Thriftiness vs. Extravagance
Allowing myself and others to spend only
what is necessary.
Thriftiness in finance, time,
and thought.
When we talk about thriftiness, most just
think of money; but it concerns far more than
just finance. It involves our lives, culture,
ideas, and future.
Finance
Money will buy…
A bed but not sleep
Books but not brains
Food but not appetite
Finery but not beauty
A house but not a home
Medicine but not health
Luxuries but not culture
Amusements but not happiness
A crucifix but not a Savior
Religion but not salvation
A good life but not eternal life
A passport to everywhere but heaven
Thriftiness is a character that
is missing in the U.S.
What ever we want, we buy. Even if we
can’t afford it.
It is made easy for us.
1) CREDIT CARDS
2) CHECKS
3) NO INTEREST
4) PAY LATER IF YOU CAN’T AFFORD NOW.
Being extravagant
Having things that we can’t afford is not
thrifty, but extravagant. This leads to poverty,
not prosperity.
Having things that we don’t need, is also
extravagant. We need to ask ourselves, “Do I need
this, or is it frivolous.”
Extravagant means wasteful,
exceeding the bounds,
excessive.
Have you ever bought an item just because it was on sale, even if you
didn’t need it? This is excessive.
Have you ever bought something just because it made you feel good
to have something new? This is exceeding the bounds.
Have you ever bought something and then didn’t use it, and it just sat
in your garage? This is wasteful.
Have you ever bought a car that depreciated thousands of dollars
when you took it off the lot? This is extravagant.
The way we handle our
money, shows the condition of
our heart.
What we spend our money on, shows us our priorities in life. What
do you spend your money on?
*Food
*Cars
*Clothes
*Homes
*Charity
Ideas
The more thrifty we are, the more we will have to help our
neighbor, church, friend, and whoever needs it.
The more thrifty we are the more we will have to spend on
our children’s college…
Your folks, when they are old...
Ourselves when we are old and the money is harder to make…
The community when it needs some benevolence…
The people that are less fortunate than ourselves.
Thriftiness at home
*Build family guidelines to regulate where the finance of the house
will go. Agree to be thrifty and conservative as a family unit. Have
all participate in this effort. Parents should teach the children how to
manage their finance while they are young.
*Avoid the temptation of running around and shopping just to kill time.
This is a waste of time and finance. By putting ourselves in the middle of
a shopping area, we also put ourselves into spending mode.
*Invest your finance and time wisely to prepare for future goals and
emergencies. We don’t know what the future holds, so be ready for the
unexpected.
Purpose
The purpose for thriftiness is hard to see for some that have money to
spend. However, it is a character trait that needs to be seen. The
purpose for thriftiness is to display this character.
A thrifty person will be:
1) Dependable: They are disciplined in their behavior.
2) Generous: They will conserve so they can give to others.
3) Grateful: They will appreciate what they do have.
4) Available: Their time is better managed to take time for others.
5) Content: They know that happiness is not about spending more.
6) Resourceful: They look at other ways to accomplish their goals.
Rewards
1)Disciplined family
2)Promising future
3)The ability to give to your community
4)Avoiding unnecessary debt
5)Knowing you did what was right
Extravagance
Ruins future
Builds pride
Causes debt
Rips families apart
Lacks character
Group
1) In what areas do you overspend?
2) Where do you waste time during your day?
3) What can you do as a family to be thrifty?
4) What can you do at work to be thrifty?
5) How important is this character for your future?