Matt Bell's Money Strategies for Tough Times

Ditch the Debt, Get Past the Crisis, Find Some Breathing Space, Position Yourself for Lasting Success

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Matt Bell's Money Strategies for Tough Times by Matt Bell

Matt Bell's MONEY STRATEGIES FOR TOUGH TIMES can help you successfully navigate personal financial challenges and position yourself for lasting success.

Description: Matt Bell’s Money Strategies for Tough Times is specially prepared to help you handle (and prevent) the tough times. No guilt trips—just practical, proven, sound money strategies, built on the timeless foundation of God’s Word, that you can put in motion today to weather any financial storm and take charge of your financial life.

Learn how to:

• Get out of consumer debt—for good
• Free up money through smarter spending
• Survive unemployment
• Deal with debt collectors and prevent foreclosure
• Choose the best options to pay off debts

Helpful

Money Strategies for Tough Times, is written by Matt Bell, an author and speaker who also serves as director of Willow Creek Associations Good $ense financial ministry. Having experienced times of financial distress in his own life, his passion for leading others to discover freedom in personal finance stems from the lessons he learned along the way, and of the joy that being debt-free has brought to his life, family and ministry. I found the concepts he presents to be sound and realistic. He gives brief overviews of financial struggles he has helped with through his ministry, and used them to springboard topics of financial interest and concern - whether it be student loans, emergency reserve, credit card debt, medical debt, bankruptcy, etc. He challenges the reader to view their personal responsibility for the incurring financial trouble, gives points and encouragement to overcoming, and then recommendations to protect against repeating the painful journey. However, this book wouldn’t be on the top of my list of personal-finance recommendations. During this time of economic downturn and turmoil, it seems that everyone who can spell is writing a book on finances, and even though what they say may be true – there are, in my opinion, better resources already available. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Posted by Elizabeth Bailey on 9/28/2010 8:53:15 AM

Money Strategies for Tough Times {Review}

I would like to say that I received this book by accident. That it came to me because I signed up for the NavPress Book Bloggers program without specifying what type of books I would like to receive. But after reading what this book is about I know that God knew better. If you have been following my blog for any amount of time you know that last year the Enginerd was laid off while I was about seven months pregnant and we were five months into being home owners. All that said and done, life has settled a bit with a great new job, a great move, the house finally sold and now we're living pretty in a rental. Although, money is still an huge issue. Just getting groceries is sometimes an issue. And that one year old birthday coming up for our baby girl, well I keep trying to convince myself she's too young to remember that she will not be getting any presents or a big presentation. At least there is that. This book is timely with it's advice and it's message. Every chapter is filled with great strategies and helpful tidbits for rough and tough situations. The best part that I feel I get with this book is the feeling that someone understands. That situations like unemployment do get you down and it takes time to get past it, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel, you just gotta keep trekking.
Posted by Margaret Chind on 7/16/2010 4:06:44 PM

Not just another financial self-help

I’ve read enough financial help books to know what I was in for, but having one written so recently, I knew it’s relevance to current economic conditions would be valuable. What made this one different was the way Matt Bell truly encouraged the reader that it is possible to be successful and to think big. What will life look like when you are free from the current troubles? What will you be able to do for God? It really set the stage to dig in and do the work. The chart referenced throughout the book is daunting at first, but Bell applies it’s uses in stages. He also doesn’t load the book up with easily referenced resources, choosing to direct the reader to internet sites of reputable organizations and ministries. He wraps up all the practical advice with a healthy dose of matters of the heart and that the way out of your troubles must be intentional. As you reach your goals, Bell has you be conscious of community. 2 Tim 2:2 tells us as we are entrusted with these truths so we can “teach others also.” I truly enjoyed this book and will read other titles by Matt Bell.
Posted by Jean Amico on 9/23/2009 9:24:38 PM

Money Does Matter

Money Strategies for Tough Times is an easy-to-understand but challenging read for anyone wanting a Biblical perspective on money. Not considering myself to be in a financial "tough time" right now, I didn't think I would get much out of this book. But, even for me, it contained helpful reminders of not only how to handle money practically, but how the handling of money reflects our values, not just our behaviors. While using a combination of scripture and scripture-inspired principals, Bell sets up not a recipe for financial success, but a recipe for God-honoring financial stewardship. He steers away from the twistedness of the Prosperity Gospel for the truth of realizing only the Kingdom of God is what will last. Bell gives age-old financial advice about budgeting and saving, but with the redeemed perspective of Kingdom values. From simple tips (which websites to go to calculate your social security benefits) to totally retooling the way we think about money, I found Bell casual, but alert to the seriousness of the matter. I loved his simple approach to re-prioritize our handling of money from most people's default of spend, save, and then give to a God-honoring discipline of give, save, and then spend. Simple changes in thinking like this can make all the difference in the lives of families struggling to make ends meet. My only major critique of the book was Bell not mentioning the importance of understanding interest when deciding when to save and when to pay down debt. He advocated saving, yes, but when he gave instructions on which debt to pay down first, he recommended simply paying off the lowest-balance accounts first. But it seems to me that this might not be the best approach if the interest rates on your higher-balance accounts are higher than the lower-balance accounts. I understand that this system might help to boost people's morale as they pay off their debt, but that doesn't seem enough of a reason to recommend it if it simply costs more money. That silly critique aside, I sped through Money Strategies for Tough Times in a day (although I skipped all the homework) and would recommend it to others.
Posted by Laura Z on 7/5/2009 7:06:13 PM

Money Strategies for Tough Times

Money Strategies for Tough Times is Matt Bell’s newest book and it could not have come at a more perfect time. As our economy continues to heal, we need to learn how to weather this financial storm. Many Americans are facing job loss or drastic pay cuts and this book will help the reader to see how they can survive. Written with the same Godly compass as Money, Purpose, Joy, this book puts things in easy to understand terms. I especially like the worksheet pages that are in this book. It really helps to write things down and see exactly what you have and what you owe in order to get things under control. Matt Bell writes in a very easy to understand way, even topics such as taxes and investing are written about in a clear way so anyone can understand the basics. I highly recommend this book if this economic crisis is starting to affect your finances. Matt Bell helps us get things in order God’s way.
Posted by Carly Kendall on 6/14/2009 11:41:59 AM

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Matt Bell's Money Strategies for Tough Times

Ditch the Debt, Get Past the Crisis, Find Some Breathing Space, Position Yourself for Lasting Success

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