Abundant Financial Advice and Inspiration
in the Blogosphere
SMI recently launched a "Visitor's Blog" for non-Web Members. If you're not one of our Web members, we invite you to check it out. (Our Member's blog, launched in 2003, continues at this location.)
But let's also look outside the SMI framework. There's no shortage of financial commentary on the Web, much of it from "everyday folks." But how useful is it, and what are the chances it will share your Christian values?
I have good news. The blogosphere has plenty of top-notch personal finance ("PF") blogs out there — many of them operated by members of the "household of faith." Although few of these bloggers have notable financial or theological pedigrees, their work is well worth reading. Why? Because they write with a sense of humility learned from past mistakes, a commonplace disposition that actively engages their readership, and a passion for what they are writing about.
Furthermore, many of these bloggers provide refreshing and transparent insight into the state of their own finances, giving monthly reports on their debt load, budget progress, net worth, and so on. This helps them connect with readers, and lets the readers know the bloggers are practicing what they preach.
If you go to a Christian PF blog, what kind of articles are you likely to find? The variety is large. Let's start with a visit to what is probably the most widely known Christian PF Blog, appropriately titled, Christian PF. "Planning For Retirement Without Social Security" is one article listed. At the bottom of the article are links to related pieces, including "Biblical Retirement" and "Christian View of Life Insurance: A Lack of Faith?"
At the top of the home page, site owner Bob Lotich has written this: "This blog is designed to help us become better stewards of what God has entrusted us with, in order that we can finally have peace with our money and become extravagant givers." Bob seems to be our kind of guy.
Next, browse on over to Bible Money Matters. There you'll find Pete Anderson's articles "Manage Money By Living From Heaven Backwards" and "Ten Ways To Be Sure Helping Is Helping." As you can see, these aren't merely tips on saving $2 a week at the grocery store.
One of my favorite posts on a Christian PF blog is at Matt Jabs' Debt Free Adventure. His article, "The Whole Armor of Personal Finance" (adapting the apostle Paul's armor-of-God metaphor from Ephesians 6), is aimed at protecting you and your family "from the wiles of debt, advertising and wantonness."
Matt's site also offers plenty of articles on the many cost-cutting endeavors he's undertaken to get financially independent. His post, "Lending Club — My Review of Social Lending," outlines how he used the popular peer-to-peer lending site to consolidate his consumer debt and lower his interest.
At Kingdom First Mom, blogger Alyssa Francis lists her mission this way: "Honor God with my finances. Encourage and equip others to do the same. Discover new and creative ways to reduce spending in order to increase giving. Balance this journey with marriage and motherhood." That's a full plate!
Unsurprisingly, this mother of four has lots of helpful posts related to saving money on the home front, such as her recent "Target Toy Clearance: 75% Off!" and "Back-to-School Bargain Bonanza." Alyssa also offers challenges for CVS and Walgreens shoppers regarding their in-store reward programs.
In our blog review, we certainly can't leave off Mary Hunt's Money Rules Debt Stinks. While her blog isn't overtly Christian, Mary is a believer — one who has been successful in attracting both secular and Christian readers via her many books, including Debt Proof Living (and her related site, Debt Proof Living). Mary has also written several Level 1 articles for SMI.
Here are a few more sites worth checking out:
And new Christian personal finance blogs are popping up all the time!
So, I happily report to you that the faith-based PF blogging landscape is a fertile and expanding resource for people looking for inspiration, accountability, and money-saving ideas. And blogs are only part of the picture! Many of these bloggers also use Twitter, Facebook, Tipd.com, and other social-networking sites to help people become more faithful disciples in the financial area of their lives. (By the way, you can follow SMI on Twitter at Twitter.com/SoundMindInvest; check out our Facebook Fan Page, too!)
Only a few years ago, none of us had even heard of blogs or social media. It's exciting to see passionate believers take hold of these innovative communication tools to preach and teach biblical stewardship and generous living. That's a message Sound Mind Investing solidly supports. 
 |
Matthew Pryor is in his 8th year with Sound Mind Investing, now serving as Director of Operations. He previously held the Development Director position for a crisis pregnancy center. He has also served on staff with Young Life in Virginia. He currently lives in Louisville, Kentucky with his wife and three children. |
- Follow SMI on Twitter!
- Christian PF
- Bible Money Matters
- Debt Free Adventure
- Kingdom First Mom
- Money Rules Debt Stinks
- Debt Proof Living
- Money Help For Christians
- Redeeming Riches
- Out of Debt Christian
- Todd Colucy
- Got a question or comment about this article? Discuss it on our Message Boards.
