I strongly feel that giving to help the poor or those with fewer resources is the first thing you should have on your list when you create your written monthly budget. It is that important. Why? There are many good reasons to give and to help others.
- It’s the right thing to do. Most of us agree that helping others is just a good thing to do.
- God wants us to be cheerful givers. See 2 Corinthians 9:7
- You don’t have to be religious to give. Even if you are not a Christian, giving is still a great idea.
- In today’s economy and job market, you never know when the person needing help will be you.
Try it. Start a new habit of giving today. When payday comes, give something to your local church or a charity that you trust. Even if you are not tithing yet, don’t beat yourself up over it. Give something. Start with $10 or $20 a week. See what happens. I bet you will feel better about yourself, knowing you are helping others. And, God will likely bless you in some way (which may or may not be financial). I challenge you to give without expecting anything back in return!
If every person that was able gave just $10 a week faithfully, just think how much money will be used to help others or to fund Gods work. Do the math. 307 million people living in the USA, times $10 a week. Just make sure you give because you want to, not because you feel you have to. God loves a cheerful giver. 
Two organizations I trust and give to are Crown Financial and Feed the Children.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Bucksome Boomer, FinancialBondage.org. FinancialBondage.org said: Giving should be the first item in your budget http://shar.es/mL9df [...]
Thanks for the RT.
I definitely agree with you here! We can afford to give if we make it a priority. It will also help us with financial discipline – just like the idea of “paying yourself first”.
I wrote about this over on Bible Money Matters as a guest poster about 2 months back. Here’s what the wife and I do and think works really well: We set aside our giving money first (Tithe+Offering) but we don’t designate exactly where the offering portion is going. We have a separate line item in quicken. We let it accumulate until a need arises in our church, missionaries ask for support, or a family shows up in need. Since we’ve already committed a budget to ‘giving’, it makes it painless to send the dollars out the door when the need arises. In fact, it makes it downright joyful to do it. It’s awesome when a missionary has been praying for support and you are able to be the conduit by which God blesses them. And, you don’t even feel like you’re giving anything up, because you’ve already “decided in your heart what to give” before they ask.
Nice article.
[...] Financial Bondage says that giving should be the first item in your budget [...]
excellent message! I’ve got a direct deposit set up with my church. Every time I get paid, 10% get’s taken out. So easy!