The consumer debt in this country is out of control and even the government is saying that this society has to have credit in order to survive. Although debt is a bad thing for anyone because it enslaves that person to the one who owns the debt, credit can be a good thing!

Last year I discovered that some credit cards actually give cash back for all purchases made on the card. We started using the credit card to pay for groceries, any eating out and for gas purchases. At the beginning of the month we set aside the budgeted amount for these items so that at the end of the month we can pay off the credit card balance in full.

Even just using the card for these limited purchases we were able to build up enough cash back to purchase all of our Christmas (although we limit our spending to around $300). This year we switched to making all of our purchases on the credit card. Not only do we expect to have plenty to purchase Christmas, but we may actually have enough to take a short trip as well.

Credit is using someone else’s money but having the money to meet the payment in full. Debt is using someone else’s money and then working off the payment over a period of time because you don’t have the money.

Consumer debt may be out of control and the economy may even be a little chaotic, but you can still find ways to use credit cards to make you money.

There is no way around it - raising children today is expensive. Just buying REGULAR tennis shoes can make you a bit weak if you are frugal by nature. The idea that these same shoes might not fit in just a few months, or tomorrow, is enough to bring tears to the eyes of any parent.

Never fear, there are ways to save money without depriving junior.

1. Share and share alike - pass on little worn or never worn clothing and shoes to friends and accept the same from other friends or family. It helps to take the sting out the price tag if you know that the item will eventually get its wear.

2. Eat at restaurants that offer children’s meals for free. A number of national chains (including places like IHOP’s and Denny’s) offer great deals for families.

3. Make saving a game. Let your children decide where to shop for clothes, but limit how much they can spend. Give a price to the child that can get the most out of the money that you allot (this can work especially well with boys who don’t typically like to shop but do enjoy a good competition).

4. Go a month with out buying any groceries (except for staples like milk, bread and eggs). Most of us have more than enough food in our pantry and freezers to keep the family fed for a month. Get creative with recipes and save all of your left over grocery money for something special for the whole family.

Get creative with your spending choices and with the way you spend and you may find that raising children is not as expensive as you thought it was.

Despite the Senate saying yes, the House said no to the $700 billion emergency spending package on Monday. It failed 228-205. The failed vote lead to a huge drop on Wall Street and forced leaders to search for a new plan to help the economic situation. While Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson announced that quick action was necessary, many taxpayers made it clear they didn’t want their tax dollars spent to help financial institutions that made big mistakes.

While Congress is breaking for Jewish holidays until Thursday, some new ideas are already being discussed. One idea is to double the $100,000 ceiling on federal deposit insurance (FDI). Another possible move would end rules that require companies to devalue assets on their books to reflect the price they could get in the market.

$40 for bottled water? Most of us wouldn’t even consider it. But just in case you need a reminder, here are five really stupid ways to blow some money.

5. Coral Sea Wellgems Midnight Edition WU-689 Steam Spa. At just $4200, this corner-unit spa comes with 31 jets, 19 in the tub and 12 stand up back jets. Features include luxury lighting, a fogless mirror and seating for two.

4. Cashmere Sweaters for your dog. Dogs are great, but spending $128 on a cashmere sweater for them seems a little, well, silly. This one from J. Crew is dry clean only.

3. Cigarettes. It’s a dirty, unhealthy habit and a waste of money. Enough said.

2. Blow up lawn decorations. Sure, some of them are cute, but do you really need to spend $135.99 on an inflatable 15′ candy cane driveway arch?

1. $40 bottled water. This one tops the list: $40 bottled water. I think paying even $1 or $2 is a waste of money when Americans can safely drink the water from our tap for free.

A recent article in USA Today discussed how some homeowners are choosing to go into foreclosure rather than stop tithing. Experts estimate that around 5% of all American adults practice the tithe (10% of income to the church).

The conviction to tithe is deep rooted for many. But is it right to go into foreclosure because of the tithe if everything that can be cut has been cut and there is still not enough to make the payments after the tithe? Actually the answer is two fold.

First, the tithe will NEVER cause foreclosure. By definition the tithe is off the top of the income so it should never be included in the figures people use to get loans or credit or even to create a budget.

Second, there is always another way. Making the mortgage payment may require creative income development, but it can be accomplished.

Should Christians walk away from their commitments because they are unable to pay? The answer should be no. Christians are representatives of God here on the earth and must rise to a higher standard.

Will Christians be condemned for going into foreclosure? The answer is definitely no! The best benefit of being a Christian is that repentance brings healing.

I just wrapped up a fabulous, relaxing and fun weekend. After several consecutive weekends of home renovation projects, my husband and I decided to take a weekend to just have fun. Since we are always trying to save money, we did some great free stuff. Here are a few ideas to help you become a “cheap date.”

1. Scan the local arts calendar. We attended a free violin concert at a local college on Saturday night. It was a great way to soak in some culture without losing any money.

2. Rent a free DVD. Every couple of weeks or so I scan our local library’s online catalog for new DVD’s. With a couple of clicks I can rent new releases for free. This is a great alternative to spending $20 or so at the theater. Another place to get your hands on free movies is Hulu.com. They’ve got hundreds of movies and TV shows for free.

3. Take a hike. Another thing we did this past weekend was go for a trail run at a nearby state park. We ended up getting a little lost which just added to the adventure.

4. Cook something new. Try making something new in your own kitchen. Try rolling sushi or making the perfect creme brulee, but make sure you do it together.

5. Go out to eat. Check out one of your favorite restaurants. But instead of getting an entire meal, just go for the best part– dessert!

6. Look out for free admission. Entry into museums can be expensive. But this coming weekend, admission to over 70 museums across the country will be completely free for Bank of America card holders. It happens on the first weekend of every month.

“Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” This is a basic biblical principle that many people grew up hearing. It was usually used when someone gave money to a friend or family member (although RARELY brought up when getting a mortgage). But is this really the way the bible views finances?

The quote actually comes from Shakespeare - Hamlet to be exact. The Scripture actually tells believers that they will ‘lend and not borrow.’ (Deuteronomy 28:12). There are also several different scriptures that specifically condemn charging brothers interest.

There is a good reason why the Bible teaches against the practice of borrowing money. The lender is always in control. When you borrow money, you are locked into a relationship with the lender and are limited to your obedience to God. After all, if you have committed to pay back this loan then you can’t follow God’s direction to leave your job to go on a mission trip (or just to change to a job that pays less money).

At the same time, if you lend money with a dependence on getting that money back then you are controlled by the financial situation as well. If you are not in a position to forget about the money then you need to hold on to the money that you have.

Although the principle for to neither borrow nor lend money is a wise one, it’s not a biblical one. The bible tells you not to borrow, but lending is optional. Be sure that you can walk away from the money if you do decide to give loans to your brothers. And always lend to non-believers in a prayerful manner.

The United States House of Representatives is currently ‘debating’ over the proposed bailout bill. It’s been interesting to hear the people cross the aisles and argue for the different stands. Democrats and Republicans are NOT in agreement with one another or with their own parties.

On the side of supporting the bill there has been one resounding cry - the crisis is upon us and we must act now even if we don’t like the plan. I noticed Thursday that the experts were predicting a financial collapse if something wasn’t done by the opening of the market on Monday morning. That deadline has come and gone. And yet the people in the House are still crying wolf.

On the side of voting no the cry has been to SLOW DOWN. Most of this side is all about hearings and finding the best plan to bailout the mistakes. They are not saying ‘just let the businesses fail from their own bad decisions.’ But they are not talking about throwing billions or trillions of dollars at a problem that only seems to take the money and grow larger.

The vote in the House should happen any minute now. It will be interesting to see if does pass. And if it does pass then it will be interesting to see if the Senate follows suit or mans up and says this is NOT the best solution. The experts are still predicting disaster, but so far the experts have been completely wrong.

*Update* The first attempt at passing the measure did not pass.

The number one cause of debt in America is spending. There are some people that have fallen into debt because of medical problems or accidents, but most of this country is struggling because of personal decisions. There is a simple way to correct this problem - stop spending.

For the next thirty days (or more if you can do it or have a deep debt hole) commit to not spending a single extra dollar. Do pay your current debts (mortgage, car or credit card payments). Do pay your utilities and other necessities (like insurance premiums). Do set aside a limited amount of money for groceries and gas.

Everything else that might be paid out in a month you should put on hold. Temporarily postpone your cable, memberships and subscriptions (if you pay monthly). Commit to putting your credit and debit cards away for the fasting time and even freeze them in a container of water if you think you might be tempted.

At the end of your time away from spending, you will find that you have more money than you have ever had at the end of a month. You will also find that you survived without having to get those new shoes or go out to dinner or going to see the new movie release.

Use this fast from spending to help develop more controlled spending habits. With the right attitude and the right plan you will be able to pay off your debts in full in no time flat.

The government has said it is near an agreement for a 700 BILLION dollar bailout of those companies that made bad loans and are now in trouble because of those loans. The government also recently passed a much smaller bailout for struggling auto makers in the United States.

There was a time when this country was about making it (or failing) on your own. The government was in place to maintain the basic infrastructure of the country, not to run the businesses. When did things change?

Our family is far from wealthy (or rich if you ask Sen. Obama). But we pay what we owe. We also have learned that making an investment in a business does not guarantee that we will make a profit or even see the return of our origional investment. This is one of the reasons we are cautious with our money.

It is fair that WE now how to bailout companies - whether it is the auto makers, the airlines or the mega banks - with money that we have been managing well? Even if this generation doesn’t end up owing painful taxes to pay for the bailouts, what’s to stop the government from getting even MORE involved in private industry?

There is so much more to consider about this most recent bailout than the financial implications. The government (and the people) should be slow to turn in this particular direction.