Three Lessons I Learned From Saving

What life lessons does saving money teach young people? To some, saving may seem irrelevant, but it gives us many valuable insights.

When I was a student, my parents provided me with a weekly allowance. It was helpful for school necessities such as drinking water, snacks and other supplies I might need in unexpected situations. At the same time, my parents taught me to save most of my allowance, including setting aside 20 percent for tithes. 

Although I cheerfully followed all my mom’s instructions, at that time I did not fully realize what benefits they would bring. As I continued to save my money, it became a positive habit that I have continued into my adult years. 

Budgeting

Saving money has taught me the importance of creating a budget. I’ve learned to divide my income into specific categories—such as medical expenses, clothing, entertainment, etc.—so that every area of spending is part of a thoughtful plan. King Solomon said, “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5, New Living Translation). 

Budgeting has also taught me a lesson in self-discipline: to be consistent in following the budget plan I set. For example, I only spend my money on specific needs from each budget section. It’s generally understood that people are weak-willed when it comes to money. That might be true, but Christians have a responsibility to follow what the Bible teaches about self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). 

As budgeting teaches control over impulsiveness, it also provides a valuable lesson in how to manage one’s finances.   

Wise spending

In our digital era, shopping and spending is so easy. For example, we no longer have to travel far to buy something we want. It is at our fingertips with online shopping! Besides buying things online, cashless payments are also very common today, such as credit cards and Apple Pay. These super-easy methods of payment may fuel the temptation to buy unnecessary items based on a “want” rather than a “need.” 

This makes it all the more important to use wisdom in managing our spending and to prioritize needs over wants.

Proverbs 21:20 puts it this way: “The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get” (NLT). Wise spending has taught me how to properly manage my income and expenses. Moreover, we never truly know what will happen in the future and must be prepared. 

The COVID-19 pandemic years taught us to always prepare, especially financially. Proverbs 6:6-8 points us to the ant, which works diligently and stores up to prepare for lean times. Likewise, as Christians striving to grow spiritually, we should avoid being like “the simpleton [who] goes blindly on and suffers the consequences” (Proverbs 27:12, NLT).

Remembering the source of blessing

The third lesson I have learned is that the opportunity to save is a blessing from God. He has generously blessed me with a job that provides me income. Deuteronomy 8:17-18 reminds us that God blesses us with the ability to earn money. So what should we do to fulfill His will in terms of our earnings? 

Work hard and manage our finances wisely. 

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul urged them to “work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people” (Colossians 3:23-24, NLT). Working hard and managing our income are two ways to express gratitude to God for blessing us with a job that provides us with a living. 

There are many valuable lessons to be learned from saving money, but principles like budgeting, wise spending and remembering God as the source of our blessings have especially helped me manage my income effectively.

Some teenagers might see saving allowances as unimportant, but saving isn’t about age—it’s a biblical principle. Our goal should be to wisely manage what God has blessed us with, no matter how much or how little we have.

Bellinda Simanjuntak is a member of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association in Indonesia.