“To be smart, spend carefully. To be wise, save regularly. To be genius, give extravagantly.”

– Chip Ingram, Author & Pastor

The quote shown above happens to be one of my all-time favorite quotes. In just a few words, Chip Ingram’s quote captures a formula that should guide us to productive cash management & personal financial planning success. Simple… yet profound! Join me as we take a closer look.

To be smart, spend carefully.

• A good financial plan starts with controlled spending. Using a budget, spending plan, or simply making sure that we spend less than we earn, is a foundational building block to success in your financial plan.
• An attitude of delayed gratification may be counter-cultural, but this “lost art” has tremendous value, in financial decisions, and in life!

To be wise, save regularly.

• Systematic saving & investing, over longer periods of time, creates wealth. It is just that simple!
• Dollar-cost-averaging investing works great, especially when contributing regularly to one or more of the following: your 401k, company retirement plan, personal IRA accounts, to name a few.
• This requires discipline, but you should find yourself rewarded & well-positioned financially.

To be genius, give extravagantly.

• Here is where this quote explodes into something grand & of true, long-term value.
• What if the end goal of your personal financial planning is not to see “how big of a pile” of resources you can accumulate for yourself? Or, how much one chooses to spend on their lifestyle?
• Freedom from the clutches of materialism happens when we choose to be generous, impacting ministries & charitable organizations, as well as those we love!
• Living a lifetime of generosity will bring satisfaction, contentment, and joy! We believe it brings the most successful culmination to your personal financial planning.

Thanks for taking the time to take this “close-up” look at one of my favorite quotes. What elements resonated with you? We would love to hear your thoughts as we read your responses.