“A man who dares waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life”
Charles Darwin
I’m no expert on budgeting of ANY kind however; I came across a scripture today that inspired me to write this post. 1 John 1:5-6 “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth”.
God IS light. We as humans have tendency to walk in darkness when we do not have to. A part of walking in darkness is being constantly consumed by the unproductive things of this earth, hence wasting our time. Daily trips to social media sites (Facebook, twitter, gossip blogs, etc…) and spending hours browsing material that is in no way related to our goals or productivity can easily lead us into believing that there aren’t enough hours in a day. How well we manage and use our time is directly related to how much fulfillment we experience in life. Make it a habit to plan your time. List daily goals (at least five every morning) and prioritize to accomplish important tasks and improve your productivity. Spend less time “thinking” on what to do next. It’s a good idea to use an online calendar or even a smartphone if you have one to record important events and manage daily tasks as well.
Do you ever wonder how some people manage to accomplish so much in a short time period? Successful people to do not have any more time than the rest of us, we are all given the same 24 hours in a day to work with. There’s no secret, some people just use their time more wisely. How you use your time will continue to determine the state of your life. Are you healthy, wealthy and wise? Let’s face it; most of us have too many meaningless activities taking up our time. We need to simplify our lives and use our time in meaningful ways. Indulging in activities that lead to procrastination are a major NO ——–> “Procrastination is the thief of time”. Edward Young
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/edwardyoun107424.html#gDVrIzF4xcZwtRWs.99
A simple statement, yet so true, procrastination is the number one time thief and comes in many forms of disguise. Checking emails frequently throughout the day, repeated trips to the grocery store, watching television, internet surfing, etc… are all excellent examples of time-wasting activities that cause us to put off things that we should be doing. Set aside time for checking emails, for example (every two hours) and respond to them promptly. Keep web surfing to a minimum. Allocate time to shop for groceries and have a list on hand for weekly meals. You will be AMAZED at how much time you save by doing these simple things.
Finances…. Finances…. Finances.
The amount of money you make is not as important as how you spend it. If you spend your money wisely you will be able to get out of debt, save, and pay monthly obligations on time.
Let’s begin by cutting some costs….
AROUND THE HOME:
Wash clothes at a cooler temperature, set your heating/cooling thermostat a little lower, and unplug appliances that are not in use.
AT THE SUPERMARKET:
Buy store brands of your favorite items, buy in bulk, have a list ready before you go to avoid spending on unneeded items.
Saving money while on a tight budget may seem hard but it is possible if you are focused and have goals in mind. No matter how much you make save a portion of your earnings each pay period. Consider doing something you love to earn extra cash (teaching a music class, tutoring a favorite subject, selling homemade crafts) there are tons of ways to earn extra cash so get creative! Last but certainly not least, create a budget. It may seem hard but, with planning and determination, it is possible to create a guilt free budget and stick to it!
God desires for us to live life and to live it in abundance, we can do this if we would only follow his plan. It is not his will for us to live in darkness, shame, or guilt in regards to our personal lives. We have all the tools we need to take control of our time and finances; it is up to us to use them. Pray and ask God for guidance, seek mentors or agencies that are experts in financial planning and time management. I’ve listed a few reputable ones for you below.
Live in light, love, peace and on purpose!
najlaspeaks.wordpress.com 
…and I totally agree.?
The (?) in my last comment was an error.Truth is that I totally agree with your post on time management.