Money and Me

Honestly, I am unfamiliar with how to handle money. I grew up in a very unique situation. My dad developed heart failure in his 30s. A few years after his official diagnosis his condition worsened to the point where he was not physically able to work anymore. He had to go on disability. He had a young family of six kids and his career came to an abrupt halt. We lived from disability check to disability check and the charity of others for years. My parents didn’t have the best money practices, because they didn’t have enough money to pay for all of the regular life bills and medical bills that they incurred because of my dad’s health. After praying for guidance, they felt my mom was needed more at home with her six young children and a very sick husband. Then they didn’t have the means to get more income. Eventually, my dad received a heart transplant. Thankfully, he can work again (he still can’t have the career he always dreamed of having), but he will always have medical bills. After any transplant, there will be lasting treatments and medical bills. My parents will always have more medical bills than they can afford to pay.

What I understood about money was you pay for the necessities when you have the money. As I grew into adulthood myself, I have learned that is not the best way to deal with money. Fortunately, I married a man who is the son of an accounting professor. My husband grew up with a better mentality in regards to money and he has taught me a lot on how to best handle money.

Money, or from my experience, the lack of money is very stressful. It can put a strain on relationships. Thankfully, my parents have maintained their happy marriage through all their years of financial hardship; but I can see that a lot of the stress they went through could have been avoided if they were able to earn money during those crucial career years. Now, my husband and I are trying to do better. We have savings, investments, a current plan that will get us out of debt, and we are planning for our future. When you know how to use money the right way it can be a great blessing in your life.

The commandments that my husband and I have always followed and have felt very strongly about are paying our tithes and fast offerings. We have always seen blessings, more specifically financial blessings, happen in our lives when we pay our tithing and fast offerings. We know it is a sacrifice to pay them, but it is a sacrifice that we can’t afford to not take. I hope and pray that someday we will be in a financial situation where we can have my parents live with us, so we can help relieve some of the financial stress that they still live with. If we can help ease the burdens of others with our money, that is blessing them and serving the Lord. That too is a sacrifice we can’t afford to not take.

Side note: I have studied my scriptures 4 out of 7 days this week. It is not perfect and there is room for improvement, but I have felt more peace and guidance in my life. I feel a desire to keep trying to study my scriptures.