About three years ago, I had to take a good look at my finances.  I realized that I had no financial margins.  If any emergency were to arise, I would have no buffer whatsoever !  Therefore, things had to change so I got to work.  Within a few months, I was able to save three months’ worth of expenses and subsequently, I saved for six months.

Since I love a challenge, I did what was necessary to meet my goals. Thus, this plan called for some changes in my lifestyle, but it was worth it.  Here I will share with you what I did and what you can do too.  

(If you need help, join my 12-day challenge to Build Your Emergency Fund Now.  I’ll “hold your hand” and guide you to meeting your goal.)

There are four basic areas that must be covered:

1. Food to eat;
2. A roof over your head;
3. Utilities like water, electricity and I would put a vote to add internet ; and 
4. Transportation – to get to and from work (at least).

You can start off with three months’ expenses to cover the four aforementioned areas.  However, a better goal would be to save for at least six months’ expenses. When you reach your three-month mark, get cracking on your six-month goal.

Here are 4 smart tips to quickly build your emergency fund:

1) Calculate what you need to live on, that is, the necessities. 

• Food
• Rent or mortgage or contribution to your household (if you live with your family)
• Water rate, electricity bill & Internet 
• Transportation costs 

(Yes, it is the same list.  Repetition is powerful! )

2) Eliminate the “frills”.

Evaluate your other expenses and decide what you need to cut now.  Remember, you don’t want to be homeless or starving in the future!  That’s an exaggeration because God will take care of you.  However, an emergency fund will help to reduce your stress level.

When you think of cost-cutting, think NEEDS versus WANTS.

Here are some things that I have cut in the past:

A) Amazon Prime annual subscription.

You can get free Amazon Prime trials from time to time.  Or, you can pay a much smaller fee for a few days as opposed to its relatively high annual fee.  Now, I restrict my Amazon purchases to a few times a year.  Additionally, deals have a way of causing you to spend more!

B) Netflix subscription (or other forms of entertainment).

This might be a hard one for many, but think about it.  What is most important to you right now – financial peace and freedom for the future or being entertained on your way to money worries?  Give me the former any day!

By the way, YouTube is a good free alternative for education and entertainment.

C) Data plan for your phone.

When my husband and I were courting, one day he mentioned that he didn’t have a data plan because he didn’t think he needed one.  Without a doubt, the Internet was accessible at home, at work, at church and nearly everywhere else that he went.  

I thought to myself, “I should try that as well! There is no need to be connected with everyone 24 hours a day!”  As a result, I saved more toward my emergency fund because I removed the expense of data for my phone. 

D) Think about tasks or services you can begin to do on your own or ask a friend/relative to help you.

Some DIY tasks:

• Hair salon visits
• Cleaning your own home
• Pedicure and manicures
• Facials and waxing.
• Cleaning your own car.

I have cut out my hair salon costs completely.  Also, I do my own facials, pedicures and manicures.  YouTube is a fantastic source of information.  When you have reached your six-month goal for your emergency fund, you can always resume.

3) Reduce costs.

Here are some cost-reduction ideas:

A) Buy generic brands instead of brand-name products. 

Costco/Pricesmart has their brand which is often cheaper than their higher-end counterparts.  Check your local supermarket for their brands. Generic brands generally perform just as well, but at a fraction of the cost! 

B) Change your tastes from high-end to medium- or low- end.

For a short time, you may need to make your own homemade brew of tea or coffee instead of going to Starbucks.

Other ideas:

• Cook your own food instead of dining out. Create an in-home dining experience.
• Watch movies at home.  Get that popcorn popping and put your feet up!
• Don’t buy any new clothes until you arrive at your emergency fund goal. 

Need help? 12-day challenge to Build Your Emergency Fund Now!

C) Cut down on utility bills.

Some measures to take:

• Take off the lights when not in use.
• Use less water when you shower and wash the dishes.
• Use WhatsApp, Facetime or Facebook Messenger to make calls to family and friends.

Every dime counts!

“Every mikkle mek a mukkle” is the Jamaican equivalent to “A penny saved is a penny earned.” 

4) Earn more.

Simple ideas to increase your income:

A) Sell what you have.

Sell books, clothes, and anything that you’re no longer using.

I started selling some of my books about two years ago.  My bookshelf was overflowing with books in which I was no longer interested.

How do you decide what to sell? If you have not used an item in over a year and it’s of no sentimental value, maybe it’s time to part ways with it.

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

B) Start a side hustle.

Can you offer your skills and earn extra income?

God has given everyone not just one skill but several.  What do you have in your hands?  Pray and ask God to show you what you can offer the world as a good or a service.

5) Give. 

Surprise surprise … I guess you didn’t expect to see this one!

But seriously, God has a way of multiplying when we give to others.

“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”  Malachi 3:10-11 ESV

Related articles:

Beauty on a Budget | 8 Money-Saving Tips

10 Easy Tips to Start Journaling today 

Summary

Your ability to make wise financial decisions now might put you ahead of the game.  Ultimately, your trust is in God, your Provider.  However, as a single Christian woman, you need to also be a wise steward of all that He has entrusted to you.  Undoubtedly, building an emergency fund is wise.  Give yourself some financial margin by building your emergency fund today!  

Have you saved for a rainy day?  Do you have an emergency fund?  What other tips would you give to build an emergency fund?  Please comment below and enrich all readers.  

If you haven’t joined already, subscribe and join the Petals Bloom Community!  

When you join our community, you’ll receive a “Know Yourself” questionnaire delivered right in your Inbox.  You’ll also receive weekly emails and free resources exclusive to our community for your development as a single Chrisitian woman.  How fantastic is that!

I’m very serious about helping you so I have created a challenge for you.  Join the 12-day challenge to Build Your Emergency Fund Now.  Every day, you will receive email tips and reminders.  I’ll be adding some exciting bonus tips that are not in this post!  You will definitely want those!  

Building an emergency fund as a single woman was one of my smartest moves prior to getting married.  Who’s in?  Click “Yes, I NEED this!” and let me walk alongside you.  It will be my absolute pleasure! Thanks for stopping by!

#madeforlove

Like, share & subscribe!

Love & laughter,

Kimberly Garth 

The post How to QUICKLY Build Your Emergency Fund appeared first on Petals Bloom.

Those are all great.  However, when this year comes to an end, you want to know that you’ve grown in some other areas as well. 

Here are 14 epic New Year’s resolutions for a better you for this new year:

1) Set aside “think” time.

My husband finds it strange that I can just sit and stare.  I’m usually doing some serious thinking and I love it!

Here are some reasons to have regular “think” times:

• Gain clarity on issues; 
• Solve a problem:
• Meditate on God’s Word and determine how it should be applied to your life.
• Help you to be still and know that He is God.
• Listen to God;
• Allow God to get your attention; and 
• Provide room to design your future plans for any area of your life.

2) Forgive yourself and others.

When you look back at last year, you might have made some poor decisions that now make you cringe with regret.  You said words that should have never left your mouth.  Perhaps, you’ve hurt others or even yourself by your inability to break an addiction.  With a new year before you, it’s time to forgive yourself.

Additionally, are you holding onto hurt? Is there someone that you need to forgive? Refusing to forgive someone will do more harm to you and your fellowship with God than to the other person(s).  If you’re having difficulty, ask the Holy Spirit to help You.  He’s always willing.

3) Choose true repentance.

Forgiveness and repentance go hand in hand.  If you are truly sorry for an action, then you need to make changes to have a different outcome the next time a similar situation arises.  You cannot keep thinking the same way, making the same decisions and hope for a different outcome. True repentance involves a change in attitude which would then cause a change in action. 

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV

4) See a Christian counselor.

Whether you think you need one right now or not, it’s good to have at least one appointment yearly with a biblically-grounded counselor.  Most of us are not aware of the destructive effects of disappointments, careless words, fears, trauma and the like have on our souls.  As such, it is important to see a professional counselor who can bring light to the dark hidden areas of our lives.  

I saw one last year and it was great.  To be honest, before my appointment, I thought… “what will I talk about with her?”  Then the Lord brought to my mind a fear that was plaguing me for months! I’m so grateful that she helped me gain clarity and freedom from that fear.  From then on, I decided that seeing her would be an annual tradition.

5) Write a short journal entry every day.

I cannot discount how emotionally healthy this practice is.  If you’re an emotional mess, than you need to start journal. If you don’t want to end up in an emotional wreck, then start journaling to prevent it.

Related article:

10 Easy Tips to Start Journaling today

6) Start an emergency fund.

As a single woman, you may not have anyone to rely on financially (except Jesus) when an emergency arises.  About two years ago, I realized that I had no emergency fund.  

I thought it was a worthwhile goal, so I made sacrifices and implemented measures to build an emergency fund for myself.  Within a few months, I had reached my goal. 

Make a plan to store up an emergency fund for a rainy day.  You can initially save for your total monthly expenses for three months and when that target is achieved, you can aim for six months of expenses.  Check out www.daveramsey.com for tips.

7) Plan a weekly social media and smartphone fast.

You may not realize that you are a social media or smartphone addict until there is no internet; your devices are unavailable to you; or you decide to do a fast.  As a Christian, you should not allow anything or anyone else to control you …even if it seems harmless.  Believe me, it’s very freeing!

In order to give social media and your devices their proper subservient position in your life, you need to be intentional or they will overtake your life. 

Tips for social media/smartphone boundaries:

• Choose a day when you will not use your phone for a specified time (like 6am-6pm). I like Sundays for that.
• Only check your emails/messages/comments (and the list goes on) every … hour(s).
• Remove all notifications so that you will not be tempted to look and respond.

The more you do it, the easier it gets.  

8) Ask God for the opportunity to share the gospel with others.

When your favorite store is having a sale, it’s natural to tell others.  If something incredible happens to you, you’ll be bursting to share it with others.  This is natural because it completes your cycle of joy. 

In the same way, as a follower of Jesus whose life has been transformed by His power, your joy will be made complete when you share Him with others.  It’s not that you are trying to earn His favour, but it will add a dimension of joy to your life that you may not have been experiencing before.

9) Disciple other women.

I have disciplined over one hundred women and without a doubt, the young ladies who have grown the most were the ones who helped others grow.  If you want to grow in your relationship with God, help others to grow also. Please note that discipleship is not equivalent to mentorship or coaching. 

Discipleship involves teaching others what you have learnt while sharing your life with them in an authentic way.  It involves being transparent and vulnerable with others so that they can also grow.

As one of my disciplers said to me, “if you keep on taking in and not give back to others, you will become spiritually constipated.”

“…In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35 NIV

Check out helpful resources at www.cru.org and www.navigators.org.  There is no need to reinvent the wheel.

10) Evaluate your key relationships and have a plan to invest in them.

At the end of most people’s lives, there is one common thread. They often wish that they had spent more time with loved ones.  While you possibly have more years ahead of you, take their advice and see what you can do in this new year to have better relationships with your loved ones.

Tips:

• Schedule dates with your parents (or guardians), siblings, nephews, nieces, etc.
• Write little notes throughout the year expressing gratitude, what you admire, a special memory, etc. to important people in your life.
• Make yourself available to celebrate key events in their lives.
• Attend family gatherings.
• Choose a few older relatives that you’ll visit this year.

11) Seek help to break an addictive habit.

Be determined that you’ll be free this year from whatever habit that has kept you as a slave.  The main thing that often keeps people bond to addiction is secrecy. Think about a trustworthy friend and confide in that person.  I would suggest another female.  

Ask her to pray and hold you accountable.  Together, you can research, chart a course of freedom and enroll third party help like Covenant Eyes.  Freedom is totally worth the courage it will take to be transparent with someone else.

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16 NIV

Related articles:

How to Beat Porn Addiction and Other Sexually Addictive Behaviors | 10 Practical Tips

12) Surrender your life completely to God.

It’s really interesting that so many Christians are sincerely afraid of God’s will for their lives.  If you surrender the area of romantic relationships to God, you think that God will choose the most ugly boring man for your spouse.  If you surrender your career to God, He’ll send you to the most desolate regions of the world where you would be on the brink of starvation.  

From where does every good and perfect gift comes? It comes from God (James 1:17).  Who created all that is this universe with such intricacy, beauty and intelligence? God did (Genesis 1:1)! Who gives us all good things to enjoy? God does (1 Timothy 6:17).

The enemy has deceived us into thinking that God is not good and that He’s a killjoy.  Nothing could be further from the truth. A life of surrender will cause you to live your best life now.  Anything but a surrendered life means that you’re leading your own life. The leading of a fallen human being (you) cannot measure up to the leading of the  Almighty God. 

It’s time to experience true freedom and adventure by surrendering completely to Him.

13) End any unhealthy romantic relationships. 

You’ve wasted enough time on him.  Time to end it and move on. Whether it’s a boyfriend, live-partner, or situationship, make a clean break in this coming year.  It’ll be hard at first, but it will get easier.  God has much better in store for you.  

Related articles:

6 Guys to Resist

Are you in an Unhealthy Relationship? 8 Signs

“Situationship” or Relationship … 5 Reasons It Should be Clear

14) Take a weekly sabbath.

Once a week, take time to take it easy and rest.  If God rested, you can rest too. While you’re resting, He can take care of things.

Summary

New Year’s resolutions are not meant to control you but help you to make necessary changes in your life.  It’s an opportunity for a fresh beginning. One year, I resolved to read 24 books. When I accomplished it, I grew because I read books that changed me.  All that reading has probably impacted this blog. 

Here are the 14 epic New Year’s resolutions for a better you this year:

1. Set aside “think” time.
2. Forgive yourself and others.
3. Choose true repentance.
4. See a Christian counselor.
5. Write a short journal entry every day.
6. Start an emergency fund.
7. Plan a weekly social media and smartphone fast.
8. Ask God for the opportunity to share the gospel with others.
9. Disciple other women.
10. Evaluate your key relationships and have a plan to invest in them.
11. Seek help to break an addictive habit.
12. Surrender your life completely to God.
13. End any unhealthy romantic relationships. 
14. Take a weekly sabbath.

What are your New Year’s resolutions for this year?  What changes or developmental goals do you have this year? Please share by commenting below.

If you’d like to get weekly email tips to help you grow personally and relationally, subscribe and you’ll also receive your free “Emotional Maturity versus Emotional Maturity Checklist.” Thanks for stopping by!

#madetolove

Like, share & subscribe!

With love,

Kimberly 

Recommended books:

“Disciplines of The Beautiful Woman” by Anne Ortlund

“The Master Plan of Evangelism” by Robert E. Coleman

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The post 14 Epic New Year’s Resolutions for a Better You  appeared first on Petals Bloom.