Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
I'm going to take the next three weeks to go into more detail about what are the 3 best things to do with money once you have some of your own. These are the things you are working toward as you pay off debt and build up savings to cover unexpected emergency expenses. So what are these three things?
Give
Save
Spend
That's it. Three little words that describe the very best things you will do with money once you have some. I will go over each of these in turn, but today lets talk about the first one:
GIVE
Giving money can be one of the most rewarding and fun things you do with it. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it is nonetheless true. Find a cause or organization you trust and believe in. Then commit to giving a portion of your income to help that entity thrive. For many people the goal is 10% of your income going to these charitable causes. It may be your local church, an animal shelter, or another non-profit organization doing good work you find valuable.
When you give, remember that this is planned giving. It should be line items within your monthly budget. The same discipline you exercise when limiting your spending should be applied also when giving. You won't be able to help many people if you give away so much you end up in poverty. Once your own family's basic needs are met (food, shelter, utilities, transportation), then start to bless others. Whatever or whoever the recipient will be, they will be grateful for your generosity. Consequently, you will benefit too!
This is one area I have struggled with in the past. I would make excuses about not being able to give to organizations because I "couldn't afford" it. That wasn't true. Really I didn't want to give up money I was spending on myself. Over the last few years, I've realized what a difference has been made in my own life when I am more generous. Not only am I more open to people, it just feels good to bless others in the way you do when you give. In fact, my wife and I look forward to accomplishing our goals so we can have more money to give to other causes and people to help them!
What are the organization(s) you intend to give to or are already giving money to? Let us know in the comments below. There are loads of charitable organizations doing great work, shout them out!