Missions Series #2: Find money to give

Please read my original post on my missionary friends, Nate and Nikki Bonham (and their adorable twin boys!)

Most of my friends are young and not exactly wealthy (yet).  I think its easy to think that you can't afford to give to missions at our age....and truthfully, maybe you can't give a lot yet, but you can give some.  This is important for a fewreasons:
     1. It trains you to start giving on a monthly basis. 
     2. We are called to be involved in missions on some level...locally, internationally, financially, through prayers.
     3. Even a little bit can help ($25 a month is $300 a year, $30 a month is 360, $50 a month is $600) A few hundred dollars can buy a lot -- groceries, pay bills, pay for the ministry overhead, daycare for the
children while the parents are in language school)

Anytime you give to missions or a charity, it means you are likely giving up something you wanted to spend money on (if you live on a fixed income like most of us!)  I think most people think I am too overwhelmed with bills, groceries, rent, paying back student loans that I can't give.  And, truthfully, maybe you can't give 100, 200 dollars a month --but almost everyone has a little "extra" money that they spend on new clothes, dinners out, movies.  We can all give up something extra we like to support missions.

How to give $25 a month to missions:
- skip your friday night dinner (15) and movie (10) with friends
- skip date night (20 tickets, 5 popcorn) for a night in
- give up 2-3 lunches out and instead pack your lunch
- say no to the sale top
- 5-6 fancy coffees this month
-say no to a play or concert
- a combination: one less movie, one less lunch out, one less coffee
-one less manicure or pedicure (15-35)

How to give $50 a month to missions:
- give up 2 date nights a month
- say no to that new pair of shoes/dress
- don't eat lunch out all week
- give up your mani & pedi (45-50)
- save the gas from a weekend trip to Oxford/Starkville - or split gas with a friend and save half your money for missions!
- give up 2 girls night outs
- sell your ticket to one game a month and just sit in the grove
-combination: one less girls night, one less pedicure
-combination: 3 days of bagged lunches when you would rather eat out, say no to two coffee drinks, skip one movie

A few decisions a month can enable you to support missions.  Actually, I have been thinking, I want to actively choose not to do something a couple nights (a couple wkd nights a month spent in) and let that be a trigger to pray for the missionary families I support.