I got some bad news at work.\u00a0 Most of it is “company classified”, but there is one piece that I feel pretty free to share.\u00a0 No raises this year for anybody.\u00a0 No layoffs yet either … for now.<\/p>\n
This left me in the unfortunate position of having to send an e-mail to our church’s “guy who tracks pledges” reducing my budget pledge for the year (but not the capital pledge – I already paid that in full).\u00a0 In the fall we had been exhorted to pledge boldly (even recklessly) believing that God would provide.\u00a0 One of the stewardship team actually made that his Minute at the beginning of worship.\u00a0 He talked about how when his personal finances were stressed he chose to pledge boldly and how God provided good financial news later in the year.\u00a0 Let’s just say that it hasn’t happened for me yet – it’s going the other way.\u00a0 So I have to take back the 20% pledge increase over last year and give at last year’s rate for the rest of the year.\u00a0 Even so, I know that other families in the church are hurting more.<\/p>\n
We’re not in dire financial straits yet.\u00a0 We are still saving at the same rate, but the “unbudgeted” savings that resulted from the times that the paycheck was bringing in more than expenses (minus the planned savings) aren’t happening.\u00a0 A surprise bonus from work (from last year’s project work) and the tax refund both went in and out of the checking account at such speed that other papers were sent flying in their wake.\u00a0 We’re not quite at the point where we need to reduce the saving rate, but we are at the point where the rest of the budget is just breaking even.\u00a0 I’ve already taken the step of eliminating an expensive hobby (flying) and I’m holding off on buying ham radio equipment for the new hobby.\u00a0 We’re right at the point where we’ve reduced discretionary expenses as much as possible, and if things get worse (pay cut, job loss, even more expensive food or gas) we’ll need to start making lifestyle cuts.\u00a0 There is still a lot of room to make lifestyle cuts before we reach the point that some families are in – mainly because Carolyn and I (mostly Carolyn) are VERY conservative with money.\u00a0 Our mortgage is fixed at a very comfortable rate and we have ZERO credit card debt (thanks, Mom and Dad for teaching fiscal responsibility). But it still hurts.\u00a0 If we’re feeling the pinch, how much worse can it be for those who didn’t collect their nuts for the winter?\u00a0 (Or even those whose nuts were stolen by others?)
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\nI think we’ll survive the downturn intact and probably better than most, but only because we’re prepared.<\/p>\n