This month's feature article talks about getting ready to go back to school and how your budget will be impacted. In this month's "Budget Tips" section I would like to share some tips that will positively impact your budget, by being smart and taking advantage of what you have. The old adage says that when the world gives you lemons, you should make lemonade. This month's tips won't give you a recipe for lemonade, but hopefully by using some of the things you have in the refrigerator you will be able to save some money.

• Pack a Lunch - Most schools are improving their lunch menus to provide more nutritious meals for your children. Even with the nutritional changes the price may be more than you want to deal with every day. What about packing their lunch? If you plan ahead you can pack a very nutritious lunch for less than the $2.00 your kids are spending each day.
• Plan Ahead - One of the most common reasons for busting your entertainment budget is eating out when your schedule gets a little bit crowded. If you plan your menu, at the beginning of the week, around the events for the week, you can manage the amount of eating out that you do. For example, if you know you are going to be taking kids to practice or lessons and there won't be a lot of time to cook dinner, then plan ahead and throw something in the crock pot before you leave for the day. What about cooking a casserole Sunday afternoon and place it in the freezer. Before you leave for the day, place it in the refrigerator so it will begin thawing. When you get home pop it in the oven until it is heated through.

If you have some budget tips that you would like to share with others, email them to us and we will include them in upcoming issues of our newsletter.

If I had been told, at the beginning of this year, that I could handle a major emergency without my credit card, I would have laughed. I am a single mom with two preteen children. I really thought that I was doing quite well for myself. I could handle my monthly expenditures; we could even do some fun things. But if anything out of the ordinary happened, I used my credit card. In April, my church invited Greg Keene to present the Blessed Life class. I had read the book about a year ago and was excited to know that I would have the opportunity to go over the information again. Last year, I read the Blessed Life and thought it had only to do with finances. This year, God taught me that he doesn't just want our firstfruits when it comes to money, but in every single aspect of our lives - our money, our jobs, our talents, our emotions, and our hearts.

During the Blessed Life course, I knew that I wanted to hear more, learn more about how to handle my financial life better than living paycheck to paycheck. That is when I heard about Financial Peace University. I looked it up online and thought that this was what I really needed. I started the class with great expectations and with the desire to truly put my heart into becoming debt free. In the first three months, I created my baby emergency fund, paid off one credit card and began working on the other. Somehow, although the math didn't seem to add up, God blessed me with success.

It took me a few weeks, but I finally decided to shred those two credit cards. The Sears card was easy. The MasterCard, well, I just couldn't let go. I held onto it for the rest of the class. When we said the closing prayer, I decided this was it; I dropped it in the shredder and it was gone. I felt great for the first few days! Then, four days after I shredded that card, I got a call that everyone dreads. My parents were in an automobile accident in Nevada. Both were admitted to the hospital; my mother was in ICU. My first thought was that I had to get out there to them, follow quickly by the realization that the credit card was gone. I had the statement with the numbers on them, but that doesn't have the security number or the expiration date. Could I call the company and tell them that I "accidentally" shredded my card? It took a few moments, but finally I remembered that emergency fund. Well, this was an emergency wasn't it?

A quick trip to the bank to transfer the money - and then I ran home to empty all my sinking fund envelopes. I had enough to pay for the airline tickets, and some cash left over for the trip. God provided exactly enough for me to make that trip, stay almost a week, get clothes for mom and dad, feed myself and return home. And I didn't even go into the "monthly budget" gas and grocery envelopes.

So now, I am starting over, rebuilding my emergency fund and the sinking funds. But I have renewed faith that "all things are possible through Him". Even now, I am in continuous awe of the way God provides. The greatest miracle in all this? Mom and Dad are now recovering at home, doing better than even the doctors predicted.