains in my heart - I think that saving money is wise and to be respected, but giving is commanded....how will I find a balance and do both?