One of the major issues in marriage that puts a man and his wife at loggerheads has to do with money matters. Money can either make a marriage thrive or nosedive into separation.
You would have heard that money makes love sweet, but when there’s no money in marriage or a relationship, such a union wouldn’t go the way it should.
No man wants to marry a woman that would be a liability to him financially, meanwhile, a woman commands respect when she’s financially independent; in fact, men love such women. And no woman loves to be the breadwinner, they appreciate it when they have financially capable men to look up to.
To be financially free now that you’re single, you need some basic facts about money and they are as follows.
- Money is a medium of exchange.
- You have enough money to the degree of the value you create.
- Money is like a seed. A wise farmer sows where the ground is fertile and he will never eat all his seed.
- No one gets wealthy living on salary.
- Saving money doesn’t make you rich, however, if you cannot save you cannot be financially free.
- Money follows after value. Seek value, not money.
- Money has wings. Inflation, deflation, bank charges, expenses, bills, greed, covetousness, lack of self-control are its feathers.
- Money is just a tool. Use it wisely!
- Money can either be your slave or master; it all depends on whether you control it, or it controls you.
What to do with money
1. Make money. This can be through mental work, menial jobs, business, craft, career, or service delivery. Make money with your hands, not your body.
Delete entitlement mentality from your mindset. No one owes you a dime. People bless you financially only when He lays it in their hearts to do so. An average person is stingy with his or her money.
Think. There are several ways to make money legitimately and through godly means. Don’t depend on the government to help you. The government may not think about you, they think about the economic situation of the country. It is a wasted hope to think the government would help you better your life.
God has allowed each of us to be fruitful financially, we only do not realize and maximize it.
2. Manage it. You manage money through savings and budgeting. If you don’t, the money will fly away from you. To manage money, delay immediate gratification. Don’t live above your means, but below it. It is not penury to do so; it’s called wisdom.
It’s better to save your money than to spend everything without saving it. Close your eyes on buying the things you don’t need. If you can do without it, you don’t need it.
The greatest financial discipline is budgeting. Don’t just spend your money as they come, it’s financial discretion to budget your daily, weekly, or monthly expenses. With budgets, you have money to save, and with savings, you have more money to invest.
If you can’t manage the little you have, how can you manage money when it becomes much in your hand?
3. Multiply it. You multiply money through legit investment or having streams of income. Beware of money doublers. Money cannot be multiplied within a short time, it takes real-time to multiply legit money.
As you save, think profitable business. You won’t be applauded for having saved much in the bank, your money grows when you invest it in the right place.
4. Give. It is better to give to meet a need than to give when no need is to be met. It is better to give those who need what you give than to give those who do not need what you give.
What makes giving rewarding is when you give cheerfully, who you give and what you give. If you give grudgingly, do not expect to reap bountifully because God sees your heart.
Those who hoard money ended up becoming poorer. Give God your tithe and offerings. Give the poor. Give your parents. Give as you’re led. Don’t ever be coerced to give. God won’t force you to give Him your heart, why should He force you to get money from you?
Give out of love, not for competition or to provoke others. King Solomon gave God a thousand burnt offerings because he loved Him. Don’t give God with the motive of getting back in cash. God is not a money doubler, neither is He a gambler. Give because you love Him and that you are led to do so.
Now that you have learned these about money, how do you begin the journey to financial freedom now that you’re single?
1. No one became a millionaire overnight, get rid of the get-rich-quick syndrome, line must be upon line, precept upon precept. Be patient. It takes time to be financially free; it’s a process.
2. Work. You can’t be financially free by begging people for money. You will live at their mercy. Work with your hands. If God must bless the works of your hands, your hands must find something doing which is legit and godly.
3. You need the right information for financial freedom. The difference between the rich and the poor is information. One has access to wealthy information while the other is destitute of the right information.
4. You need access to men and women of influence and access. If no one recommends you to those at the top, it would be difficult for you to get to the top.
5. There’s a dimension of wealth or financial freedom that is divinely influenced, it is called kingdom prosperity. It is the blessings of the Lord that makes us rich and adds no sorrow. Your access to His blessing is all that makes the difference, but it does not mean that you should be a spendthrift.
6. Start small. A little drop of water makes a mighty ocean, and a seed sowed to the right place can yield a massive increase. Don’t wait until you have millions before you begin the journey to your financial freedom. Start small. Start now.
7. Avoid debt and hate borrowing. Borrowing prevents you from putting your trust in God, and if by all means, you must do, run away from huge interest rates. More so, avoid debts like COVID 19, it’s dangerous to your financial health. Nevertheless, it would be great if you can do without borrowing. God can supply all your needs if you believe and do the right things.
8. Involve God. As much as you have a brain to think and plan, it does not mean you should ignore God in your financial life. Let Him guide you on the business or investment to do so you won’t do the wrong thing.
If you do all the aforementioned, it would help you build a great financial culture and discipline that would lead to your financial freedom. Don’t wish to marry a rich man or woman, be the rich person others would like to marry.
Most ladies depend on guys for financial sustenance this is why they live at their mercy; but when you know the truth about financial freedom, you’d live an independent life.
Above all, quit depending on people to survive financially. Don’t live at the mercy of others financially. God gave you a talent, use it; He gave you a brain, think with it; He gave you hands – your symbol of labor – work with it. If you lack business ideas or money-making tips, ask Him in prayers.
Don’t just be spiritually sound, be financially free.
