You’re a rock star and have set up a fully-funded emergency fund. Bravo! There’s only one problem: you find yourself using your emergency fund every month because of “unexpected” expenses! How can you make sure that your emergency fund is only used for emergency purposes? Here are a few tips to help get you on the right track . . . .

1. Give your emergency fund a mission statement.

Why is it easy to spend money from your emergency fund when a budget category is depleted? It’s because you didn’t give your emergency fund a mission statement in the beginning – you thought the words “emergency fund” were enough!

No worries. I’ve done the same thing.

In order to protect your emergency fund from delivery pizza, give your emergency fund a mission statement. It could go something like this:

This emergency fund is to be used only in the case of a real emergency. A “real emergency” is constituted as (1) a situation where the well-being of a family member is at risk (like in the case of a spreading disease) if the funds are not utilized, (2) transportation to an income-producing job is diminished due to mechanical failure (like an oil leak that is somehow coming through your floorboard), or (3) shelter needs are no longer met due to unforeseen circumstances (like a tree through your roof).

Your mission statement may look different (probably should), and you could certainly poke holes in mine, but all of that is okay. The point here is for you to make it more difficult on yourself to justify the use of your emergency fund.

2. Allocate more money to your budgeting categories.

Another reason you probably use your emergency fund too often is that you don’t adequately fund your budgeting categories. I’ve heard people say that they keep their budget lean and mean because they have an emergency fund for miscellaneous expenses. That’s not an emergency fund!

My argument here is that people should create realistic budgets in order to avoid pulling money from their emergency fund. For example, instead of only including gas and oil changes in your Transportation category, include tire replacements, parking meter expenses, and occasional repairs too!

I’ll be upfront with you: this requires a huge initial time commitment. When you’re trying to come up with every possible expense for a certain category, you can become pretty drained. However, you shouldn’t give up! Beef up your budgeting categories and you’ll have little excuse to use your emergency fund for non-emergencies.

3. Make your emergency fund difficult to access – but not too difficult.

Dave Ramsey tells the legendary story of a person who framed their cash emergency fund in glass and wrote on it: “In case of emergency, break glass.” That’s pretty funny, and I wonder if they ever had to break the glass!

Making your emergency fund difficult to access is one way to make you think twice before using your emergency money. One way to do this is by opening up a separate savings account at INGDirect.com and nicknaming it “Emergency Fund.” In order to use your money, you’ll have to log in to your seldom used account, withdraw the funds, and wait for them to hit your primary checking account. This isn’t too difficult, but it adds a couple more steps than simply keeping your emergency fund commingled in your checking (although you can get some pretty sweet perks by having a lot of money in your PerkStreet checking).

At one time, when our emergency fund was small, we kept cash in a box . . . in another box . . . and finally, in a safe. Oh, and I almost forgot it was rubber-banded! Not very secure – we should have used duct tape! Ha.

Have some fun with this one, but make sure not to prevent access to your emergency fund. You don’t want to bury it in a glacier or give it to your second cousin who lives across the country. Don’t make it too difficult to access, or you might have a real emergency on your hands!

Do you have some tips for using your emergency fund with wisdom? Leave a comment below!

Related Articles:

• 3 Steps to Strengthen Your Emergency Fund
• How to make more money with your emergency fund
• How Large Should Your Emergency Fund Really Be?
• 5 Essential Budgeting Categories – How You Should Fund Your Budget

John Frainee is a personal finance writer at TheChristianDollar.com. His goal is to provide biblical financial principles that encourage people to live healthier lives. Beyond personal finance, John enjoys spending time with his wife and two crazy cats, playing a competitive game of Monopoly, and reading just about anything he can get his hands on. You can also find him on Twitter and Facebook.

When I graduated from college, there was no such thing as online banking because there was no such thing as online.  In fact, there was no such thing as personal computers or even handheld calculators.  My point?  Whereas the world is a much different place today than when I graduated, I have a hunch that the things I wish I had known at the time are not greatly different than what a typical graduate would need to know today.  I wish I had known . . . .

1. How to talk about money.

I am sure my parents talked about money, but never with kids around.  I didn’t expect them to share financial details, but I do wish they had explained such things as budgeting, saving for a rainy day or investing for the future.   My parents undoubtedly did lots of things right and several things wrong along the way; I wish they had been transparent enough to share the lessons they learned.

Fortunately for me, my wife grew up in a family where money discussions were not taboo – we have had no problem being open with each other and with our children about money issues.

2. That money can’t buy happiness.

I give my parents credit for never opting for the biggest and best.  Mom made many of our clothes and we drove used cars.  However, the world around me seemed to reflect the belief that more money equates to more happiness.  After all, the kids who drove the sportiest cars seemed to be happier than those of us who drove the family station wagon.

Of course, when I looked beyond the façade, I figured out that even the ultra-wealthy are not necessarily happier than the average blue collar worker.  When I began investing my energy into my relationship with God and with family, I began to experience a happiness which transcends the almighty dollar.  It just took me too many years to figure it out.

3. That the purpose of higher education is not to make more money.

I don’t remember my parents, my friends or my high school counselor saying, “You need to go to college so you can make a boatload of money”, but the message was always in front of me.

“If you want a good job, you need to go to college.”

“A college degree is the pathway to a successful life.”

“You will never be able to compete in life without a college degree.”

Don’t get me wrong. I was the first person in my family to earn a college degree and I am glad I did.  But somewhere along the way, I learned that the purpose of education is to make me smarter, not richer.   After all, wouldn’t you rather be focused on achieving excellence in your vocation instead of how much money it will make for you?  I hope so.

4. To follow my dreams.

My parents grew up during the Great Depression; a time when survival was paramount, steady work was coveted, and dreams were few.  Paying the bills and putting bread on the table trumped discovering your passion and excelling in it.  I have no regrets in becoming an engineer – it was a solid career that I liked, but never loved.  Fortunately, since retirement from engineering, I have been following two dreams: counseling people about their finances and writing.

5. To focus on my strengths instead of my weaknesses.

When I brought home a 7^th grade report card with 7 A’s and one C, my dad looked it over before saying,  “That is a good report card, but you need to be working on that C.”  I carried the mindset of focusing on my weaknesses well into my adulthood, but I finally learned that spending time on something I have no aptitude for is detrimental to developing excellence in the areas of my strength.  The world would be a different place if George Washington had remained a surveyor or if Michael Jordan had focused on his college major (cultural geography) or if Bill Gates had actually studied law at Harvard.  You get my point; those who strive to be good at everything will seldom be great at anything.  God has chosen to uniquely gift each of us.  We should therefore fully harness the greatness God intends for us by developing those gifts.

As I reflect on this list, I am convinced that every one of the things I wish I had known when I graduated are completely relevant today.  Times may have changed, but people haven’t.

What do you wish you had known when you graduated?  Leave a comment below!

Related Articles:

• 4 Things I Learned as a Grocery Bag Boy
• How I learned to control my money
• What I Learned From My First Jobs
• Why I Still Pick Up Pennies From the Ground

Joe Plemon, a retired engineer, financial counselor and blogger, lives in Southern Illinois with Janice, his wife of 40 years. Joe likes online Scrabble, St Louis Cardinal baseball, blues music, power naps, high school football, short term mission trips and Sunday family dinners. You can read more from Joe at Personal Finance by the Book.

Yesterday one of the biggest phenomenons in the internet world offered themselves for sale in what was one of the largest IPO offerings to date. Facebook sold selling 180 million shares for about $38 per single share. Are you interested in buying a piece of the pie?

Before you poo-poo the idea – consider that one share of Apple purchased some 15 years ago for $5 would now be worth in the neighborhood of $560. How do you like them apples?

My first foray into buying stocks was back in early 2000 – when I was working at my first full-time gig out of college. I had discovered this clever doughnut shop while living in L.A. where folks would stand in long lines, waiting for this “glazed perfection”. I knew it would take off if it ever went public – and sure enough – when I came back to the Midwest – Krispy Kreme doughnuts sold itself to the world. While I only had a handful of shares, it was amazing to see the rise in company earnings and the stock price. When I held it – it must have split some 2 or 3 times and I tripled my money. All in all – it was a good first experiment in buying stock.

So, what if you wanted to jump on board the Facebook IPO? How could you buy a single share?

It’s really not all that difficult. What you’ll need to do is to connect with a broker. The one that I’ve been with for over 10 years and am happy with their service is Etrade. They do have some requirements before you can open an account with them however. They include:

• Be a permanent resident of the US
• Deposit at least $500 – within the first 60 days of opening account (for it to remain active)
• Present an employers address

If you are more concerned with the novelty of owning a piece of stock – like the stock certificate itself – then I would recommend going through another online company called GiveAShare.com. They sell actual stock certificates with the purchase of any share – and will send you a certificate you can frame.

The only catch with these guys is that you will likely pay a premium. For example – right now Amazon is going for $224 a share. If you were to buy one share with GiveAShare – you’ll pay about $444. But, it is a unique gift – that’s for sure. With the online brokers (eTrade, Zecco, Sharebuilder) – it’s whatever the stock is going for – plus about $10 in transaction fees.

So there you have it – are you going to be buying? 

Related Articles:

• Zecco has free stock trades and no minimum balance
• 20 free stock trades from Zecco
• Zecco no longer free
• What is a Stock?

Aaron helped start Three Thrifty Guys with his friends Charlie and Mark to help folks keep a few more bucks in their pockets. A designer by day, Aaron was once $40k in debt. After 5 years – he dug himself out and lives to tell about it.

Do you remember if you had a job when you were 18 years old? I do. I worked at a golf course doing grounds maintenance work. Being a golfer – it was a fun job to have! I got to pick out the holes for the days play and cut the greens. The only thing bad about it was starting work at 6:00 in the morning!

I’m now a step-father to a soon-to-be 18-year-old and it’s a whole new world. The Internet has changed so much about how we do things and is offering a lot of ways to make money for the entrepreneurial teenager. It’s funny to think when I was that age – there was no Internet (wow, I’m old!).

While the current job market for the high-schooler and college student looks a little downcast right now, I still believe breaks abound for those who have applied themselves and have a desire to succeed.

As a parent I think it’s important to let your teenage work (especially if they want to and have proven themselves to be responsible) in high school. I know there are many different schools of thought on this. Overall, it can be a great learning experience for them – as it will teach them the value of a dollar and stewardship. The job can also provide them with a stepping stone or a jump start on a future career.

The Best Jobs for 18-Year-Olds

I’ve compiled a list of 18 jobs that are best suited for 18-year-olds. Of course these are not exhaustive – but I hope they provide some ideas for a parent helping a teen or a teenager looking to find some work on their own.

1. Waiter/waitress

This is a great way to make extra money and is a great way for teens to learn valuable social skills.

2. Errand-runner

Typically a teen will have their license by 18, so this can be a unique opportunity for an 18-year-old to make money while setting a flexible schedule and gain experience running a business.

3. Lawn-care

Use the parent’s mower and tools and you’re all set!

4. Work at a nursing home

This has to be one of the most over-looked and devalued jobs around. I wish I would have done this as a teenager. It’s a super way to bless others in their golden years and honor/learn from those who have valuable life experience.

5. Pet-sitter

So many folks have pets today – start your own pet-sitting business! Low over-head, you could take care of the pet at their house or yours (ask the folks first!).

6. Concessions at a theater

This one has some benefits. You’ll likely get free popcorn and see the occasional flick for zero dollars!

7. Bank teller

Learn financial skills, how to deal with people, and get paid!

8. Tutor

Teach a kid who is younger than you in a subject you are knowledgeable in.

9. Vending business

May take an initial investment from the parents – but this can be a great way to make some passive income.

10. Virtual assistant

With all the new website businesses out there – many owners are looking for someone to “manage the store.” Duties could include everything from answering emails to assisting with an online purchase.

11. Warehouse work

If you like to work with your hands – you may want to check out a local distributor or warehouse.

12. Car dealership

Like being around cars? Maybe it would be a great place to get your feet wet! Duties could include car washing/detailing, driving folks to work/back when their vehicle is in repair, or setting up cars for display.

13. Positions at parent’s employer

While probably not the most popular idea – if you ask your parent to see if their employer offers any summer jobs or entry-level positions, you’ll likely be surprised. My place of work hires several 18 to 22-year-olds every summer which are referrals from parents/other co-workers.

14. Catering

Many caterers hire high school/college help for food prep and serving.

15. Coach

Your local city recreation department is likely in need of coaches for various sports and activities. Great opportunity to mentor and teach kids.

16. Tech Support

Teenagers are inherently good with electronics – including cell phones and computers. Be a local techie-on-call to your neighbors and family and soon your services will spread via word-of-mouth.

17. Personal care attendant

Another great chance to bless others and get paid.

18. Photographer

Have an eye for a good photo and know your way around a camera? You can take pics at weddings, sporting events, or even portraits for good cash.

What other jobs can you think of that would be perfect for 18-year-olds? Leave a comment below!

Related Articles:

• 7 Side Jobs I’ve Done to Increase My Income
• 15 Jobs for Making Money While in College
• 25 Top paying jobs without a degree
• 2010 census jobs

Aaron helped start Three Thrifty Guys with his friends Charlie and Mark to help folks keep a few more bucks in their pockets. A designer by day, Aaron was once $40k in debt. After 5 years – he dug himself out and lives to tell about it.

I’ve always said that you only need a Bible and a library card to homeschool. After 18 years, I still hold to that claim. However most folks, needing a little more structure than our family, take one look at the prices of curriculum in the catalogs and decide they cannot afford it after all. If that’s the stance you’ve been taking, follow me here and then rethink what you have thought to be the impossible; because I’m going to share 7 ways to homeschool with little or no money—after I talk about networking.

You do not want to be the lone ranger in the land of homeschooling. If you cannot find a local support group, start one. Or, at least find a few families to meet with on occasion. Homeschoolers love to share what they know and will always lead you to the free and cheap. That said; let’s talk about getting the kiddos an education without breaking the bank. You can teach your kids everything they need to know and teach them to save money in the process!

1. Borrow

Large families tend to hang onto their homeschooling resources longer than others so that they can hand them down to the next child coming up. But in the in-between years, most are more than willing to loan out to others. Need a certain biology book? Ask around your community of homeschoolers who might have it to loan.

2. Buy Used

Several websites exist for selling used homeschool resources. Check out HomeschoolClassifieds.com, VegSource.com, and LampPostPublishing.com. If you would like to see what you are buying first, attend your state organization’s convention. Most organizations host a used curriculum sale in conjunction with their convention each year. Do a web search for “state name + homeschool organization” to find one in your area.  If they don’t host a used curriculum sale, go anyway. Shop the vendors’ arena and look at all the offerings. Take notes. Then come home and try to find what interests you used online.

3. Use the Library

Everyone knows that homeschoolers love books. But the library has much more than that to offer. Our library has Rosetta Stone foreign language curriculum for check out, and they have a link for Mango languages on their website. Mango is a free service for learning a foreign language requiring nothing but a library card number. Many libraries also have music, art, and videos for check out.

Ask your librarian what resources they might have for teachers or homeschoolers. Some city libraries will have science equipment for loan—saving you a bundle on buying microscopes. Chess clubs, writing groups, even a fiber group meets at our library, all welcoming to children. Since my 11 year old and I recently took a course in beekeeping, we drove to a distant library to hear a lecture on native pollinators. Check your library’s calendar of events for similar things that might enhance your homeschooling.

4. Use the Internet

Believe it or not, websites exist that make it possible to homeschool for FREE. Check out Carlie’s Homeschool Freebies page, Jamerrill’s FreeHomeschoolDeals.com, or Homeschooling-Ideas.com for free curriculum, ebooks, lapbooks, printable worksheets, or educational apps. Librivox.org provides free audio books from the public domain. And if you feel you need a complete curriculum package, Ambleside Online is just that, following the Charlotte Mason philosophy, for free.

5. Co-op

Homeschooling co-ops are a great way to capitalize on the expertise of your friends. Seek out like-minded families with kids close in age than your own. Keep the size manageable for your home. Meet on a weekly basis for classes taught by the parents. When we did this with our children, one mom taught Spanish, one science, and one writing. We would switch class options each semester. If you cannot find an established co-op in your area and would like to start your own, get The Only Homeschool Co-op Booklet You Need to Start Your Very Own Best Co-op Ever! by veteran homeschooling mom Karen Lange.

6. Trade or Barter Services

Lorene left an engineering career when she had her first child. She teaches algebra for moms that feel unqualified to do so in exchange for other services. Holly, an accomplished artist, teaches art to homeschoolers. Mike hosts a chess club in his home. Want your child to learn a foreign language, but the cost of the curriculum is prohibitive? Ask at your support group meeting if someone there would be willing to teach your child in exchange for something you can do—even if it’s just baking them bread.

7. Forget the Curriculum

Unschooling, relaxed homeschooling, child-led learning, whatever you want to call it, learning without textbooks is on the rise. Families following this philosophy tend to educate their children as you might disciple a new believer—by spending time with them and setting an example. I like to call it life learning. We use many learning opportunities on our homestead to study academics at the same time. What better place to learn math and science than in the kitchen? To learn more about this option of homeschooling, you might want to visit ChristianUnschooling.com or LessonsfromtheHomestead.com.

Do you homeschool your children? Have any other money-saving tips for us? We’d love for you to share in the comments!

Related Articles:

• 5 Ways to Destroy Your Budget
• 8 ways to save money on babies and toddlers
• 5 Ways to Show Love to Your Kids Without Spending a Dollar
• 5 ways to Save Money on Books

Psalm 50:10-12 – “For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all it contains.”

Our Nature

For you and me it was an old worn out tool, but to a little boy it was a treasure … and it was mine! Little Aaron was playing with daddy’s tool belt left on the floor after a long day of work. Quickly he noticed the most fascinating multifunction screwdriver and took off to accomplish some minor repairs around the house. It was just an old tool, but to Aaron it was a new treasure and he had no intentions of returning it back to his father.

More than likely if you have children in your life this story sounds all too familiar to you. Have you ever sat and thought about the fact that we don’t have to teach our children how to take what is not theirs? Unfortunately, it comes naturally as a result of our fallen nature. How often do we respond like Aaron did to our Heavenly Father?

The Fall

In fact, it was a case of misplaced ownership that led to the fall of man. The Lord gave clear instructions to His first children on earth, Adam and Eve, in reference to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil by stating “You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.” Yet they gave into the temptation from the enemy and ate the forbidden fruit. Ultimately, it was a futile attempt to gain something that was rightfully not theirs in the first place and their actions created severe consequences for the entire human race.

James 4:14, states that our lives are, “just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” In 2 Peter 3:8, we see that “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” Our lives are short in the sight of an eternal God.

Everything Belongs to God

In a similar way that Aaron was entrusted for a brief time with his father’s screwdriver, so we are entrusted with a portion of God’s resources: our time, family, home, car, financial resources, gifts, abilities and everything else. They’re His and when we give to support His work, we are only returning what was rightfully His in the first place.

Malachi 3:8-9 provides a firm warning for us to consider when we are not faithful with what is rightfully God’s. It states, “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, “How have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings.” “You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!”

When we embrace the truth that everything belongs to God it causes us to realize that we must hold on loosely to all that God has provided us and seek His face for wisdom so that we are faithful stewards for the short time we have on earth.

Personal Application – Seeking Your Input

I think it’s important that disciples begin to discuss what it means to be a steward again.  Notice, I didn’t say “stewardship”, but steward, because a steward communicates that this is a personal responsibility and not just another topic to discuss.  We are stewards of God’s resources and must grow in that role or we will be like a stagnant pond.  Giving and generosity have become taboo topics in many churches and most pastors are not providing solid biblical teaching and discipleship in this area.  I don’t know about you, but when I’m struggling with something, part of my growth process is sharing with other disciples for wisdom and being teachable.  If we never talk about this, how can we expect to grow?

Here are a few questions for us to get the conversation started:

1. How often does your pastor preach or teach on generosity?  Do you feel equipped in this area of your life?
2. What has specifically helped you to transfer from an attitude of an owner to that of a steward?
3. Is there something in your life that you have not completely given over to God?  Share anonymously what that is and allow other ChristianPF readers to pray with you.

Leave your answers in the comments below!

If you would like additional free biblical resources on stewardship, visit one of these websites below:

• http://www.revolutioningenerosity.com/resources.html
• http://www.epm.org/resources/category/money-and-giving/

Related Articles:

• Faithful: A Devotional
• 5 Success Traits God Wants Us to Have
• Stewardship – What is it really?
• Don’t Save it all up for Retirement

Chris McDaniel is the Chief Business Development Officer for DELTA Ministries International (DELTA) and author of Igniting a Life of Generosity. Chris loves to spend time with this wife, bumping the volleyball with his daughter, playing catch with his son, serving the “least of these”, pizza, snowboarding, running half marathons, and seeing followers of Christ become generous givers.

Hiring a financial professional can be a daunting task. It can be a bit like dating – you need to understand yourself and what you need out of the relationship. Get up to speed on the lingo of professional credentials. Then you can look for some good candidates to team up with you. Finally, a few clicks on the Internet can confirm credentials and find out about any past problems.

What is your current situation?

The hardest step in meeting with a professional is doing your homework first! Take time to gather some general information about your household that includes a list of your assets and market value, your debts’ balances and interest rates, insurance policies, and short and long term financial goals.

Think about whether you want someone that will hold your hand through the entire process and be an active partner with you. Or, perhaps you want someone to listen to your goals, determine how you can meet those goals, and then you will do all the work to put the plan into place.

What type of advice do you need?

Overall Advice & Planning – You know you need to start saving for college, a home, or retirement but you aren’t sure where to start.  You wonder if you have enough life insurance or whether you might get sued for an accident.

Investments  – You have money to invest now and going forward, but you want to know what are the best types of investments to reach your goals.

Specific – You have a special needs child, want to save on taxes, struggle with your house payment, started late in saving for retirement, need estate planning,  or getting ready to retire and need to know how to make your assets last.

Debt Management – You need strategies to get your credit card, auto loans, and/or student loans under control so you can turn the tide on your financial picture and start saving for a home or retirement.

What do all those letters means after a name?

The financial services field is full of capital letters!  Get to know the lingo so you can understand the initials after a professional’s name.

The FINRA has a great guide to learn about each type of designation. This will help you understand their education, experience, and how they are regulated.

How does a financial planner get paid?

Fee only – Planner receives payment for their advice – either by the hour, by the plan, or a percentage of assets. This financial professional tends to be the most objective about products and investments.

Fee based – Planner receives most of their payment for their advice, but it’s reduced by any commissions on products you purchase from them.  This financial professional may have some bias towards the products & investments they offer.

Commission only – Planner receives a commission on the products you purchased. This financial professional might favor their investment products over other strategies or products.

Management fees – Planner receives an initial & ongoing commission from products sold along with an annual fee (usually a percent of assets) each year for their maintenance of your investments.

Regardless of the fee structure, a financial professional should focus on the strategies and products that will meet your personal goals – not just the products they sell.  When selecting a professional, look at the overall value and how it meets your needs.

How do you find a local professional?

Friends and family members in your area are always a good place to start looking for a local professional.  Just be sure they have been with the professional for several years and have a similar financial situation.  Just because someone in the family sells investments doesn’t mean you should automatically seek their advice.

One online place to start is the Financial Planning Network that searches professionals in your area based on payment structure. If you are looking for an advisor that is a fellow believer, be sure to check out the ChristianPF Financial Advisor Directory.

Your attorney or CPA may have a network of financial professionals to recommend.  In many rural areas, the local attorney or accountant provides financial services to the community.

The Dave Ramsey organization trains counselors and can provide the names of Endorsed Local Providers in your area. These counselors follow the Financial Peace University program strategies and can provide one-on-one help with your situation.

Interview the Best Candidates

Money is a very personal topic and you want to be comfortable with a financial professional.  Interview two or three candidates to see if your personalities and communication styles are a good match.

If you are married, both of you should go to the initial interview.  Your financial professional should be comfortable working with the goals and interests of both a husband and a wife – because these are not always identical.

Bring in your homework so the candidate gets the best picture of what you need and ask them the following questions:

• What are your credentials?
• Have you ever had a disciplinary action against you?
• How did you get into this field and how long have you been in business?
• Why types of services do you provide?
• How are you paid?
• What is an estimate on the total cost to me?
• Do you have an area of specialty?
• What will my plan look like in regard to investment recommendations and other ways to meet my goals?
• Can you provide me with two clients in similar situations who would be wiling to give you a reference?

The interview is a two-way street: Be sure the professional asks you questions too!  They should want to know why you are seeking help, details about your current situation, and your goals.

Do a Background Check

Once you have selected a professional, take a little time on the Internet to verify their credentials and good standing with the appropriate organization.  Search for any disciplinary action or sanctions. Check with your local Better Business Bureau, too.

Follow-up with the two client references and their experience with this professional.

Helping you Succeed

Hiring a professional is one way to meet your financial goals.  Take the right steps to select a candidate and then bring your best efforts to the relationship for successful results.

Have you found a great working relationship with a financial professional?  How did you find them?  How did they help you succeed with money?  Leave a comment below!

Related Articles:

• How to Avoid A Bad Financial Advisor: 5 Red Flags To Watch For
• 10 Questions to Ask a Financial Planner
• How To Be Financially Happy
• 2 Critical Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisor

Cherie is a small business accountant with a passion to teach others about personal finance -especially military families through the Financial Peace program. With her son & daughter at college, Cherie enjoys spending time with her husband of 24 years, quilting, and volunteering.

Whether you hire workers for your own business, train co-workers within the context of your current position, or equip others for ministry in your church, you should consider the following lessons from the Master trainer:

1. Be real during the interview process.

If you are salivating over a prospective employee, don’t succumb to the temptation of sugar coating the job.  When a teacher of religious law asked Jesus if he could follow him, Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to even lay his head.”  (Matthew 8:20)  If you don’t share realistic job expectations BEFORE hiring, you can expect a disillusioned employee.  However, if this prospect still wants to come on board after knowing the downsides of the job, he will stay committed to your company during the good times and the not-so-good times.

2. Be a leader, not a boss.

Employees will repeat what they see you doing – not what they hear you advising.  If you expect your subordinates to be punctual, don’t show up late yourself.  If you want them to be innovative, you need to be constantly tweaking protocol.  Once Jesus called his disciples to follow him, he demonstrated his expectations of them by placing his calling ahead of his personal comforts, loving the unlovely, standing up to hypocritical big shots and eventually give his life for his cause.  The difference between being a leader and being a boss is living out the values you expect from your subordinates.  Jesus was a leader.  You should be too.

3. Select an inner circle.

When employees shows great promise, you should develop their potential by investing yourself in their lives.  Don’t worry about “playing favorites”; do what Jesus did … he devoted special time with Peter, James and John because of the demanding leadership responsibilities which would one day be required of them.   Jesus included this “inner circle” in:

• The Mount of Transfiguration experience.  (Mark 9:2-8) Jesus was showing them that their leader was greater than Moses (the law giver) and Elijah (the greatest prophet); he was God’s dearly loved son.  You can give your potential leaders something to aspire to by allowing them to see you handle difficult sales calls, respond to dicey challenges from upper management, or comfort a subordinate who just learned her husband has cancer.
• The Garden of Gethsemane experience. (Mark 14: 33-41)  When Jesus’ greatest trial was imminent, he wanted these three with him while he prayed.  Yes, he was demonstrating to them that prayer–during life’s most difficult moments–is the best course of action.  But this time of travail was more than an object lesson; Jesus wanted his inner circle with him as he struggled.  Great leaders, during the worst of times, do not avoid the situation or put on a false front; they face reality with full commitment to deal with it.  When things go wrong with your business, you are doing your inner circle a great service by inviting them to share the struggle as you handle it with integrity.

4. Share the big picture vision.

Jesus continually reinforced the big picture.  He began his ministry by telling his followers why he was here on planet Earth (Luke 4:18,19) and he concluded his ministry by passing that baton to his disciples (Matthew 28:18-20).  He was constantly reminding his disciples that they were involved in a work which had far reaching and eternal ramifications.

The story is told of two laborers working side by side in the construction of a great cathedral.  When asked what they were doing, one replied, “I am laying blocks” while the other proclaimed, “I am helping construct a magnificent edifice which will be used for the glory of God.”

If your employees are going to be passionate about what they do, they need to believe that it is worthwhile, important, and making the world a better place.  You need to impart the big picture to them.

5. Pray for them.

Jesus’ not only practiced a life of prayer, he also prayed specifically for his followers (John 17:21).   You can do everything right in training your employees, but, unless you pray for them, you are omitting the most critical element in molding them: God’s hand on their lives.  Do you pray for your workers?  By name?  If you don’t, now is a good time to start.

Do you train others?  Which of these lessons from Jesus do you use?  What other lessons would you recommend?

Related Articles:

• What Really Stands Out To Me From Jesus Feeding 5000
• Was Jesus a tightwad?
• How to Raise Support for Short-Term Missions
• How Do You Respond to Impossible Challenges?

Joe Plemon, a retired engineer, financial counselor and blogger, lives in Southern Illinois with Janice, his wife of 40 years. Joe likes online Scrabble, St Louis Cardinal baseball, blues music, power naps, high school football, short term mission trips and Sunday family dinners. You can read more from Joe at Personal Finance by the Book.

Are you stressed out by your paid-by-the-hour job? Do you feel like you’ll never make a substantial income? Then you should take some time to learn how residual income can help you relax and increase your profits at the same time. Are you ready?

Linear Income vs. Residual Income

The Definition of Linear Income

With linear income, you do work and get paid once. Pretty simple.

Like many of you, I was raised as a kid to produce linear income. I was told by teachers that the way to make a living was to go to college, get a steady paying job, and support a family. All of that is great, but the “steady” part led me to believe that I had to make a linear income–doing the work that would pay me once for the effort involved. I believed that the only “steady” paying jobs were the ones where income was immediately realized yet low in compensation.

So, I took up several jobs where I was paid by the hour with no chance of a reoccurring income. I’d work for my $10 per hour and then consider the transaction finished.

Many years later, I’d discover something entirely different–something called residual income. This proved to be pretty exciting.

The Definition of Residual Income

With residual income, income is generated on a reoccurring basis after the initial effort has been expended. This is a bit more complicated to learn and implement.

I first realized the power of residual income when I started working part-time from home. I had written a few pieces online that were earning some advertising revenue–long after I finished the work. These small victories showed me the value in trying to obtain residual income. Although, at that time, I didn’t know what to call it.

Yesterday I listened to a podcast by Dan Miller, author of 48 Days to the Work You Love: Preparing for the New Normal. In it, Dan explains that he vastly prefers residual income as opposed to linear income. He is always evaluating new opportunities to see whether they would provide him the reoccurring income we’re talking about.

The only problem with residual income is that the income sometimes takes months or years to be fully realized. Linear income, on the other hand, often has an immediate payout. This is not always the case for residual and linear income, but I think you’ll find it is often the case.

How to Make More Residual Income

The podcast by Dan Miller got me thinking about ways I could start making more residual income. Also, I started to question whether or not I should only seek work that pays on a reoccurring basis. How might I make that transition? What’s a good balance?

Differentiate Between Your Linear and Residual Income Opportunities

The first step in making more residual income is to list all your job opportunities–current jobs and potential ones–and determine if they are linear in nature, residual in nature, or a little of each.

For some of you, listing your jobs is going to be easy, as you only really have one income source. For those of you who are self-employed at least part-time, you might have a handful of different types of jobs to bring in money. Just write down everything.

Next, go down your list of jobs and identify as many residual income opportunities as possible. You might find that the potential opportunities you’ve identified lead to even more ideas.

Eliminate Some Linear Income Opportunities

I work in a variety of different capacities online. I won’t bore you with all the details, but some of the work I do provides linear income while other work provides residual income. Writing a product review for my website can produce residual income, while writing a non-linked article for another website produces linear income.

If you ever decide to learn how to make money with a blog, you’ll find that the Internet holds many residual income opportunities–but you can also find yourself with a lot of linear income opportunities as well. This is what happened in my situation, and now I understand that in order to succeed in the longterm I’m going to have to continually evaluate whether an opportunity is residual or linear in nature. The point here is that I know I need to let go of a few linear income opportunities in order to take on the residual ones.

By the way, if you’re interested in becoming a professional blogger, I’d recommend checking out Blogging Your Passion University (founded by Bob Lotich of ChristianPF.com and Jonathan Milligan of CPACareerCoach.com). It is currently helping me identify the most important blogging practices, and know it will help you as well.

Transition Income Models Very Slowly

If you’re like me and want to transition from a completely linear income model to a mostly residual income model, I’d recommend making the transition slowly. The last thing you want to do is jump ship into the icy seas of a risky business venture. Test the waters first.

For example, if you have a full-time paid-by-the-hour job and want to start experimenting with making some residual income, perhaps you should cut your hours down to part-time if you can afford it and get your feet wet by trying some residual income opportunities. Once you’ve successfully created a reoccurring income, it will be easier for you to pursue even more residual income opportunities.

Remember That Linear Income Isn’t Bad

By no means am I saying that linear income should be avoided at all costs. After all, if you can find a high-paying job you love that compensates you based on a linear income model, go for it! There are still a select few linear income jobs I still hold that provide excellent income. But I’m going to ensure I don’t overwhelm myself with jobs that pay only one time–I prefer those opportunities that provide reoccurring income!

Ultimately, you have to determine how much of each form of income is right for you. Everyone’s ideal work situation will be different, so figure out what best suits your time and talents.

Are you as excited about residual income as I am? I truly believe that if you try and focus on working on projects that will continually provide an income, you’ll live life with less stress and with more money in your wallet.

What residual income opportunities do you have? Brainstorm some ideas in the comments below and let’s explore this topic together.

Related Articles:

• How To Start A Business You Love
• 7 Side Jobs I’ve Done to Increase My Income
• How to Create a Low Income Budget
• How To Solve Financial Problems | Earn More or Save More?

John Frainee is a personal finance writer at TheChristianDollar.com. His goal is to provide biblical financial principles that encourage people to live healthier lives. Beyond personal finance, John enjoys spending time with his wife and two crazy cats, playing a competitive game of Monopoly, and reading just about anything he can get his hands on. You can also find him on Twitter and Facebook.

In today’s mutual fund–and computer–driven investment environment value investing can sound almost exotic. Yet it’s probably the most time-honored way to successfully invest in stocks.

It has none of the thrill of watching your portfolio grow every quarter or every year in bull markets, but it can be a cozy place to be when the market is heading the other way. Think of it as being as close to “patient capital” as it gets in the stock market.

What is Value Investing?

Value investing is buying stocks that are lower in price than other stocks in the same industry group. This can be determined by the fact that the stock has a higher dividend yield than its competitors, trades for less than its book value (the value of its outstanding stock is less than the company’s net worth) or very commonly because its price-earnings ratio (P/E) is low for its industry.

Such stocks are often said to be “out of favor”—meaning the mainstream of the investment world is largely ignoring them. This can come about because the company has had a recent run of bad news or poor earnings results, because of negative rumors, or even because it’s a laggard in an industry-wide recovery.

The fact that a stock is cheap compared to its competitors doesn’t automatically make it a value stock however. You have to find stocks that are fundamentally sound, have moved past their negative recent performance and just haven’t been discovered yet by the investment crowd.

The Advantages of Value Investing

The primary payoff with value investing is the chance to make a big hit on a small number of stocks. If you buy a stock that is part of the current, hot trend you’ll never do any better than where the trend takes you. But if you buy stocks that are out of favor, which is to say before the larger investment crowd jumps in, the potential for the stock price to multiply to several times the price you paid is far greater.

The key is often to buy, say, ten value stocks, with the understanding that two or three will take off and provide a big payoff even if the rest stagnate.

Another advantage to value investing is that you’re less affected by short-term market swings. When you’re a trend investor, your investment fate rises and falls with trends that can go down as well as up. But when you’re a value investor you’re in for the long-haul, for the big payoff, so you don’t worry about where the stock market is on any given day.

You also won’t be a trader—moving into and out of stocks on a regular basis trying to catch the next wave. You’ll buy a very small number of stocks in any given year and wait for them to hit, which is more like tending to a garden than managing a stock portfolio. That can be a lot easier on the nerves!

Value Investing Versus “The Nifty Fifty”

If you look at the holdings of many portfolios of mutual funds, pension funds and many individual portfolios you’ll often see the same stocks appearing again and again. This is part of Wall Street’s famed “herd’’—everyone investing in the same few stocks. This group of stocks is sometimes referred to as The Nifty Fifty–“fifty” because it rhymes nicely with “nifty”, even though the exact count can be wildly different.

These stocks tend to rise, often well in excess of their investment value, precisely because of the heavy investor interest they draw. No one wants to be out of a stock whose price is performing favorably.

The problem with this strategy is that it’s also a revolving door. In any given year, some stocks will fall off the list and be replaced with new ones. Determining which and when that’s happening is a skill all its own.

If you’re a value investor your portfolio will be dominated by stocks that either aren’t household names or that are underperforming the market. This is true because they aren’t part of The Nifty Fifty, or put another way—they haven’t been “discovered” by the investment herd.

If you do your investing job well, some of your holdings may eventually become part of The Nifty Fifty, and you’ll probably score a huge gain for having gotten in ahead of the herd. But when you’re in places where people talk about their stock holdings, you’ll probably find you have little in common with most other investors.

Hint: you won’t find value investment prospects in The Nifty Fifty–when they reach that status they’ve already been discovered by the herd.

What Scares People About Value Investing

Many people invest in trends because that’s where the crowd is going. There’s a sense of “safety in numbers” and it’s very prevalent when it comes to investing. When you’re a value investor, you mostly sit these out. It can be kind of lonely, especially if the trend is rewarding so many other investors.

You also need to have the courage of your convictions. Value investing is all about putting your money in stocks that aren’t popular and you have to have the confidence in your investment selections to stay with them until they pay off.

Value investing is also a long-term process where you’ll have to wait several years for a stock to take off. Many investors are hyper-focused on annual or even quarterly returns so the prospect of having to wait years can be discouraging.

But here’s the thing: the negative effect of long-term investing is mostly a problem at the very beginning. Since you’ll be buying value stocks each year, after two or three years you’ll also begin to see some of those holdings taking off each year. But you’ll have to wait out those first few years to get there.

The most successful investment strategy is “buy low, sell high”—while that’s much harder to master than it sounds, value investing is probably the closest we can ever come to doing it. You’re buying a stock when everyone else is either selling or staying out, and selling when everyone starts jumping in.

If you really want to make money with your investments—and do it consistently—over the very long-term, value investing is the way to do it.

~ You can get started investing at a discount broker like Zecco for as little as $50 today. ~

What do you think about value investing? Leave a comment below!

Related Articles:

• Basics of stock market investing: 3 traps to avoid
• Stock Market Basics For New Investors
• 5 Things You Must Know Before You Start Investing
• Wisdom on Value Investing | Book Review

With backgrounds in both accounting and the mortgage industry, Kevin Mercadante is professional personal finance blogger, and the owner of OutOfYourRut.com, a website about careers, business ideas, money and more. A committed Christian, he lives in Atlanta with his wife and two teenage kids.