Lifting financial pressure

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Hello, and welcome to Kick Start.

I’m Alice from Christians Against Poverty,

and in this session

we’re going to talk about lifting financial pressure.

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Sadly, all of us will experience financial pressures

in our lifetime.

We may find that our income is reduced

as a result of unemployment, or poor health,

or spending goes up due to rising costs

or the arrival of another mouth to feed.

Dealing with this pressure can be stressful,

challenging and sometimes lonely.

Here at CAP, we’re well equipped with a solution.

In almost 25 years,

we’ve seen thousands of people find freedom

from the pressures that money can bring

through our award-winning service.

In this session, I’m going to explain

to you exactly how to reduce the pressure

by taking control of our spending.

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To take control

of our spending, we need to have a clear picture

of where our money comes from, our income,

and where it’s going, our outgoings.

A great way to do this is to make a budget

by writing it all down.

This is a great way to understand where your money is going.

For example, living costs, entertainment or pets.

It also helps you to check that you can afford it.

For each expense that we’ve identified on our budget,

we need to ask ourselves, do I need it, or do I want it?

A need is something that we must have in order to live,

like shelter and food to eat.

Not buying this would have a negative impact on us.

A want is something that we might like to have,

but we can survive without,

for example a new item of clothing or the latest film.

So, for me, I need to buy nappies for my son,

they’re an absolute necessity.

But what I don’t need is three different versions

of the same teddy for him to play with.

I might want more toys for him, but we don’t need them.

We could definitely do without.

It’s important to understand

that needs and wants are uniquely personal to us

in our current circumstance,

and so you may find that your answers are different

to what someone else would choose.

But that’s okay.

You need to identify what’s most important for you,

and doing so will help you to relieve the pressure

to spend money where it’s not needed.

If you decide an item is a want,

then you need to think carefully

about how often you spend towards it.

Or if your budget shows that you can’t afford it,

seriously consider stopping altogether.

If you decide that an item is a need,

there are still ways to reduce the financial impact.

Could you borrow it?

If you only need something for a short time,

could you borrow it from a friend or a family member?

For example, a power tool for some DIY

is an expensive purchase if you only use it once.

Could you get it cheaper elsewhere?

Have you compared the price in one shop to another?

Can you find a discount voucher?

Or, could you buy it second hand instead of brand new?

Just by stopping and thinking through these questions,

we can have much more confidence

in the decisions that we’re making about money.

You’ll now have some time

to think about your own circumstances,

and to come up with a list of needs and wants.

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Sometimes, we face situations

where even after taking control of our spending,

we may still be unable to buy the things we need.

Even if we can afford it, it just may not be available.

It’s more important than ever that, in this season,

we learn to be thankful for, and focus on,

the things that we do have.

It could be a job that’s providing income,

a relationship you appreciate,

or a place that you can enjoy like the park.

Right now, I’m appreciating my walks

in the local park more than I ever used to,

and I’m very thankful

that me and my family are in good health.

This feeling of contentment is spoken about in the Bible

by a man called Paul.

He says, ​‘I know what it is to be in need,

and I know what it is to have plenty.

I have learned the secret of being content

in any and every situation,

whether well fed or hungry,

whether living in plenty or in want,

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.’

It may be a really difficult time to feel content.

But, it’s my prayer that God would provide peace

to you during this time.

It’s good to stop and to think about the things

that we’re thankful for,

even more so in challenging times.

Take some time to think about what you are thankful for.

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