Is your spending out of control?

For many people, spending money is an addictive behavior. It's much like an alcoholic or a gambler. The issue with people like this is not the seductive power of "things" but it is the enemy that lives inside that person. Short term gradification needs to be replaced with self control. Galatians 5:22-23 says that self control is a part of the fruit of the Spirit. No where do I find that self gradification is a part of the Spirit, therefore, a person who has this problem is not walking in the Spirit and may not even be living in the Spirit of Christ. Proverbs 25:28 says, "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man (or woman) who lacks self-control". When we allow the walls of our life to be broken down, then we are acceptable to any and all the wilds of the devil to enter our lives. How do we exercise self-control in the area of spending? Following, are 10 ways that we can exercise that thing called self-control in spending;
1. Realize that nothing is a good deal if you can't afford it. It's always a bad choice to spend money on a "good deal" we can't afford.
2. Recognize that God isn't behind every good deal. Even if you can afford it, doesn't mean that is God's plan for you.
3. Understand the difference between spending money and saving money. If you buy an $80. sweater on sale for $30 and we think we've just saved $50., we simply don't understand the concept of saving, Where is the $50. we think we saved? It doesn't exist. All we've done is spend $30. If you keep saving like this, you'll soon be broke!
4. Look at the long-term cost, not just the short-term expense. Everything we buy usually cost us more in the long run. Get a "free puppy" and see after two years how much you have spent on that free Puppy. Buy a new car thinking that it's better to buy new rather than used and see how much that new car actually cost.
(insurance, worry about the possibility of wrecks, etc'
5. Pray before you spend. Do you believe when you have a very legitimate need, God will provide it for you some how? Many times we take these matters into our own hands and never allow God to do only what God can do by impulsively buying before giving God the opportunity to provide through other means. Have you ever bought something to learn that 30 days later, God would have provided it free or at minimal cost if only we had ask Him.
6. Examine every purchase in light of its ministry potential. Everytime we spend money, we gain something and we lose something. What we lose isn't merely money but what could have been done with the money if used in another way. Treasures in heaven vs. Treasures on earth.
7. Understand and resist the nanipulative nature of advertising. Advertising is seductive and manipulative. It programs us. We must seriously reject their claims and counter them with God's Word.
8. Learn to walk away from things you want but don't need. What more can I say.
9. Realize that little things add up. I use to stop at Quick Trip and get a cup of coffer every morning spending a dollar every morning. Not much money you say, but think of it. $1 per day, $5 per week, $20 per month $240 per year. on and on.
10. Set up a budget and live by it. Imagine you entrust a large sum to a money manager, telling him to take out only what he needs to live on and then wisely invest the bulk of it on your behalf. A few month later, you call him to see how the investments are doing. Embarrassed by your call, he admits, "There are no investments. None of your money is left. " Shocked you ask, "Where did it all go?"
Sheepishly, your money manager responds, "Well, I can think of some expenses here and there, but for the most part I really can't say. There was this and that, and next thing I knew, it was all gone."
How would you feel, What would you think? How does God feel and what does God think? It all belongs to Him and He allowed you to take care of yourself and invest into His kingdom. This is serious and must be addressed by all God's children.

Hope this helps.