Bountiful: The Heart of Money Management

While this topic may not seem related to personal finance, keeping a level head, especially during busy times, can help prevent us from overspending or stressing out while we’re shopping or traveling. Otherwise, we can get so caught up in the chaos around us that we forget to keep the right perspective on our blessings. In this episode, Gary and Christy will talk about four things we can do to stay above the fray, particularly during the holidays.

Episode Resources

• https://www.moneytalksnews.com/slideshows/former-restaurant-critic-shares-her-best-tips-for-dining-out-cheaply-but-well/2/
• https://blog.mint.com/saving/how-to-afford-the-holidays-this-year-the-skip-and-stagger-approach/
• https://www.moneytalksnews.com/buyer-beware-return-deadlines-are-shrinking/

Gary and Christy walk through some resources that can help us in our personal finances, no matter if we’re living paycheck-to-paycheck, have a lot of debt, or things are going well money-wise. Resources like these can help us with budgeting, buying a house, determining how much to save, better understand our insurance options, and a lot of other things. But the Bible is the best resource we have when it comes to any aspect of our lives, and God offers His wisdom so we know how to glorify Him with our financial blessings. If we honor the Lord with our wealth (Prov 3:9), aren’t hasty with our money (Prov 13:11), and find joy in the blessings we already have (Heb 13:5), God will bless us in our personal finances (Matt 6:33).

Episode Resources

Personal finance episodes on Bountiful:

• Bountiful w/ Glenn Taylor – https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls2e9/
• Review of the book “The Truth About Giving” – https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls3e14/
• Bountiful w/ Dale Hubbert – https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls6e4/
• How to avoid overspending – https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls4e14/
• Money tips for graduates – https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls5e14/
• Money lessons for teenagers & young people – https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls6e6/
• Renting vs Buying a House – https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls5e6/
• Money tips before going to college – https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls3e10/
• Money tips before getting married – https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls4e10/
• More money tips before getting married – https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls4e4/
• How to get out of debt – https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls4e2/

Personal finance websites:

• moneyunder30.com
• mint.com
• nerdwallet.com
• moneytalksnews.com
• thesimpledollar.com
• millenialmoneyman.com
• daveramsey.com

Personal finance books:

• “Your Money Counts” by Howard Dayton – https://moneywise.org/products/your-money-counts-the-biblical-guide-to-earning-spending-saving-investing-giving-and-getting-out-of-debt
• “The Truth About Giving” by Kyle Butt and John Farber
• “Beyond the Tithe” by Wesley Hazel –  – https://plainsimplefaith.com/product/beyond-the-tithe-by-westley-hazel/
• “Rust as a Witness” or “My God and My Money” by V.P. Black
• “Solomon on Wealth” by Dr Stan Bullington – https://stores.gospeladvocate.com/solomon-on-wealth/
  https://millennialmoneyman.com
• “The Simple Path to Wealth” by JL Collins
• “The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas Stanley and William Danko

Personal Finance Apps:

• Mint – https://www.mint.com
• YNAB – https://www.youneedabudget.com/our-app-lineup/
• Personal Capital – https://www.personalcapital.com/financial-software/mobile-app

Gary and Christy discuss a topic from a book that helps provide a Biblical perspective on our material blessings.

Episode Resources

• Introduction to Death Cleaning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXj3iy1Sgc4
• Article about websites where you can sell your clutter: https://www.moneytalksnews.com/websites-for-selling-your-clutter/?utm_campaign=things-you-should-never-buy-and-what-to-buy-instead&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
• Link to buy the book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Gentle-Art-of-Swedish-Death-Cleaning/Margareta-Magnusson/9781501173240
• http://oktodie.com

This episode is about how to decide what to eat before it’s time to eat. Why discuss meal planning on this podcast? Because it can help us be less wasteful with food, better manage where our money is going, and be less spontaneous when spending money on food. Gary and Christy start out by talking through some obstacles to meal planning. Things like preconceived notions or the number of options we have can get in the way of effective meal planning. Then, they go through how meal planning works in their house, which may give you a few ideas on what can work in yours.

Episode Resources

• https://www.thekitchn.com/the-beginners-guide-to-meal-planning-what-to-know-how-to-succeed-and-what-to-skip-242413
• https://wellnessmama.com/5345/meal-planning/
• https://www.choosemyplate.gov/eathealthy/budget/budget-weekly-meals

In this episode, Gary & Christy talk about some myths regarding money, including:  

• Is it good for my credit score to keep a balance on my credit card?  
• Should I buy as much house as I can afford?  
• If my spouse handles the finances, do I need to be concerned with money?  
• Is a bachelor’s degree necessary to get a good job?
• Can I be too young to start saving money? 

Episode Resources

• Check Out Money Myths Part 2 – https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls5e10/
• https://www.myfico.com/downloads/files/myfico_uyfs_booklet.pdf – A summary of how the FICO credit score is calculated
• http://www.businessinsider.com/compound-interest-retirement-funds-2014-3 – How Compound Interest Affects Your Retirement 
• https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/mortgages/house-afford/?trk_source=mortgages_hac_mustread&trk_content=blog_reallyafford+pos_topright+pageviewid=6ed9b1cd-eb44-463e-9b22-f3be8442891e&trk_destination=house-afford&trk_origin=calculate-affordability&trk_app=tool
• https://www.allstate.com/tools-and-resources/car-insurance/financing-a-car-vs-paying-cash-calculator.aspx – A tool to determine the difference between paying cash and financing a car
• https://www.thesimpledollar.com/doing-the-math-on-paying-cash-for-cars/
• https://www.moneyunder30.com/how-much-car-can-you-afford
• https://www.consumerreports.org/car-repair-maintenance/make-your-car-last-200-000-miles/
• https://www.amazon.com/Rich-Dad-Poor-Teach-Middle/dp/1612680194/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 – link to buy Rich Dad Poor Dad book

We talk with Julie Glasshof, a legal recruiter for a staffing agency, about how to succeed as a candidate in a job interview. What do companies look for in a candidate? What does it take to succeed in a phone screening? How important is a resume? Julie talks with us about these questions and more in this episode.

Episode Resources

Here are the interview tips Julie sends to candidates:

• Dress for success. The way you dress will reflect to the law firm how you will present yourself to clients and others. Conservative dress & make-up, no perfume, no dangly jewelry.  Cover visible tattoos and remove nose piercings, if applicable.
• No chewing gum.
• Give concise answers. Long rambling answers will always negatively affect your chances of landing the job. Let the interviewers draw their own conclusions.  Do remain conversational though.
• Don’t get into detail about previous work. Revealing too much about old jobs, clients, or cases will make you seem untrustworthy.
• Be aware of your body language. You can say a lot without opening your mouth, so remain conscious of it.
• Be honest. You’re not expected to be superhuman, so stretching the truth can only get you into trouble.
• Be prepared. Come into the interview knowing what you want to get across and ready to take on some tough questions. Know what’s on your resume. Getting caught off guard by something on your own resume reflects poorly on you.
• A job interview is like a blind date in that both sides feel a little nervous and forced. Standard blind date rules apply: nice handshake, maintain eye contact, smile when appropriate, and always listen!
• Listening is the most crucial part.   The interviewer should do about 80% of the talking, but remain conversational.
• Do not speak negatively of current/past employers.  Ever.
• Take a deep breath and relax before walking in the door.  Be confident in who you are and your abilities.

https://www.moneytalksnews.com/surefire-ways-to-make-others-like-you-in-90-seconds-or-less/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=%279+Great+Amazon+Finds+You+Can+Buy+for+Less+Than+%245%27+and+more…

If you are married, how do you decide which spouse has responsibility over the family finances? Is it all delegated to one spouse or should both spouses get involved? These are a couple of the questions Gary and Christy will talk about in this episode.

Episode Resources

• Related Bountiful episodes:
  • Listen to How To Team Up In Finances (S3E05) here: https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls3e5/
  • Listen to Communicating With Your Spouse About Money (S2E08) here: https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls2e8/
  • Listen to Starting Your Financial Roadmap (S6E4) here: https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls6e4/
• https://www.moneytalksnews.com/slideshows/planning-retirement-as-a-couple/?all

This episode is about working in your house for an organization that’s primarily outside of your house (aka telecommuting). Working from home (WFH) is a benefit some employers provide to help their employees avoid rush hour traffic, make personal errands easier to run, and be more productive. However, it takes some preparation to succeed at telecommuting whether it’s sporadic, temporary, or permanent. In this episode, Christy shares some of her experiences as a telecommuter and considerations for those who work from home or are thinking about it.

Episode Resources

• A couple of reminders from scripture about work ethic:
  • Ecclesiastes 9:10
  • Colossians 3:22-24
• https://www.themuse.com/advice/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-work-from-home
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/kerryhannon/2013/09/02/10-tips-for-working-from-home/#56c82297787a
• https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/pros-cons-of-working-from-home

There’s a lot of focus on providing money lessons to teenagers and young people starting on their own, but there are still some lessons about money that are good to be reminded of as we get older, too. In this episode, Gary and Christy talk with Dale Hubbert, a certified financial planner, on some things older couples as well as widows & widowers can do regarding their personal finances. We also discuss the topic of elder fraud – instances when someone illegally or improperly uses a senior’s money or property. 

Episode Resources

• https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/elder-abuse-financial-scams-against-29822.html
• https://www.seniorliving.org/law/fraud-abuse/
• Top 10 Financial Scams Targeting Seniors

Some people might think teenagers too young to learn about personal finances. The problem is that when they turn 18 and become adults, they aren’t suddenly given some magical knowledge of financial concepts. Many adults have had to learn the hard way that, when it comes to money matters, ignorance is never bliss. In this episode, Gary and Christy want to prepare young people so that they’re more capable of navigating personal financial decisions when they get a little older. 

Episode Resources

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9PmuAFsQOM –> link to listen to The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale
• https://www.moneytalksnews.com/10-things-every-high-school-graduate-should-know-about-money/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=%277+Times+When+You%27re+Smart+Not+to+Pay+Off+a+Mortgage+Early%27+and+more…
• https://www.christianpost.com/voice/financial-principles-worth-knowing.html
• https://www.moneytalksnews.com/the-10-commandments-wealth-and-happiness/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=%2717+Simple+Home+Repairs+That+Will+Save+You+Cash%27+and+more…
• https://www.moneytalksnews.com/20-moves-that-will-allow-you-retire-early-and-style/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=%274+Streaming+TV+Services+That+Cost+%2425+a+Month+-+or+Less%27+and+more…