The Bible is full of people who went on regular pilgrimages and adventures. There are certain tours and helpful hints on faith-based travel. There are many websites available to help you plan Christian trips, advice on raising money for missions and other opportunities.

Mission2Go: This site offers everything from how to fund a trip and a short-term mission packing list. It also has information on how to prepare spiritually through prayer, understanding your faith and your mental attitude.

206Tours: If you are interested in Catholic pilgrimages, take a look at 206Tours. The site describes pilgrimages as a personal invitation from God and a journey to a holy and sacred place. Trips listed on this website include Spain and Portugal, the shrines of Italy and Medjugorje, The Holy Land, Egypt, Jordan, Greece and others. On these trips professional Catholic guides are provided and Mass is attended.

Significant Living: If you are in your “Golden Years”, this one may be the right fit for you. It lists mission trips, other travel opportunities and discounted rates with a Christian focus.

Christian Travel Finder: Looking for help finding cruises and other vacations for Christian interests? This is a great resource for booking cruise tours that explore early Christianity and to book a visit to the Holy Land. A mission cruise, Cruise with a Cause,  is also coming in 2011.

See Jordan: This a one-stop shop to find tours and information about visiting Jordan. Click on specific links and you have tons of websites to help you book a vacation.

The Holy Land Experience: You don’t have to travel out the country to get a feel for the Holy Land. By traveling to Orlando, you can experience the Bible and way of living in ancient Jerusalem. It’s considered to be a living, historical, Biblical museum. Exhibits include The Great Temple, Jerusalem Street Market, Dead Sea Qumram Caves and many others.

What started out as a small idea has grown into a major movement to help others in need. And that need is for shoes. TOMS Shoes uses the model of One for One. When you purchase a pair of shoes, a new pair goes to children in other countries who have no money for shoes. Walking barefoot is a way of life in counties such as Argentina, and these children walk for many miles for things like food and water. Without shoes, they are prone to bad infections on their feet due to cuts and sores.

Although the economy and things such as high unemployment levels are hitting many people, giving back to others is still important. TOMS Shoes is a great example of someone still trying to make a difference. In 2006, Blake Mycoskie was traveling in Argentina and was astounded at the amount of children without shoes on their feet. This year TOMS Shoes is hoping to hand out 300,000 pairs of shoes to those in other countries.

Along with buying a pair of shoes, you can also get involved in other ways. First, they are in need of interns year- round. How about hosting a style your sole party? Start off with a pair of white TOMS Shoes, grab some pens, markers and stencils and host a party where everyone can personalize their shoes. You can also join a TOMS Shoes Campus Club. When you’re on campus, you can set up TOMS Shoes events with a One for One movement at your school.

Shoes start at $44 with women’s, men’s and children’s sizes and geo-metric, tie-dye or glitter designs. You can purchase them online or find them in many large retail stores. It always feels good to give back to others and this is a simple and fun way to do it.

It’s Halloween weekend which means your neighborhood will likely be crawling with lots of little princesses and super heroes looking for a stash of candy to lug home. Even if you’re giving out loads of chocolate you can still get a few treats of your own with these fabulous freebies.

Free Black Jack Taco: Once the trick-or-treaters have gone home head to Taco Bell for a free Black Jack Taco. The deal runs from 6pm to midnight on October 31.

Free Crafts: Head to Michael’s craft store on Halloween from 10am until noon for a free tick-or-treat pail, free coloring activities and free make-it take-it Halloween frame. Kids will also get a free balloon and candy. What a treat!

Free Apples: If you live near an Earth Fare grocery store print off this coupon to get a free three pound bag of organic honey crisp apples. You could even use them at your Halloween party this weekend if you want to bob for apples.

Free Soda: Head to your local Kum & Go gas station with this coupon to get a free Coke Zero or Cherry Coke. The coupon is for the 20 ounce size.

Free Toy: Those of you with little ones are probably taking them out for a little trick-or-treating on Saturday, but before you do you may want to hit your local Sears store. They’re giving free Mattel toys in their toy shop to kids in costume.

Free Burrito: Someone needs to help me with this one because I love Chipotle. They’re handing out free burritos to people on Halloween from 6pm until close. But here’s the catch: you have to be dressed like a burrito, bowl or taco. How would you dress up like a burrito?

Is the worst recession in 75 years actually over? Some signs are pointing to “yes.” According to a report from the Associated Press the economy grew last quarter. In a report released by the Commerce Department, the economy actually grew, ending a record streak of four quarters of decline. It was the first growth experienced in more than a year. Some say government aid and Federal support are what helped drive home and car sales– something that can’t continue forever.

President Obama called the growth “welcome news” but says there is still a long way to go since many Americans are still out of work. Plus their home values and 401(k)s still remain down. Many economists say the recovery won’t last for long as the impact of the government’s $787 billion spending package fades away. Even Obama’s chief economist believes that the stimulus spending has already had its biggest impact and probably won’t contribute to much growth in 2010. As for the unemployment rate, many experts believe that will continue to increase, too, pushing 10.5% next year before declining.

So what pushed the US into positive growth? Spending on housing was up for the first time since 2005, likely supported by the $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers. Plus Federal government spending increased by 7.9% in the third quarter. But it’s up to the National Bureau of Economic Research to decide when and if they recession is truly over. They’re the group in charge of dating the beginning and ends of recessions.

So what do you think– is the recession over? Take our poll:

My husband and I love buying artwork. Whenever we travel, we try to find something unique to take home with us. We have several paintings on our walls, but didn’t spend top dollars to get them. You don’t have to purchase expensive art from a gallery and if you have some art or photos of your own go ahead and frame them. You can display your work and dress up your home. I found a great website, Saving Advice, that offers tips on saving money on many items. A blog on artwork caught my eye since it’s a great and easy way to decorate.

Here are some places you can check out to help you save on artwork.

Auctions: You never know what kinds of things might catch your eye. Look for auctions that are offering items without a reserve (minimum price), the blog suggests. You can bid on things and spend as little as 5 bucks for something that may be worth quite a bit more.

Thrift Stores: After searching a bit, you are likely to find something like an old painted canvas or framed print. Don’t just look at clothes or household items. Search a bit more and see what you can find.

Art Schools: A young and “starving artist” is likely to be excited about someone purchasing their art. Saving Advice suggests finding some local art schools. Let the instructor know you might be interested in buying something.

Craft Shops: How about creating your own art? I know there are some of us who always wanted to try painting or another craft, but were too afraid to try. I had always wanted to learn how to paint, so I decided to take a class and purchased some materials at my local craft store. Now I have three paintings I can hang on my wall. I am a photographer and a writer and realized that I have plenty of options for decorating my walls. If you like to take photos, go ahead and print some of your favorites. Then go to the craft shop and you can frame them yourself.

Antique Stores: Watching Antiques Road Show has inspired me to take a look at antique shops around my town. People are buying paintings for $20 and they end up being worth thousands of dollars. You may not find one that is worth quite that much, but you can definitely grab some bargains and display them around your house.

Most of us only dream of what it would be like to have a million bucks in our bank account. That’s why reading about celebrities who squander it away can be so frustrating. I came across this interesting post about former Celtics star Antoine Walker’s mounting debt. In his hay day, Antoine was pulling in multi-million dollar paychecks. In fact, according to Yahoo! Antoine earned more than $110 million in 12 years from playing basketball and even more doing endorsements for Adidas. But that wasn’t enough for Antoine’s lifestyle.

Celtics Number 8, Antoine Walker

According to reports Antoine is several million dollars in debt. Financial institutions are after him for several unpaid bills which total more than $4 million. The Boston Globe says the 33-year-old even faces felony check fraud charges in Las Vegas. Some say it was Antoine’s generosity that got him into trouble.

He built his mom a mansion, hired dozens of family members and friends, and often bought lavish gifts for teammates and coaches. Antoine did buy himself some nice toys too– two Bentleys, two Mercedes, a Range Rover, a Cadillac Escalade and a Hummer. Antoine’s not the first celebrity to blow through millions of dollars and wind up in massive debt: Rapper MC Hammer, Movie Star Burt Reynolds, Child Star Gary Coleman, and Country Music Star Willie Nelson.

Image courtesy of compujeramey

The countdown is on. It’s hard to believe but 2009 will be a memory in about two months. How are you going to finish strong and make these last two months matter when it comes to your finances? The last two months of the year can often be the most difficult when it comes to sticking to a budget and focusing on your financial goals. Here are some ideas for finishing out 2009 like a financial super star.

Take Your Lunch to Work the Rest of the Year: Join blogger KrystalatWork.com as she commits to bringing her lunch to work for the rest of the year. She’s not only trying to save some money but she’s trying to shed a few pounds in the process.

Give Your Bills an Audit: Are you paying too much for cell service, auto insurance or cable TV? Find out before the end of 2009. You’ll be happy to have the extra money in your pocket when 2010 rolls around.

Sell Five Things You No Longer Need: Put some extra cash in your pocket and some extra room in your closets. Get rid of five things you no longer need by the end of 2009. With eBay’s new policy you won’t pay listing fees for five items a month which means if your stuff doesn’t sell you’re not out any funds.

Make Your Home Energy Efficient: If you complete improvements to your home by the end of the year you could be eligible for Federal Tax Credits. Read up on the improvements that will make a difference on your tax return.

Help a Charity Organization: Give more in 2009 and perhaps start a new habit as you go into 2010. Christmas is a great time of year to serve others. Connect with a charity that needs your help through HandsonNetwork.com. There are 250 action centers in the Hands On Network throughout the world that are getting people involved in charitable activities. And remember, volunteering is free.

Your computer can be the key to saving and even making more money. Stop spending your time surfing the web looking for things you can’t afford or shouldn’t be buying. Start using your computer as a portal for putting more money in your pocket or keeping it there in the first place. Here are five things you can do or ways your computer can cut your bills, make you extra cash or reduce your spending.

1. Set Up Google Reader: There are plenty of blogs– including this one– that provide daily inspiration and tips for saving money, cutting your bills and budgeting better. Setting up Google Reader takes only a few seconds and it will make tracking your favorite blogs super easy. That way you don’t have to spend as much time visiting the sites every day. Just visit Google Reader for instant updates. Make sure you put OutofDebtChristian.com into your reader!

2. Join Swagbucks: This is something I’ve just started but I’ve heard of a lot of other people earning gift certificates to popular retailers through Swagbucks. Signing up takes a few seconds and once you do you’ll start earning Swagbucks by searching on the Internet like you always do. There are other ways to earn Swagbucks through taking surveys and getting your friends to sign up. But once you accrue a certain number of Swagbucks you can redeem them for gift certificates. It’s super easy and doesn’t require anything more than searching the web like you always do.

3. Print Coupons: Before you head to the mall or to the grocery store make sure you print off some coupons from your computer. Visit sites like Coupons.com, SmartSource, or Coupon Cabin. You’ll save lots of money if you can get into this habit.

4. Join Ebates: This is an important one if you plan on buying Christmas gifts online this holiday season. When you shop through Ebates you can get cash back on purchases you make from hundreds of popular online retailers. There’s no fee to join, in fact you make $5 for signing up. I’ve used Ebates several times when purchasing plane tickets from sites like Travelocity.com or Expedia.com to earn cash back.

5. Keep Reading Out of Debt Christian: We don’t mean to toot our own horn, but we love providing our readers with great money-saving information with a Christian perspective. So keep reading!

This week’s Twitter Tuesday Profile is on @FrugalMeg, a blogger working in medical records at a hospital near her Jacksonville, Florida home. Meg is proving that couponing isn’t just about saving a little bit of money– it’s about being able to give more to others. She and her husband got married a year and a half ago, shortly after Meg graduated from college with a degree in Biology. In order to make ends meet Meg started couponing and then she decided to share her knowledge through her tweets and blog posts at Frugal Fun and Fortune to help others save money.

OODC: How did you get started blogging and tweeting?

@FrugalMeg: I got into couponing right after my husband and I got married. I started following about 25 different money-saving blogs daily. I got to the point where I had so many friends, family, and acquaintances constantly asking me to help them with saving money, that I truly couldn’t keep up. I wanted to help them all, but there wasn’t enough time to help each of them individually. I saw how many money-saving blogs there are out there, so I thought it must be pretty easy to start one up! So I just decided to start a blog one day. I figured it would be the best way to help everybody out with saving money! I have loved every minute of it!

OODC: How has bargain hunting changed your life?

@FrugalMeg: Honestly, it has changed my life in many ways. First of all, my husband and I truly would not be able to get by if I did not coupon. It has helped us not only survive but thrive on very little income each month. Also, it has allowed us to GIVE to others in a way we never imagined possible. When we are able to get items for free with coupons, we buy them. We have a couple of boxes that we add food bank items, toiletry items, household items, etc. to throughout the month. We are able to donate to food banks, homeless shelters, women’s shelters, nursing homes, mission trips at church, and even friends and family in need. It’s very rewarding. With couponing, you don’t have to make tons of money to be able to help others out! Also, when you are saving so much money, it opens up more income for you to be able to give to others financially. Couponing to give is one of our strongest passions. God has blessed us with so much, and we want to give away as much as we possibly can.

OODC: It must take a lot of time to keep up your blog– why do you do it?

@FrugalMeg: Life is tough right now. Life has always been tough, but it is quite a bit more common these days, with how the economy has crashed. People are without jobs, without hope, and without the knowledge of how to save money.

I feel that God has blessed me with a gift. I have learned how to coupon, how to save money in every day life, and how to make a very thin budget stretch in huge ways.

To me, my blog is truly a ministry to other people. I have had so many e-mails come in with stories from people who are thanking me for helping them feed their family when they couldn’t afford to buy food before. That is why I do it. I’m here to help people through their financial battles, to let them know they’re not alone in their struggles, and to encourage them daily as they push through the dark times in life. During the hardest of times, we realize what life is truly about – the simple joys. I enjoy helping people see this, and showing them how much you can enjoy life, even when the money isn’t there.

OODC: What advice would you give others who are struggling to make ends meet?

@FrugalMeg: Don’t lose hope. Trust me, I know what it’s like to not know how you’re going to pay next month’s bills. My husband and I face that daily in our life right now. But I also know that God is faithful. He is our Provider. He knows what we need before we even ask. Try to choose joy from day to day, focus on what really matters in life, and give the rest to God. There’s always a light at the end of a dark tunnel.

OODC: What do you hope people get out of your Tweets and blog posts?

@FrugalMeg: Basically what I talked about above. I hope people can come away from reading my blog with practical advice on ways to save money, couponing tips, and ready to shop the store deals! I hope they have fun along the way, and find encouragement while reading my blog.

OODC: Who are some of your favorite money tweeters?

@FrugalMeg: KingdomFirstMom, TheThriftyMama, CouponGeek, and KayleyatChaChing.

Thanks for being a part of our Twitter Tuesday Profile @FrugalMeg! Would you like to be considered for an upcoming profile? Then just tweet me!

The topic of money is discussed in the Bible many, many times. A website that I frequent is Everyday Christian and they talk about several topics, such as money, relationships, health and Christian living. Not long ago, I wrote a blog about tithing and wanted to explore the area of money and the Bible a bit more.

A writer for Everyday Christian put together a list of five important verses from the Bible that discuss money and he feels every Christian should be familiar with them.

Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

God is always faithful and we should trust in Him and not necessarily rely on the wavering stock market or bank accounts. The author of the article says it shouldn’t matter if there is a financial crisis or you get laid off, God will still supply your needs like He promised us He would.

Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

It is important to tithe which I have discussed in the past. My husband and I continue to do so despite the fact that I lost my full-time job and we have other financial woes. Tithing brings blessings, which we have noticed since we began giving our money to the Lord.

1 Timothy 6:10  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

This verse if often misquoted, says Everyday Christian. It’s not the money that is evil, but the love of it. Many who have millions do give it away to charities and other organizations, but then there are those who fight over a few dollars. “It is a matter of the heart that only God can judge,” says the article.

Acts 20:35 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.”

Everyday Christian provides several other samplings of scripture that can go along with Acts 20:35. Giving sets us free, while hoarding entraps us (James 5:2). Giving changes the lives of others (John 3:16).  Giving brings blessings back to us (Luke 6:38).

Proverbs 22:7  The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

My husband and I are careful not to have too many debts. Right now, we owe on one car, our house and we try to pay off our credit cards each month. Not being chained to debt can really make a difference in your life.