Rich Dad, Poor Dad

Even if your dream is to become a missionary and work for nothing, you will need financial backing to get where you are going. Dreams require money whether it is yours or someone else's. As a Christian, it seems noble to do everything for nothing but that can lead to pride. Kiyosaki does not go into the moral dilemna of whether or not you should pursue a profit but rather assumes that if you are a good steward of your money, your money will begin work for you.

In his book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Kiyosaki explains strategies in which we can make our money profitable. He compares the financial teachings of his Rich Dad to the teachings of his Poor Dad. He cautions us that "the love of money is the root of all evil" though money itself is not evil. Rich people often do not have to think about the need for money because they let the money work for them instead of spending their lives working for the money. That frees up a lot time to consider how they will spend their money to both profit and share. They are often the most generous people with their time and money. The caution is that that is not always the case. It is easy to get snared in the pursuit of more money, at the expense of what is important. Do what is important with what you do have. Even Jesus instructs the men with the talents to not bury their money but rather make wise investments and, as the woman in Proverbs 31 was admired for, make a profit in all your dealings.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad is jam packed with lots of inspirational ideas to generating a more profitable income. I would have liked to explore more specific details in Kiyosaki's book but I was able to infer enough practices to explore in more detail in other sources, specifically for my business situation and ideas. Probably the most valuable information I got from the book is to consider the way I spend my money; to buy assets instead of liabilities and to limit expenses.

Dreamer's Top Six To Do List

1. Buy Assets (that can generate income) not Liabilities (that increase expenses)
2. Increase your financial IQ by taking courses, attending seminars, and reading books.
3. Own Businesses that can run profitably even if you are not there.
4. Become Best-Selling at whatever you do, not just the Best.
5. Mind your own cashflow and make it work for you.
6. Don't react on your emotions but do understand how they effect your ability to make financial decisions.

I do recommend reading, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and considering the ideas of Robert Kiyosaki. Not to follow his money-generating formulas but rather to evaluate the stewardship of your own money. Are you buying assets or squandering your money on liabilities? Are you allowing your money to work for you or are you working harder for money that you have already spent in the pursuit of things of little standing worth? Are you ready to handle more money? Learning to handle your money well and generate a profitable increase in it is indeed Godly stewardship of all that you have been given.

Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

Money: You are doomed if you have it, doomed if you don't. If you don't have money, satan tempts you into thinking that if you just had some or more you could acheive your dreams. If you have money, satan tempts you with all kinds of traps including the want of more than you need, hording, obsession over losing it, idolatry, laziness, and other tempations that money can buy. How much money does a dream cost? If your dream is God given, God will provide all you need to acheive it.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey is a step by step, biblically based process of being good stewards of what money we have been given. Starting by eliminating our money's stronghold over us: consumer debt. Then he teaches us the basics of making our money grow so we can give it away. With your heart in the right place, focused on God, you will have all you need to acheive your dreams and help others along the way.

The Total Money Makeover begins by giving you peace of mind. Many relationships are severed over the stress of money. Many a bad relationship is revealed by the way money is handled in it. A great way to start developing an honest, cooperative relationship is to get honest and cooperative about the money. And one of the worst relationships we have with money is being slave to the lender. Get out of debt. No matter how much money you have or don't have, reaching financial peace is simply living without debt and using what you are given to prepare for the future. Whether it be character building or wealth building, the adventure begins when you are out from under the burden of debt.

Dave Ramsey's road to financial peace takes you through seven steps called, the Baby Steps, beginning with cutting up the credit cards and stashing away a $1,000 emergency fund. Next step, pay off the debt and in his book, The Total Money Makeover, he explains that the debt snowball is the most effective way to do that. As you move through the baby steps, you will learn to take stewardship of your money by making it work for you to achieve your dreams. No one says it will be easy, a few weaknesses in character have been known to be revealed in the process. Do not be discouraged. Each new step will bring you closer to having peace of mind about your money and to realizing your dreams.

TOP SIX Dreamer's To Do LIST

1. Figure out what "Baby Step" you are at and set out with a vengence to conquer it.
2. Honestly look at your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to how you handle money. Get help to overcome your weaknesses.
3. Set up your budget, include everyone who shares your pocketbook, and stick to it.
4. Evaluate how money reveals the strengths and weaknesses in your relationships. Get help to overcome the weaknesses.
5. Start a dream list as if money was not an obstacle and then re-evaluate that dream in terms of your current financial situation. For example, what can you dream about doing with the barn you currently own instead of going in debt for a new one?
6. Trust God to provide all you need not a bank loan!