Day 39: Pay Cash

Scripture to Memorize:
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
Proverbs 31:20-21
Passage to Read:
Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where theives do not break in and steal. For hwere your heart is, there your treasure will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please forgive me for the times when I have focused more on storing up and accumulating treasures on earth. Things that do not last or that I did not really need. For things that had a one-time use and then set in a box or on a shelve used. This 90 Day Jumpstart to becoming the woman you want me to be had allowed me to see how much of this has been accumulating in my house and given me the opportunity to give it away. But I grieve the loss of Kingdom work that could have been done with the money I spent on those worthless treasures. Holy Spirit remind me before any purchase that where my heart is there my treasure will be. May my heart instead seek your kingdom and may all my most treasured investments be there too. Help me see the true values of the material things of the world. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Personal:
Today Donna reminds us that as we clear away the rubble of debt that we need to make sure we do not make more debt. We do this by paying cash for things. She also mentions an important value of paying cash that I often overlook. By having to save to purchase things it gives me time to consider the purchase. She states that if we have to ponder our purchases then "we wouldn't have closets filled with clothes we never wear and storage areas filled with junk we never use".
She then goes on to list some of the problems with credit card purchasing. Remember the 80/20 rule. Donna reminds us that for many of us the 80 percent "of the clothes you never wear and the toys your children never play with" were likely bought with the handy-dandy credit card. That we spend more when we purchase with credit cards because we are more likely to give in to impulse buying. Another item of note is that by getting rid of our credit cards we will lower our annual living expenses.
Another point she makes is that only 40% of the people are self-disciplined enough to pay off their credit cards at the end of every month. By walking away from purchases you really don't need to make will help your family be clothed in scarlet and you can then extend your hands to the needy.
Affirmation: I am a wise stewart of my money.
Practical:
"Make all necessary arrangements to lead a cash lifestyle." Since taking FPU a couple of years ago, during which we cut up all of our credit cards, my husband and I live a cash lifestyle. We pay cash for everything. Since we are following Dave's plan of an emergency fund even emergencies are paid for with cash and therefore we do not have a need for a credit card for "true emergencies". There are also other accounts (acutally different parts of the same account--the funds are just earmarked for other things like a replacement car) that could also be tapped in a really true emergency. This does cause me to stop and consider purchases before I make them.