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Welcome!

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Nia Davenport

Dream with me, for a moment, about what your marriage would be like if money was not a dividing issue.  I don’t mean if you became independently wealthy.  I mean with your circumstances exactly the way they are today, what would your marriage be like if money discussions were a source of peace and unity instead of division and strife?

This doesn’t have to be a dream.

You can experience freedom from financial friction, and this blog will tell you how. With posts dealing with everything from the cause of friction to specific financial challenges, you can gain the insight and inspiration you need to make this dream come true.  Be encouraged, and keep reading!

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Nia’s Story

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Nia Davenport

If any couple should have been in perfect harmony over money, it was my husband and me.  My husband is a natural-born money manager.  I am a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Financial Planner, and I have a long history of being an “expert” on money.  So our ability to understand and apply sound financial principles was well above average.

In addition to our financial strengths, we also had a godly marriage.  Even from the early days of our engagement, we truly desired to honor God both as individuals, and as a couple.  Yes, we were the perfect picture of a marriage that should have been immune to conflicts over money.

Yet, every time we sat down to discuss money, all of my education– along with all of my religion– went out the window.  In spite of our abilities and our godly marriage, money talks were filled with tension, stress, and arguments. Continue reading →

Posted in Challenging Circumstances, Financial Friction | 4 Comments

Financial Ethic #5 part 4: What Does Your Spouse Think of That Risky Investment?

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Nia Davenport

If you’re a natural risk-taker, I understand how you feel more than I want to admit.  I know that in pursuing any risky endeavor, the most enticing thing can be the possibility of winning big, of beating the odds.  But the excitement and adrenaline this creates can blind you to the truth that ALL of your financial decisions affect your spouse.

Financial Ethic #5 states:  “We will avoid risky investments and get-rich-quick schemes.” [1]   

In the fourth and final post on this financial ethic, it’s time to be brutally honest about the fact that you’re risking more than money.  You’re risking creating a major rift with your spouse. And that rift can become a serious roadblock in your journey to freedom from financial friction. Continue reading →

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Financial Ethic #5 part 3: Stop! It’s a Trap!

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Nia Davenport

Have you ever been offered an investment opportunity that seemed too good to be true?  If you haven’t yet, you probably will.  From a friend with a new invention, to a multi-level-marketing company offering a product that nobody can live without, anyone can be tempted with the idea of earning a huge return on an investment in a short period of time.

But Financial Ethic #5 states:  “We will avoid risky investments and get-rich-quick schemes.” [1]   

In the last two posts, we talked about how to overcome the mindsets that make us vulnerable to believing that we should pursue quick cash.  Now we will continue to examine this financial ethic, seeing what the Bible warns will happen if we choose to give into these mindsets by pursuing risky investments and get-rich-quick schemes.  Continue reading →

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Financial Ethic #5 Part 2: Is Extra Money the Answer to Your Financial Mistakes?

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Nia Davenport

Does the idea of trying to generate a large amount of money in a short amount of time so that you can quickly erase all of your past financial mistakes sound appealing?

Then this post is for you.

Financial Ethic #5 states:  “We will avoid risky investments and get-rich-quick schemes.” [1]   

As we continue to examine this financial ethic, let’s talk about how to deal with the temptation to try to fix our financial problems on our own.

Let me start off by asking you a question:  do you believe that God wants to help you when you’ve made financial mistakes?  I’m not asking if you think He can help you.  I’m asking if you think He’s so upset with what you’ve done wrong, that He’s going to leave you on your own to fix it?  Because unless and until your answers to these questions line up with Biblical truth, you are at risk for going to extreme means to clean up your own messes.  Continue reading →

Posted in Challenging Circumstances, Financial Friction, Money Management, Series | Leave a comment

Financial Ethic #5 Part 1: Do You Want to Be Rich?

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Nia Davenport

Does the idea of having so much extra money that you never have to worry about anything sound appealing?

Then this post is for you.

Over the next few weeks, we will learn to understand and commit to following what the Bible says about pursuing wealth, particularly through risky means.   

Financial Ethic #5 states:  “We will avoid risky investments and get-rich-quick schemes.” [1]   

In this post, we won’t focus on the risky investments themselves, but on the mindset that draws us to them in the first place. Continue reading →

Posted in Money Management, Series | Leave a comment

Financial Ethic #4 (Part 5): What to Save For

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Nia Davenport

Now that we’ve addressed the subjects of why you should save, how to save, and getting your spouse on board with saving, let’s finish up this 4th Financial Ethic by addressing what to save for. 

Financial Ethic #4 states:  “We will save a portion of our incomes for future difficulties.” [1]   

By now, I hope you are convinced that saving is not only possible, it is wise. Remember:  “In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has. (Proverbs 21:20)”

What types of things should you save for? Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Planning, Money Management, Saving and Investing, Series | Leave a comment

Financial Ethic #4 (Part 4): But My Spouse Won’t Save!

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Nia Davenport

Now that we’ve spent some time laying the foundation for why and how to save, let’s talk about one of the biggest obstacles to reaching savings goals that married couples may encounter:

The resistant spouse.

Financial Ethic #4 states:  “We will save a portion of our incomes for future difficulties.” [1]   

But you may be wondering, “how can ‘we’ save if my spouse won’t cooperate”?  Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Financial Friction, Saving and Investing, Series | Leave a comment

Financial Ethic #4 (part 3): The Nuts and Bolts of Saving

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Nia Davenport

A piggy bank.

A cookie Jar.

A children’s account at the Savings and Loan.

These were some of the tools that my parents used when I was a child in attempts to get me into the habit of saving money.  And believe it or not, in spite of all of my subconscious efforts to sabotage them, these methods actually worked.  However, they would have been much more effective if I had been a little more motivated, cooperative, and convinced that saving was wise.  

Now that I am sold on the importance of saving, and hopefully you are too, I want to share with you Biblical wisdom on how to do it.    

Financial Ethic #4 states:  “We will save a portion of our incomes for future difficulties.” [1]   

What instructions does the Bible give us on how to save?   

Continue reading →

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Financial Ethic #4 part 2: What’s the Point of Saving?

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Nia Davenport

I made the confession in the last post that I am not a natural saver.  However, over the years I’ve learned that there’s so much benefit in being a saver that I never want to go back to the empty-wallet person I used to be! 

Now don’t get me wrong, I didn’t have an empty wallet because of a low income.  I’ve made a fairly decent living for as long as I can remember.  I had an empty wallet because every dollar I earned got spent.  The closest I came to saving was setting money aside to buy some expensive consumable item. But if something else sparked my interest in the meantime, the money got spent on that, and I forgot about the thing I was saving to buy.

So I’m writing this post from the perspective of someone who needed some convincing herself.  And my hope is that, as we examine the reasons the Bible gives us for saving, you’ll be convinced enough to do it, too! Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Planning, Money Management, Saving and Investing, Series | 1 Comment

Financial Ethic #4 part 1: I’m Not a Natural Saver!

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Nia Davenport

I remember in my childhood that my younger brother always had money, but my wallet was always empty.  He earned less allowance than I did, but he always seemed to save enough to buy really cool things and still have change left over.  I, in contrast, had no idea where all my money went. 

Now I know why.  

I’m excited to devote the next several posts to the topic of saving, because as you just read, it isn’t something that comes naturally for me. So whether you consider yourself a reluctant saver, a natural saver, or somewhere in between, my aim is to give you Biblical understanding that will encourage and equip you to live by this Ethic.  

“We will save a portion of our incomes for future difficulties.” [1]    Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Friction, Money Management, Saving and Investing, Series | Leave a comment

Financial Ethic #3 (Part 4)

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Nia Davenport

“We will pay our debts promptly and seek to stay out of debt.  We will not co-sign for another’s debts.” [1]

For our third Financial Ethic, we will continue to examine the topic of debt.  Since the statement above is very straightforward, my approach to this topic will also be straightforward.  I have already shared with you some of the economic, lifestyle, and emotional reasons why debt is something to be avoided.  It is my hope that you have begun to plant these firmly in your mind, and will refer back to them frequently to motivate you to eliminate any debt you already have and avoid future debt.

In this final post on Ethic #3, we will examine the spiritual side of debt. 

Previously, we illustrated exactly what debt is, how it affects you in the long run, and some of the practical reasons to avoid it.  But now we’ll focus on the most important reason that all believers must seek to avoid debt and co-signing:

The Bible warns us to.

At various points in every believer’s journey, they reach a crossroads where they are faced with the need to release old destructive thoughts and behavioral patterns in a particular area of their life, and to turn and embrace God’s ways. 

This four-part series on debt was designed to bring each of you to such a crossroads.  Continue reading →

Posted in Debt and Borrowing, Financial Friction, Money Management, Series | Leave a comment