Your Top 10 Financial Moves for 2022 With Joseph Slife

Christian talk radio with Rob West

With the new year just days away, now is a great time to plan for the year ahead. Today Joseph Slife with Sound Mind Investing joins Rob West with 10 financial moves to make in 2022. Your 10 Most Important Financial Moves for 2022 is the title of the cover article in the current issue of Sound Mind Investing. It offers a list of about 75 possibilities and encourages readers to pick Top 10 for the year ahead. Here are just a handful of those tips: FINANCIAL MOVES FOR 2022 FIRST THINGS FIRST: Start by remembering that God owns everything. We are only stewards, managers, of what he entrusts to us. So in 2022, practice living in conscious dependence on God. The Lord is not to be acknowledged only on Sunday. Take time each day to recognize your dependence on the Lord for life and breath and everything else - as the Apostle Paul said in Acts 17. BUILD ON SOLID ROCK: Build your financial house on the bedrock of biblical principles. We never know what kind of financial storms may come our way or when. But if you base your financial decisions and actions on biblical truth and the stewardship principles taught in Scripture, you’ll be able to weather those storms. BE GENEROUS: Every follower of Jesus is called to be generous, but we also know from what’s in the New Testament God has given some people the special gift of giving, just as he has given some people gifts of administration, and teaching, and so on. If you have that gift of giving, study what the Scriptures say about it and make the most of that gift. But even if you don’t have that special giving gift, a great item to add to your Top 10 for 2022 is to make the most of every opportunity to give boldly. Teach your children to give generously too. CREATE GOOD HABITS: One of the best things you can do is to cultivate good habits. It’s easy to pick up bad habits, but good habits have to be cultivated. And means taking specific actions that reinforce good habits. For example, making a spending plan that puts you in a position to pay down your debt steadily, so you make paying off credit card debt, car loans, and other short-term debts a priority. Start using a money-management app to plan and track their finances like the MoneyWise app. SPEAK UP TO SAVE MONEY: You can sometimes get fees waived or subscription prices lowered just by making a polite request. You would be surprised how often this works, and you never know unless you ask. AVOID HOLIDAY DEBT: Don’t go into debt for Christmas, birthdays or other holidays! Don’t be swayed by slick marketing. Instead, develop a plan for your spending and buy only what you can afford. PRAYERFULLY DEVELOP AN INVESTING PLAN: Start by looking realistically at where you are now and developing a prudent plan that moves you toward your long-term goals. But make this a spiritual matter, not just a financial one. Pray over your decisions and seek wise counsel! DON’T BE OVERLY RIGID: You want to be consistent and committed, but don’t be overly rigid with your investment plan. Life happens and you have to have some flexibility. If your plan is too strict, you might miss out on some very important things. Being too strict can also cause you to turn a deaf ear to God. TRACK YOUR DONATIONS TO THRIFT STORES: Interestingly, the IRS is rather liberal in allowing deductions for non-cash items. So if you’re near the threshold of being able to itemize or not itemize, non-cash donations could put you over the top. Read Your 10 Most Important Financial Moves for 2022 at SoundMindInvesting.com to see the entire list. LISTENER QUESTIONS On today’s program, Rob also answers listener questions: ●Is now a good time to invest in a short-term rental property? ●How can you overcome consumer debt and pay your home off sooner? Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them to [email protected] Also, visit our website at MoneyWise.org where you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, join the MoneyWise Community, and even download the free MoneyWise app. Like and Follow us on Facebook at MoneyWise Media for videos and the very latest discussion! Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.