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Balance Boosters!
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Dietta L. Stewart
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Nov 10, 2002 16:39 PST
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Balance Boosters
Volume 2:3 November 11, 2002
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***What’s Inside***
Notes from Dietta
Feature Article
Further Reading
Helpful Hint
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Need low cost meal planning ideas?
Click here! http://hop.clickbank.net/?bboosters/recipeclub
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Notes from Dietta
The other night my husband and I were watching television. As he
flipped through the channels he stopped on the new sitcom “Life with
Bonnie.” Bonnie and her husband were lying in bed. He was drifting off
to sleep but she was laying there wide awake, worrying about all the
things that were going on in their lives—mainly the financial struggles
they were facing. I think this show was supposed to be funny but the
beginning dialogue was so true to life that it was actually kind of
depressing.
I know that men and women handle things differently. It seems like the
women I know worry when things aren’t going just right with their
finances just like the character Bonnie was doing. If you have ever
lain awake at night over your finances then you know what I am talking
about.
Problems in our finances can really throw our lives off balance. It
seems like when all of the bills are paid, we have money in the bank and
we have a little extra to spend we feel good about ourselves and
everything else in the world. But when we hear rumors of layoffs or
downsizing we panic. And if we have to pay a bill late we feel less
than complete.
I’m no expert in finances and I am certainly not perfect when it comes
to managing money, but I do know that money is a moving thing—it can be
here today and gone tomorrow. Somehow we have to find a place within
ourselves where we can be at peace, no matter what’s going on in our
checkbooks.
I know, easier said than done. But, I’ll try if you will.
This week I would like to share an article with you that I wrote a few
years ago when my husband and I were faced with troubling financial
situation. I hope that maybe someone will find it helpful.
Dietta
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Living within Your Means the Easy Way
Just recently I rediscovered a website that offers very good
information on setting up a budget and managing your personal finances.
While visiting I stumbled upon an e-book called “Living Within Your
Means The Easy Way” and decided to make it available through Balance
Boosters.
This book is only $5.00—which is like giving it away for all the
information you receive. If you want a simple and easy to understand
method for managing your finances you definitely want to get this book.
The author explains finances in a down to earth way and provides free
forms that you can print off and use. I have personally found it very
helpful. Click here for more information
http://www.homemoneyhelp.com/AFFILIATES/bboosters.html
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The Burden of a Debt
By: Dietta L. Stewart
In September of 1994 my husband and I started our own cleaning service.
Immediately things began to fall into place. A few short weeks after
being in business we landed our first big contract. Following that
time, work poured in steadily and we found ourselves with a very
productive business after only a short time in operation.
Around March of 1996 it was time to file taxes for our first full year
in operation. All during the previous year in 1995 we did our best to
pay our tax estimates in the amounts suggested by our accountant. At
the time, I was taking a basic accounting course in an effort to learn
how to manage the bookkeeping side of the business. And deep in the pit
of my stomach I sensed that the tax estimate payments we were making
were not enough. But instead of following my instinct, we adhered to
the projections made for us by the professional accounting firm we were
dealing with.
After about two weeks of processing our tax return, we received a call
from our accountant’s office. It was early in the day so my husband was
out working. I took the call. “Mrs. Stewart we have your tax return
ready to pick up when you can,” said the voice at the other end of the
telephone. “However, I do need to let you know that you have an amount
due.”
“How much?” I bravely asked, unaware of the upcoming shock. “A little
over $4,000 dollars,” they stated calmly.
Suddenly extreme panic overwhelmed me. What will we do? I thought How
will we ever come up with this amount of money?
From that point it is hard to remember the words that followed. All I
know is that I felt at that moment that my world had come to an end.
Never in my life had I owed so much money except for on a car note. In
my mind I envisioned all of our belongings gone and us on the street.
When my husband came home I gave him the news. Immediately he wanted to
talk to the accountant. “There must be something wrong,” he said. But
talking to the accountant could not take our debt away.
In my mind owing this kind of debt was the end of the world. I hated
having this mark against me. What will people think? I wondered. What
does God think?
For several months I carried the shame I felt of owing this debt. To
me, this was a problem that needed to be solved and it needed to be done
immediately!
Paying this debt in full was a slow and drawn out process. In fact, for
a long time it seemed like the monthly payments we made did not decrease
the debt at all due to penalties and interest. It was obvious this
problem would not go away overnight. If I was going to have peace in my
life, somehow I would have to come to grips with this debt and move on.
Slowly I began the process of facing the debt and accepting that at
least for a while, it was indeed a part of my life. Once I was able to
accept it, God helped me to realize that this debt did not separate me
or my husband from his love, and that having this debt did not discount
our worth or personal value. Instead of being ashamed I learned to be
thankful.
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Further Reading
A Fast and Easy Solution to Your Money Problems
http://www.balanceboosters.com/a_fast_and_easy_solution_to_your.htm
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Helpful Hint
When balancing your checkbook use a different colored pen for marking
the checks that have cleared in your check register and put an O by the
ones that are still outstanding so that they will be easy to find when
you go back next month.
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Thank you.
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I’d love to hear from you, if you would like to contact me please do so
at die-@balanceboosters.com
THANK YOU FOR READING
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!
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