Every Christian woman needs some inspirational scriptures in her arsenal for when she feels discouraged. If you’re on a strict budget – whether you’re a stay at home mom, trying to live within your means, or are paying off debt, I hope this post encourages you.

$25,000 in 13 months. 

That’s how much we paid for the van and how long it took us to pay it off.

You might be asking yourself… what’s the rush? In fact, many people did ask me that along the way. Because, for months and months and years before that, we’ve lived on a strict budget. We’ve lived well below our means, saving aggressively, and then paying off debt aggressively until… basically… we’ve lived like paupers.

Now, I’m not saying we are paupers, but that I’ve been so laser focused on saving or paying off debt like cars or personal loans, that we have watched nearly every penny. I remember the month I finished paying off the van by transferring nearly $7,000 to the bank.

We paid that van off and then didn’t even have enough money left to buy ourselves Christmas presents. Not that we cared.

The van is paid off. Merry Christmas!

The Point Is…

Living on a tight budget, for whatever reason, is hard. It is hard. It gets discouraging. It feels limiting. It seems never ending.

But in addition to all that, living on a budget can also feel freeing. But that is IF and only IF you view it as your choice and not as your penance. Here are some ways you can encourage yourself in this tough time and (down at the bottom) some scripture that’ll help.

Decide What Parts Of It Are YOUR Choice

There are many reasons people live on a tight budget. Here are just a smattering:

• low income
• desire to save more
• putting high amount in retirement
• paying off debt
• on one income
• saving for down payment
• chose a job they loved over a higher paycheck
• in ministry

There are more, but you see my point. Some of the reasons are actually choices that you’ve made. That is so important because when we feel our circumstances are directly related to our choices we feel in control. And feeling in control, even of a less than ideal situation, can bring peace.

Last year I felt “broke” all year because every extra penny over our allotted bills went towards the van. While we lived on a slim budget, it felt exhilarating on payday and not crushing because we chose to pay down that debt.[\mffh-box]

If you are in a situation where you’ve got a lot of debt and the income is not high (your husband has one job that does not pay well, for example) then focus on the positive aspects of this decision. For example, though you aren’t earning a lot you’re choosing to get OUT of debt which will free up more income later so you’re making hard present decisions for future benefit.

“Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest.” Proverbs 16:8 

Remind Yourself That Good Things Take Time

If you’re on a low income because you’re paying off debt, a spouse is in school, or income is low, just remember… it feels like forever now, but change will happen. Financial health is not bought, it’s rented. This means that day in, day out, week in, week out, month in, month out you’re sowing seeds of financial freedom and health and eventually you’ll reap it.

It feels so annoying and irritating to choose to live within your means, but in two years your means will (hopefully) have increased and any debt decreased and you will no longer feel the pinch. It can be so difficult to maintain motivation and self-discipline to continue on, but this is simply a time where you must accept that it is worth the fight.

Printable Financial Encouragement Scripture Cards

 A Little Winds Up Being A Lot

Even if you can only put $200 on a big debt, over time, it will add up. If you can only save a bit to put towards a bigger down payment, over time and with determination, little will turn into a lot. Just as time cannot be stopped, you will gain progress if you keep chipping away. I have found, personally, that the more determined I am for something the more likely it is to come about.

“Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.” Proverbs 13:11 

Maybe you want to start an online business or sell something. Great idea! But even that will take time and effort and persistence before it pays off. Ultimately, there’s no dependable quick way to do anything of value. That sucks, but at the same time, it’s encouraging. It’s encouraging because people all around the world, for millennia, have been doing and are doing the same as you… working hard little by little.

Encourage Yourself Where You’re At While Working Towards Your Goal

I made these Scripture cards to encourage me in my own financial journey. I get impatient. I want immediate results. I want our house built and decorated and finished and I want in it yesterday. But that’s not reality. If I don’t give myself a chance to say Congrats for small wins, small victories, and even larger ones, then I lose the motivation to keep going.

Motivation is tricky. It must come from within, but it can grow based on outside confirmation. You must choose to do the right things, but the more you do, the better things get, and the more you want to keep doing them.

Inspirational Scriptures for Moms on a Tight Budget

These are primarily from Proverbs, although the Bible talks about money a lot in the New Testament as well, but these speak to the heart of the matter. Working hard, living a godly life, and making wise choices is where it’s at. Not being “rich.” The following Scripture will encourage you immensely in your journey. I’ve created these in printable scripture card form here.

• Ecclesiastes 5:10
• Romans 13:8
• Proverbs 13:11
• Proverbs 3:13, 14
• Proverbs 15:16
• Proverbs 16:8
• Proverbs 17:16
• Proverbs 6:6-8
• Proverbs 10:4
• Proverbs 10:5
• Proverbs 12:11
• Proverbs 13:4
• Proverbs 13:11
• Proverbs 14:23
• Proverbs 21:5
• Proverbs 24:33, 34
• Proverbs 10:15
• Proverbs 21:17
• Proverbs 22:2
• Proverbs 28:6
• Proverbs 11:26
• Proverbs 11:24
• Proverbs 11:25
• Proverbs 22:9

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