Resources

For Young Adults

John Piper in his book Money, Sex & Power makes an interesting observation. He asks, “Have you ever pondered the possibility that the first and the last Commandments are virtually the same, and function as kind of an enclosure, or bracketing, that makes the other eight commandments in the middle possible?” I had never thought […]

The stock market is hard to figure out. The best advice I have ever heard is “buy low and sell high.” The lack of practical and useful details in the saying makes it hard to apply. My actual personal experience has all too often been closer to “Buy high and sell low.” If you put […]

A Retirement Guide for Millennials and More It’s crazy to start thinking about retirement in your twenties and thirties, isn’t it? Actually, it’s crazy not to start thinking and planning for retirement then! Yes, the world will be very different in thirty or forty years. Forget the world; American society will be very different in […]

As the 2018-2019 school year comes to a close, many high school seniors are looking ahead to their college years. For most students and parents, this means spending some serious time figuring out how to pay college tuition costs. A College Board survey found that the average tuition costs have tripled at both public and […]

During the Coronavirus pandemic, that is a question I have heard from a number of people. “I am only one person, what can I do?” But you aren’t just one person, you are one of many asking the same question. There is strength in numbers – a lot of strength! Here are a few ideas […]

Lessons for engaged couples and newlyweds Marriage, the joining together of two different lives (not to mention blended families where there are many different lives to join together), is difficult. The one area where more marriages are attacked and where they fail most often is in personal finances. Money, disputes over money and the uses […]

There are likely very few Christian articles that will start with a quote from, of all people, Hunter Thompson. For those not familiar with him, Hunter S. Thompson (1937 – 2005), was an author and journalist who hated authority and made many outrageous statements like, “I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to […]

Between inflation and increasing expectations, it is getting increasingly expensive to live. 2022 has brought a huge shock to many with inflation and gas prices. It’s hard to make ends meet when you can’t even find the ends! However, I often hear people comment that they can’t do any better, can’t live on less, and […]

“I dare you!” Those are challenging words coming from almost anyone. Now imagine those words came from God Himself. Really! Would God do that? Would God dare anyone to do something? He did! The book of Malachi is a series of questions and challenges by God directed at His people. One of those questions and […]

Reading tea leaves has an official name! I was surprised to find that the idea of fortune-telling, or telling a person’s future, from patterns in tea leaves, coffee grounds or even wine sediments has an official, scientific-sounding name, tesseography (or tasseomancy or tasseology). Somehow, I am skeptical that the alignment of tea leaves in the […]

“Don’t worry. Be happy! That is easier said than done by far, especially looking at our economy. 2018 was not a kind year for those watching the U.S. economy and the stock market. In 2019, 2020 and even 2021 the market has been down due to the pandemic but then came roaring back, and was […]

Doing a budget is not fun. There is nothing pleasurable about going back through old financial records looking for charges, checks, payments and deposits so that the budget can reflect reality and be meaningful. But there are multiple benefits to doing a budget. In my case, I immediately spotted an odd feature of my monthly […]

One of the most common problems with digging out from under debt is procrastination. There are a number of ways we try to mentally justify our procrastination, no matter how wrong they are. They include: My Debt Is Too Big To Manage, So Why Try? One basic rule for life is that when you find […]

That is an outrageous title! Save more than 10% of your income? Most Americans don’t save at all, much less save 10% or save more than that. Why would anyone say save more than 10%? That’s a fair question. The Bible, math and the realities of life answer that question and all agree. The Bible […]

It is amazing! The advertisements come through like a gift from somewhere. It sounds too good to be true. And that may be the problem, it may not work and it may not be true, or at least not entirely true. I am writing about debt consolidation, a debt release “product” that is highly touted […]

One critically important part of a close walk with God is giving back to Him.  It is a command and a calling to give to God who has given so much for us.  John 3:16.  But it is hard to give when the past due notices arrive and the phone rings with the friendly call […]

Americans are drowning in debt! And here in the Sunshine State, Floridians have gone down as fast if not faster than most. The recession starting in 2008 drove Americans and Floridians farther in debt than ever before and the result was a flood of bankruptcies and foreclosures that ruined lives, destroyed a housing boom and […]

If you ask enough seniors what they regret about their finances before retirement, you will get hundreds of different answers. Wells Fargo Asset Management did just that in 2015. They got a wide variety of answers but there was one answer that stood out. It was the leading regret by an overwhelming margin. There also […]

The Idlewild Foundation makes no recommendation of any particular health insurance coverage or plan, and does not endorse any of these plans. Health insurance coverage is very personal and needs are unique to each individual and family and their particular circumstances. The market is impossible to address in a single article and it is unwise to rely upon one website […]

We live in the land of opportunity! Many come to this country thinking it is not only possible but likely that they can find financial security and perhaps even wealth in this land of opportunity. But every opportunity also has its risks and current events demonstrate that remarkably well. In the 1960s people saved more […]

The Idlewild Foundation is committed to the Biblical concept of financial stewardship. Stewardship is about much more than just giving, it is all about living better. The wise handling of your money is an essential aspect of reducing stress in your life, having a solid financial plan, and securing your financial future. When your eyes […]

Start saving $1 a week — and keep adding more money each week Start on January 1 and put it in an envelope (and do not remove it). Gain a little traction by adding another dollar to the envelope “bank” each week. In early February, you’re saving $5 that week. By the last week of […]

How to set up a Giving Circle One of the recent trends in giving is the rise of “Giving Circles” – individuals who come together to pool their assets to make a difference with their giving. Setting up a Giving Circle is easy, and you may be surprised how meaningful it is to give among […]

One in ten Americans rent a storage unit. One estimate from the industry says that Americans spend about $32 billion a year on storage units. That may make sense for some as they are temporarily storing family treasures during or after a move. But many are throwing their hard-earned money into storing what should be […]

Ask almost anyone what their financial goals are and you will get a short list of responses which will virtually always include making enough money to retire early – and securely. Believe it or not, that is possible, although it will take effort, planning and sacrifice. And that is a very reasonable and desirable financial […]

Youth is a great time.  You have health, you have mobility.  You have freedom.  And you have a great future ahead.  It is a great time to be carefree.  Wrong! – at least as to the last.  Youth is by far the best time to start planning for a long future.  The choices you make […]

Your future actually just started. Are you on board? Even if the answer is “yes,” there could be a problem. If you don’t know where you need to go or where you should aim, how can you possibly know what you need to do to get there? It makes some sense to give yourself some […]