Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
(Deut. 28:5,8)
Base Your Life On God's Protection
One of the first things we need to understand is that Christians should base their lives on faith in God. For our very existence we depend on God and His ability to supply for us. His provision and protection should be the cornerstone of every Christian's financial plan.

Savings Accounts Are Scriptural
It is both scriptural and responsible for Christians to have money set aside. The Bible specifically states that God's children are to have savings: "Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store" (Deut. 28:5).

The basket speaks of your daily needs. The store speaks of your savings, or that which is placed in your storehouse.

Savings, Not Treasure
There is a marked distinction between savings and treasure. When he speaks of his treasure, a person is talking about his most valued possessions. However, when you operate in true biblical economics, you must see yourself as the steward over God's possessions.

Your earthly belongings are not your own. If you are God's steward, everything you have belongs to Him. It is impossible for a true steward to have earthly treasure!

Guidelines for Saving
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise; Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
(Prov. 6:6-8.)
The ant shows us the wisdom of setting something aside for the future. As a Christian steward, I believe it is wise to have a reasonable cash reserve—an amount you consider prudent in light of your responsibilities.

The foundation stone of your savings plan should always be your dependency upon God to provide. If your family tithes and gives proper offerings, you will place yourself under the open window of God. There, God guarantees to protect you if the unforeseen happens.

Christians should save for the foreseeable future. That might include the major purchases every family must make from time to time, educating your children, special desires such as vacations and, of course, retirement.

How much should you save? Follow these suggestions and I believe you will be safe. Faithfully tithe, give generously into the Kingdom of God, and then seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit as to how much you should set aside. He will give you peace about the correct amount.

Five Ways To Save Money
Here are five short ways that you can save money in the natural arena:
  1. Get a dining club card.
  2. Visit dollar theaters.
  3. Obtain travel discount coupons from state tourism departments.
  4. Visit a beauty school for haircut and perm savings.
  5. Borrow videos and CDs "free" from your local library.
Source: Basics of Abundance by John Avanzini.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers