The 4C’s Accounting Tool – from hearwelldone.org Helps you KNOW where God’s Money is so you can DO what He tells you to do with it.
Why Do I Use the 4C’s Accounting Tool every day? #1) God said – Know the condition of your flock, give careful attention (Pr 23:27) #2) God said – Give an Account – (account: a number, an explanation, a detail of transactions) (Lk 16:2) #3) God said – Divide your portion - your portion is all dollars not just investment dollars. (Eccl 3:16) #4) God said – If you are faithful with little (money) you can be entrusted with true riches. (Lk 16:9-11) #5) God said – You cannot serve God and money. You will obey God, or you’ll obey money. (Mt 6:21,24)
What are the 4C’s – Four Principles of Financial Faithfulness? Capture – Every penny in, and Every penny out. Categorize – Every Income goes to a category, Every Expense comes from a category. Compare – How much is left to spend in that category before the end of the month. Change – God, do you want me to change money between categories? (and spend less there to have more here?)
How It Works Your 4C’s Accounting Tool allocates your checking account between spending categories. The balance of each category tells you every day what you have left - available to spend this month. Every morning you give an account of yesterday’s transactions. Enter them in your Checkbook Tab, and their Category, so you know what is left to spend. The Secret: This month’s income pays next month’s bills. (The wise person saves for the future) Each Income dollar goes to the Paychecks Category to be distributed to all categories on the 31st of the month so the money is there when the bill comes due. Each Expense dollar is subtracted from its spending category – leaving you less available to spend. If your Checkbook Tab has a Green $0.00 – you’re done!
What Will Happen Knowing what you have in each category helps you ask God if He wants you to spend, how much, and from what category. Ask Him, It’s His money! He will tell you. If a potential expense exceeds the amount in its category, God may have you wait until next month before buying it, orC: Change money from another category to this one (leaving less to spend there, and more to spend here). You will learn the voice of God! He delights in these conversations with you. You will see him provide in ways you couldn’t imagine. You will come into unity with your spouse. Walking in the Spirit financially – means God makes your money decisions. Obedience brings blessing! Stress will leave, peace will come, bills will be paid on time, and you won’t worry about it. Debt will decrease, giving and saving will increase. And the daily conversations you have with your Heavenly Father about His money and your obedience will grow your relationship with Him! It’s unavoidable.
How Do I Get a 4C’s Accounting Tool? All you need is a computer with Microsoft Excel. We will build your 4C’s Accounting Tool at no charge. Step 1: Complete the 4C’s Accounting Tool Data Sheet below - and send it to us. Step 2: We will build your 4C’s Accounting Tool, ask you questions if needed, and give you the tool. Step 3: We will walk with you for 7 days in a row until you are fully comfortable. (It’s like riding a bike)
Initial Challenges Challenge #1: The initial shock of entering your desired monthly spending and saving by category only to realize it’s twice your monthly take-home pay.
Challenge #2: Believing God for “Seed Money” for categories. For this month’s income to pay next months bills, you need to get one month ahead.
Challenge #3: The discipline of just 5-10 minutes a day – entering yesterday’s transactions into your Checkbook and Category Tab.
We would love to help you step by step. This tool is not theory, we have used ours daily for years, and have helped others become free – financially. Financial Faithfulness is knowing where God’s money is and doing what He tells you to do with it. Accounting & Obeying. Great peace and joy await you in this journey. We’re here to help. www.hearwelldone.org (513) 260-6908
4C’s Accounting Tool DATA SHEET – information needed to build your tool
GENERAL What Account do you spend money out of? What Bank? Do you use a Debit Card on this account? Do you have online access? Do you spend out of any other account? Do you spend with a Credit Card? Which one?
INCOME How often do you get paid? How many checks do you get per month? Are they the same amount?
MONTHLY INCOME Expected Date Expected Gross Expected Net
Paycheck 1 Paycheck 2 Paycheck 3 Paycheck 4 Other Other
GIVING Tithe 10% of Gross Offering – Desired percentage (suggested 10%) __ % of Gross
DEBTS Outstanding Balance Interest Rate Monthly Payment Minimum Mo/Pyt Due Date Amount Behind Asset Value _____________________ _____________ __________________ __________________ _________ ________________ ____________
Mortgage: 2nd Mortgage: Student Loan: Car Loan: Car Loan: Credit Card: Credit Card: Credit Card: Other Debt: Other Debt:
**God wants His people to be debt-free. His plans for you are not to be slave to a lender (Proverbs 22:7, I Corinthians 7:23, Romans 13:8). Removing debt frees His money for His purpose, but more importantly frees his people from bondage. He brought you out of Egypt – don’t go back! The Debt Snowball eliminates debt. First, move all debts to minimum payments. Then put every available penny towards the next smallest debt, creating a snowball effect, increased by any extra money God miraculously provides and as you obey, He absolutely will! Never underestimate the power of obedience momentum. Ask God how to celebrate each milestone. Be faithful to continue! Obedience brings Joy! God’s blessing will follow!
MONTHLY SPENDING CATEGORIES Fill in the Amount you expect you will need each month – rename the Category if needed.
Monthly Payment or Amount Needed Due Date Amount Behind
Tithe Offering Offering2 Paychecks Taxes Emergency Temporary Medical Discover Visa Mastercard Student Loan Old Navy Open1 Open2 Life Insurance Mortgage/Rent HOI/Renter’s Insurance Gas Electric Cable Open3 House Maintenance Cell Phone Open4 Open5 Open6 Car Payment Car Gas Car Insurance Car Savings Grocery Eat Out Entertainment ChildCare YMCA Pets Haircuts Miscellaneous Christmas Birthday Gifts Clothes School Kids Sports Vacation ST Savings
ASSETS Amount or Value Today’s Date Checking Account Balance Savings Account Balance Other Account Balance Cars Current Market Value Home Current Market Value 401K Balance IRA Balance Rentals or Real Estate Other
NEXT STEPS Send me this sheet and we will build your Hear Well Done 4C’s Accounting Tool free of charge. You only need a computer with Microsoft Excel, and access to your bank online each day. You can account for your 3-4 daily transactions easily within 5-10 minutes – a small price to pay to eliminate stress, get on the same page with your spouse, and learn to hear God’s voice and obey God financially.
FINALLY There are Three Requirements for this to really work… There are many budgeting tools out there. Some might be cooler than this one, but this isn’t about budgeting. This is about obeying, giving an account – letting God make your money decisions. It’s not about the money. It’s about the relationship.
#1 Are you committed to fully obey no matter what God tells you to do with His money? You will find some things in His Word which are completely different than what you think right now about money – how you were raised, or what you currently do in your money habits. Are you willing to obey no matter what He tells you? If not, then what God says – really doesn’t matter. You’re probably not ready for Financial Obedience Tool yet.
#2 Are you willing to Give An Account Daily? Probably five to eight minutes a day or less – sometimes none! God gave the secret weapon to obeying financially. “Give An Account Daily!” He said, “Know the condition of your flock, give careful attention to your herds, for riches don’t last forever and a crown is not secure to all generations.” He said to Give An Account like a shepherd, not a farmer. If He said, Give an account of your crops – you would do your 4C’s tool every spring and fall (planting and harvest). But he said flocks not crops. Shepherds give an account of their sheep every day! It’s God’s secret to obeying with His money – Give An Account Daily – so He can make your money decisions. He’s really good at it.
#3 Are you willing to sell the car? It might be different for you – it might be the boat or the motorcycle, it might be ‘sell everything you have and give to the poor, then ‘come, follow me.” It might be to start tithing, or to change something you are doing or believing financially that is not God’s Word, God’s will, or God’s best – a wrong view of money, disobedience in any area – something that’s not fully surrendered to Him. His Ways are not our ways. They are most often just the opposite. Are you willing to sell the car if He tells you? If not, you may be like the rich young ruler who wanted to give God everything… just not His money.
If you are willing to do these three things, God just set you free financially – money will follow!
It’s not even being completely out of debt that sets you free financially, or having enough money in the bank to do what you want – when you want to. Some people are not making payments – but are still in bondage to money. They don’t really let God make their money decisions. They still serve money. It’s not what’s in your bank that makes you free, it’s what’s in your heart. Your decision to fully obey with money – no matter what – makes you free financially! God will take over your money decisions. You will be set free and the money will follow.
We can’t wait to see what God does! How God shows you what freedom feels like! What debt-free feels like, what being ‘uncursed’ feels like, what hilarious giving feels like! What it feels like when money every day becomes not a struggle but a testimony! You will see Him do crazy things. Great Joy is waiting!
Fill out this 4C’s Accounting Tool Data Sheet, and we will build your tool – at no charge. We’ll check back with any questions, then we will walk with you for seven days in a row until you can do it in your sleep. This is easy, like riding a bike, you’ll never forget! It will change your life completely and your children and their children. Call us – [email protected] or 513.260.6908