Okay, so this post is a bit of a confession time. I’ve made some good choices about money, some unwise choices with money and some downright stupid decisions about money. Despite my parents best attempts to teach me, and despite being fairly sensible in most areas of my life, I seem to have managed to get myself in some pretty interesting situations.

Proverbs tells us that, even if it costs us all that we have, we should pursue wisdom. This post won’t cost you anything yet hopefully it will provide a few nuggets that can save you making some mistakes in the same way that I did.

You CAN spend what you haven’t got… but you’ll regret it.

The common phrase “you can’t spend what you haven’t got” just isn’t true. The bank will be all too happy to let you drift into that overdraft, racking up big fees and getting you stuck in a cycle of paying money in, getting the balance back to the black and then sliding back into the red again. Not being able to meet the eye of the cashier when your card declines will get really old, really quick.

No matter how much good advice you get, it’s still YOUR choice.

There’s a good chance that you know someone who is good with money. You can ask them to help you. The Internet is filled with good advice: sites like MoneySavingExpert.com and Christians Against Poverty. There’s budgeting software options like YNAB. The reality is, it’s still your card, your money and your choices. No-one else is choosing to buy those new shoes. You are.

You’ll NEVER regret trusting God with your money.

No matter my financial situation, I’ve never regretting trusting God with my money. I’ve never regretted tithing. I’ve never regretted blessing someone. In the moments when it has hurt the most to give or be generous, I have found that a) somehow, I wind up with more than before and b) I stop obsessing about money because my focus is on something bigger.

No matter what your financial situation, it’s never too late to get better. Some of the clearest ways that I’ve experienced God’s forgiveness and redemption are connected to my finances because those are where my biggest mistakes and regrets are. If God can give this foolish spendaholic a thousandth chance, then there’s hope for you too!