Having and enjoying wealth is a gift from God. (Ecclesiastes 5:19) As God has entrusted us each with different resources, we should do our best to steward those resources wisely. If you can be smart about managing money, you’ll have more options to do good and be closer to living a financially-free life. Here are some methods you can use to stretch your dollar and mitigate any zealous spending habits:

1. Save up for the important stuff

Make sure you have an emergency fund in place before you work towards nice-to-have projects or purchases. This is typically three to six months of your paycheck.

Larger projects or purchases typically need a longer amount of time to fully fund. Set a goal for yourself and put aside a set amount every month. The easiest way to do this is by setting up automated transactions to a savings account until you’ve reached your goal. If you’re able to save more than expected, feel free to add it to the budget.

2. Keep a wishlist

Keep a running list of what you would like to or plan to purchase. Include your research and details for each item. You can arrange your list in order of what you’d like to purchase first. Keeping these on a list helps to get it out of your mind. When you look at the list later, you might find that you no longer want to purchase it.

I recommend learning a few of the most common marketing tactics to avoid falling for purchase traps. This includes urgency, scarcity, FOMO, and story selling. Though I’ve worked in marketing, I still sometimes fall for these tricks, which is why I need to set a few guardrails!

3. Consider your options

Think of ways to DIY or upcycle an old item before you purchase. If you’re looking for furniture, these can be found for free or at a good discount during dorm or apartment moving times, typically on Facebook. For temporary items, ask your friends and family if they have anything they can lend or donate.

Freecycle is a plaftorm that allows you to post something you’re looking for or see what others are offering. Consider checking out local consignment or thrift shops as well.

4. Look for the best price

To avoid overpaying, do a price comparison even when you are shopping in-store. There extensions including Honey and CapitalOne Shopping that help you do price comparisons, search for coupon codes, or add items to a watchlist so you get alerted for price drops.

5. Invest in the Future

It is wise to prepare for emergencies. Learn about ways to grow your money through honorable and smart means such as ‘not putting all your eggs in one basket’, (Ecclesiastes 11:1-6) while avoiding debt or get rich quick schemes. (Luke 12:33-34, Proverbs 13:11)

Planning for the future includes considering for your family’s future as well. (Proverbs 13:22) If you’d like more insight, the Bible provides plenty of wisdom on how to invest and the attitudes we should have towards money.

Conclusion

Money is just a tool. Don’t fall prey to the love of money as it is a root of many evils as the Bible warns. (1 Timothy 6:10) While do our best to be responsible with how we manage money, we should also seek to have a generous attitude as that reflects God’s heart. When opportunity arises, help those in need as you feel called to and when appropriate. (, 1 John 3:17)

Disclaimer: This article is not a substitute for professional legal advice. This article does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor is it a solicitation to offer legal advice.