Excuse vs Opportunity Coker Tires is the world’s largest supplier of vintage tires, but it wasn’t always that way. Career coach Dan Miller tells the story of how this company, which started as a traditional service center in Chattanooga in 1958, saw their business gradually erode as the big-box retailers began dominating the competition. In 1974 the owner’s son Corky took over the division of the company that produced vintage tires and saw an opportunity. At that time, only 5%... Read more
“Failure and success are polar opposites.” Right? Isn’t this how most of us think? Failures, we reason, are painted black while successes are painted white. They are two diverse paths; paths that will not and cannot intersect. But we are wrong. Success, I believe, never happens without passing through the path of failure. Consider: Before Lucille Ball became famous for “I Love Lucy”, she was dismissed from drama school for being too quiet and shy. Albert Einstein did poorly in... Read more
Satisfaction with what God has given us How does the phrase “being satisfied with what you have” strike you? I confess that it bothers me. I might be a pretty content guy, but the idea of being satisfied with what I have implies that I shouldn’t be hoping for more . . . a nicer house or a more dependable car or even a fancier cell phone. Could this satisfaction be an indictment against ambition or a mandate for lethargy?... Read more
This is a reader question and answer that will certainly not be your exact situation, but hopefully will generate some ideas on how you might improve your financial situation if you are facing similar circumstances. Q: I am 48 years old and have not yet made any plans for my retirement. I realize that I should have started years ago, so I am anxious to begin investing. My wife and I have a good income ($7000 a month take home pay). ... Read more
Your Current Food Expense vs Saving for Your Retirement I recently read two seemingly unrelated articles, which, when dovetailed together, become the basis for this post. The first, a recent retirement savings survey, indicates that one out of three Americans has saved $0 for Retirement (oh and read this if you aren’t sure if Christians should be saving for retirement). The second, from the “The Culinary Review”, tabulated the following costs per serving of homemade sandwiches: A peanut butter and... Read more
Budgeting Tips As we have worked on our budget over the years, we have learned that the more we can automate it, the easier it becomes, the more we enjoy it and the greater our chances of sticking with it. We want to feel like we are in control of our money, but we also want to relax, enjoy life and not be phobicized by every penny we spend. The following tips might sound lax to the nerds among us,... Read more
Is Medi-Share the Solution to Your Health Insurance Needs? We get a lot of questions about it, and that’s what I’d like to discuss in this Medi-share Review. Unless you have a good employer-sponsored health insurance plan, or you’re on Medicare, you’re probably concerned about your health insurance. A major reason is the cost of premiums. They can easily be over $1,000 per month for a family, or even for a couple. And that’s even if you have a high... Read more
Pop Quiz: List five essential principles for financial success. How did you do? My guess is that several of these are on your list: Live on less than you make. Get out of debt and stay out of debt. Set goals and keep them. Use a budget. Work hard and work smart. These, of course, are all great principles. But how many of you listed, or even considered “contentment?” Probably not many and with good cause: we simply don’t link... Read more
The cash envelope budgeting system is very basic, but generally a very successful way to make a budget. It is a bit primitive in our technologically advanced society. But most Americans are in debt up to their eyeballs, largely due to the fact that technology has made it very easy to go in debt. So, if the cash envelope system works, why not do it? I would suggest paying all of your BILLS (Mortgage, Electric, Phone, etc.) from your checking account,... Read more
When was the last time someone shared their criticism with you about something you were doing? Was it constructive or negative? Did you take offense or embrace the advice? The Bible gives us some insights on handling criticism, so the next time you’re approached by a critic, consider what these scriptures say. Sometimes We Need to Hear Crticism Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored. – Proverbs 13:18 NIV Simply put, if we ignore criticism... Read more
Faith and Finance
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