Freeing the Slave

Recapping
The four uses of a budget as a tool are:
1. Budgets explain where the money went (in the past) [The Autopsy Budget].
2. Budgets determine where the money ‘has’ to go (to pay the bills in the future).
3. Budgets ‘show’ where money is being unnecessarily spent.
4. Budgets are a plan to accomplish financial goals (the first of which should be - get out of debt).

Having created an Autopsy Budget, one can ‘see’ steps 2 and 3. There are certain expenses that ‘HAVE’ to be paid. Or do they? Step 3 is supposed to identify areas where money is unnecessarily spent. One has to take a hard look at necessary expenses.

It is obvious that the rent/mortgage has to be paid. The question is, “Am I paying too much?” Most of us would say that we are paying entirely too much rent. This part goes back to the decision to get out of debt.
What was the decision?
“I am in debt, but that is okay.”
“I am in debt. I want to get out of debt. I’ll work on it, but I’m not making any ‘sacrifices’ to get there.”
“I am in debt. I want to be free. I am willing to make sacrifices to get there, and trust God to meet my needs.” [THE CORRECT ANSWER!]

If one has made the right decision and determined to become debt free and make sacrifices to get there, the question is ‘how big’ are those sacrifices?

One could go to extremes. One could sell everything one owns, their home, car, TVs, clothes, art, and personal possessions to get out of debt. The problem with that approach is that most of us do NOT own enough. Even if we did sell everything at market value, the value would not equal the debt. We could sell everything, pay off what we could and still be in debt. An extreme solution will not really solve the problem. Bankruptcy comes to mind. That is certainly a ‘fast’ way to be rid of the chains of slavery.
Unfortunately, there are three major problems with bankruptcy. Biblically, bankruptcy is wrong. It is bad stewardship. Romans 13: 7, “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” ‘Render therefore to all their due...’ Bankruptcy does not pay what is due. Proverbs 27:23 says, “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds;” Bankruptcy is not diligence it is avoidance. There ARE times when bankruptcy is the ‘ONLY’ solution. One might be forced into bankruptcy by ongoing series of unwise choices or forced into bankruptcy by creditors. Bankruptcy is a ‘final option’. Bankruptcy, Biblically, is wrong and has consequences. If creditors ‘force’ bankruptcy, then one has to ‘play by their rules’. They are getting their due...as they see it.
A friend recently declared bankruptcy. It was his final option. He made some poor decisions 20 years ago that still ‘haunt’ him. He and his wife both work full time to support their family. A series of circumstances, including ongoing medical problems has devastated them financially. The creditors (slavers) forced them into declaring bankruptcy. He did not like it, he still knows it is wrong, but in his case, “render to all their due:” meant acceding the slavers' demands and declaring bankruptcy.
The other two problems with bankruptcy are much more practical. One does not learn how spend money wisely, live within their means, and live debt-free. The old habits that got one into a situation where one declares bankruptcy still exist. The only thing one learns is the legal system. That is the first problem, and slick slavers are the second. There are slavers (credit companies) that SPECIALIZE in credit for people that have declared bankruptcy. They know that the habits are still there. They know an individual can only declare bankruptcy once every seven years. They stand at the courtroom doors waiting for bankrupt people to walk out, so they can slap chains on them. They know they are going to own a person for at least seven years. Because of the bankruptcy, slavers get to impose usurious interest and all kinds of additional fees to the slave.

Decide on a dedicated commitment to become debt free. Consider doing so in a moderate, responsible manner. A manner that helps one learn to be a 'good steward'.