After over a month of searching, I finally signed a lease on our new place. Our criteria were relatively simple; privacy fenced back yard for the kids located in the same school district we currently live in.

Before securing the place we ended up with, there were four other houses I tried to sign a lease on. The problem; this area of town is very popular for renters right now. Every one was renting on a first come first serve basis and I was the second person in line four different times.

Our new house ended up being $54 per month cheaper than our apartment. That said, I am going to have to buy a refrigerator, lawn mower and microwave. If you know of or have any of these items be sure to let me know. We will be moving on the 24th of May in case any of you are bored that day

If you are serious about taking control of your finances, it is necessary to establish absolutes in your financial life. While Amy and I have practiced our absolutes for the last 28 months, it was only recently that we identified and verbalized what they are precisely.

1. No matter what, we don’t borrow money! This sounds simple enough but it does have its occasional challenges (transmissions, new business etc…); without the absolute I might be tempted to get a small loan to buy a car or some other stupid thing I think I need. We really get confused in this country about what a need is!

2. No matter what, we always pay our tithe first! Recognizing that all money is God’s money is best shown through the tithe. For years I paid tithe if I had enough money left over. Taking control and always giving to the church first is very empowering! God has certainly blessed us because of this absolute!

3. No matter what, Amy and I will talk and have agreement before any purchase of more than $100. No more hiding things from each other, we have total transparency. This absolute must be established to achieve a trusting relationship.

4. No matter what, we will have a written budget on paper and on purpose before the month begins. Every month we have a detailed budget that we live by precisely. Without a written game plan you will never take control of your finances and ultimately your life.

These absolutes are the keys to our financial and relational survival! If you are going to take control, you must establish some absolutes in your life as well!

Time has been flying by of late; I have so much news and so little time to share it with you. In case you haven’t noticed by all the articles I have been linking to lately, in July I will be opening another start up business. I can’t give you the details right now; however, I will say it is going to be debt free and something that I love!

By doing the startup company I will simultaneously have the freedom I need to begin a financial counseling ministry. This is not to say that my new venture is going to require less work, simply I will be able to control the time and place of my work. Central Assembly has made some commitments to me to support this ministry and I am excited! I plan on beginning the ministry portion shortly after returning from Dave Ramsey’s Certified Financial Counseling training in August.

For those of you in the Springfield area who have always wanted all the details from me, you will now have the chance. Keep your Sunday evenings in the fall free; I will be facilitating a Financial Peace University class at Central Assembly. You will not need to be a member of Central or any other church in order to attend; all you have to do is show up!

There is so much more going on that I want to tell you about, but it will have to wait for another time.  In the mean time, just be glad your finances aren’t as bad as the city of Springfield’s; the borrower truly is slave to the lender

For the first time in three years Amy and I were together in Springfield for her birthday; Happy Birthday Amy and Jami!

This guest post at Get Rich Slowly is very timely with everything going on in my life right now (14 July). I love the second trait, “Successful people don’t just think, they act.” I am certainly not afraid to act. Although my recent failure will take a considerable time to recover from, it won’t prevent me from acting again.

I am very excited knowing that I will soon be acting on something I am passionate about and I won’t have to borrow money to do it! Read this article and be inspired yourself!