|
Amid Tough Times, LDS Church promotes Wise Family finance |
|
MANILA CITY 29 September 2008/ The Philippine Star As more and more people are finding themselves seriously distressed in their financial situation amid tough economic times, the senior leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently published the brochure All is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances to help members manage their resources better. The brochure advises families to "prepare for adversity by looking to the condition of your finances." It urges families to be modest in their expenditures; to be disciplined in their purchases and to avoid debt. "Pay off debt as quickly as you can, and free yourselves from this bondage; save a little money regularly to gradually build reserve and if you have paid your debts and have a financial reserve, even though it may be small, you and your family will feel more secure adn feel greater peace in your hearts", the brochure further encouraged.
The brochure is available on the Church Welfare Services website at www.providentliving.org. The website also provides the following guidelinesfor families to become more financially responsible: 1. Avoid debt. Learn self restraint by spending less money than you make and saving money to purchase what you need. Avoid debt except for vital needs, education, and the purchase of a modest home. If in debt, try to pay it off quickly. 2. Use a budget. Keep a record of your monthly income and expenses. With this information, set up a family budget. Establish how much you will save, how much you will spend for food, housing, insurance, utilities, etc. Reduce what you spend on things that are not necessary. 3. Teach family members early the importance of working and earning. Children should be responsible for the decisions that affect their own money and face the consequences of their bad spending. As your children mature, help them understand the family financial situation, budget goals, and their individual responsibility within their families. 4. Work toward home ownership. Improve the home you acquire so you can use the accumulated equity for a better home if you decide to sell it. 5. Appropriately involve yourself in an insurance program to avoid the significant debts place upon families when they are uninsured. 6. Involve yourself in food storage and emergency preparedness program. Planning and harvesting a garden annually can help the family budget and encourage 7. Build a reserve. Accumulate savings little by little and use it for emergencies only.
The website also provides a number financial tool to guide families and individuals in the decision-making process. These tools can help determine - based on an individual's own income - how soon loans and debts can be paid off, how much to save for retirement, and how much to save to reach a specific goal.
|
|
Mormon Messages

Touching the Hearts of Our Youth
|