I received an interesting phone call this past week. It was after 6:30 PM, so I knew it had to be a call from someone special. That someone special was Citibank, the friendly issuer of the credit card that Sandy and I use. They just wanted to chat for a few minutes because they had noticed some unusual purchasing activity on our credit card.
We’ve occasionally received these calls in the past. It’s typically when we make a big purchase on the card or when I go out of town and use the card in an unusual zip code. This time it was the frequency of purchases on the card that attracted Citibank’s attention. Apparently this holiday season, we’ve been on a spending spree…lots of little charges. I’ve tried to explain to Sandy that lots of little charges add up to a big balance. Apparently, that fact isn’t lost on Citibank. Sandy politely reminded me that we’ve budgeted for all of these Christmas gifts and lovingly asked me to tell the bank representative that there is no problem with the card. Sandy’s really nice like that.
Do you think that Citibank called me because they care about me? Did Citibank “friend me” on Facebook? Did they look at my monthly statement and say, “that ol’ Kevin Jordan is a nice guy, and I bet he could use a call to let him know that we’ve noticed that he’s really picked up his spending. I’d hate to see him get into debt this holiday season and have to pay us lots of fees and interest over the next few months or years.” If you think that’s how my bank feels about me, I’d like to let you in on a little secret. My bank doesn’t love me. It doesn’t even like me. And your bank doesn’t care about you either. All I am to Citibank is a source of revenue; and the more debt I take on, the more revenue they earn. My bank and I have very un-aligned interests.
So my bank, who isn’t a member of the KJ Fan Club (which is accepting new members for a low annual fee…just give me a call if you’re interested), is willing to call me to discuss sensitive financial matters. How much more should my spouse, who loves me and shares common goals with me, be willing to discuss financial things with me, including my spending, savings, and giving?
I know we all have different ways of managing our finances. Some of us have budgets set up in Quicken or Excel. Others are on Dave Ramsey’s envelop system. Some of us have co-mingled cash accounts. Others prefer separate accounts. Some of use credit cards while others of us stick with cash and debit cards. I do know this, however: no matter what method you use to manage your finances, it will fail without open communication between you and your spouse. Communication is key!
Every retailer in America has spent endless hours coming up with marketing plans to separate you from your cash because ‘tis the season to bust the budget. Have you and your spouse agreed on a plan for being wise stewards of the resources God has entrusted to you? Are you regularly connecting to track your progress to your plan? Do you have long term financial goals? Long term goals are critical for judging whether that clearance item is really a good use of your resources. For example, did I really need a digital photo displaying Christmas ornament, or was that $20 better saved so I can pay cash for my next car? (Yep, I bought 3 of ‘em on Woot.com…I was certain that I was getting a great deal, but all I have now is conviction…and this marriage minute.)
I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Aw, come on, Kevin. Get in the holiday spirit. I stuck to the budget for 11 months. I’m just going to relax a little in December, and I’ll jump back on my spending plan in January.” Here’s a little wisdom from Proverbs for you if that thought is running through your mind:
Proverbs 6:10-11 “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.”
If you think that’s hyperbole or just isn’t relevant to you, check out Proverbs 24:33-34 in your spare time. Keep in mind that when the Bible gets serious about a warning, it repeats the warning. So let’s spend some time this week talking to our spouses about money. What do we have? What do we want to give? How does charity fit into our plan? What do we want to accomplish in the long-term, and how does this Christmas season fit into our long-term plan? It’s tough to be jolly when you’re in debt. But when we give from our excess and remain prudent stewards of our resources, we can have a very Merry Christmas AND a happy New Year.
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