Money and Life

My husband is great at managing money and has been for years. We have saved money throughout our marriage and we do not pay for things with credit. Each month we put a little away for an emergency fund.  This has been useful a few times in our marriage. For example when my brother, niece and nephew passed away I was able to purchase a ticket for the next day to go to be with my family. This mentality has also helped us to not loose money on paying  interest and has sometimes even gotten us a better deal for paying with cash.

I grew up selling eggs from my chickens that I owned, making and selling loafs of bread, and babysitting. My parents taught us to pay our tithing and that all fun things that we wanted to do had to be paid for with our own money. However besides that, my parents did not teach us anything more about money. I don't think they themselves knew much about how to use money besides balancing a checkbook.

When we first got married I did not know that much about money. I was the typical young student who had bought into the lie that debt was just a normal part of life. I had taken out  student loans for school, a small car payment and credit card debt. My husband and I worked together to pay off all my debt and it took a year or two.

With time we started to save up money each month and living off of one pay check while saving the other. After ten year of saving we bought our first home out right. It's not a mansion by any means but it works for us. I am grateful that my husband learned how to make money work for him. It has made our path to self-reliance much smoother. We still have more to do. We need to get a will done and get a life insurance plan on my husband. We also want to continue to save so we can go on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as a couple when my husband retires. I look forward to that day.

It has been a journey as we have learned to go against what is the norm and not be in debt. If anyone wants to get out of debt I suggest using the Dave Ramsey plan. I am not getting a kick back for writing this except for the gratification of knowing that something that worked for us can work for you if you wish to be free. I will attach his page down below for those who might be interested.

https://www.daveramsey.com/

Family Counsel

Family councils have become something I have learned to enjoy and want to continue to do more often with my husband. We have done them a few times and it is always a nice experience. Even a few have occurred unplanned and turned out okay. However, I feel family councils are better when we plan them and have an agenda.

In the book Counseling with Our Councils, by Elder Ballard he quotes President Gordon B. Hinckley who said, “No decision emanates from the deliberations of the first presidency at the Twelve without total unanimity among all concerned. At the outset in considering matters, there may be differences of opinion. These are to be expected. ...But before a final decision is reached, there comes a unanimity of mind and voice. ...” I want to have that same unity in our family counsels. A place to come with different ideas and perspectives and in the end find the solution that God sanctions is right for us as a family is an amazing feeling.

I will give you an example of a family council that just took place in our home this week. On Sunday, we took in three kids whose mom is sick and had to leave our island for treatment. There are two teenage girls and one ten year boy. We decided we are a team and need to work together so that while they are staying here their time with us can be a good experience for everyone. We discussed their schools and schedules. Even that the oldest would be making sandwiches and packing school lunches for everyone each morning. My husband and I committed to dropping off and picking up them each day to and from school as well as seminary for the oldest. Meals were planned and address as well. I informed them I will need help with meals because I have school and home work which keeps me quite busy.  We also talked about my husband rule of no boyfriend interactions during the time they are staying with us. Sadly, at the end we did not have a treat after.

On Wednesday, however, we did make a cake together and then enjoyed it with my husband once he got home from church meetings. It was his birthday. We sang to him and then sat around the dinning room table and ate cake and talked. It was nice to see the kids interact with Daniel. This was another nonscheduled family council. He talked about life and we all giggled and laughed at the fun.

It is the small moments that we take for granted. Often our lives become so busy that sitting down together like a family (even if it is a temporary family for us) becomes mundane. However, for the many parents out there. Are you taking advantage of the small moments together? Are you taking time to slow down and spend time with one another? Doing so will bond you and work as a shield  during the battles of life. I hope we are sincere and look to ways our families can improve this aspect of our lives. If not start now its never to late.