The 4C's Monthly Spent Report shows the total amount of money spent from each spending category each month of this year.
It's not what money is there, or what you budgeted, or what you changed to different categories - but what actuallywent out the door this month from that spending category.
How2 4C's Monthly Spent
On the first day of the month - Total last month’s spending by category and enter it the appropriate month column of your 4C's Monthly Spent.
You will see a trend month over month, as well as average spending per month. You can use this to compare against your Spending Plan. Then seek God together with your spouse as to what areas He would have you spend less or more.
How2 Fill Out 4C's Monthly Spent
Step1 Fill in the Year: in the top right column
Step2 Enter your Spending Categories in the left Column of your 4C's Monthly Spent Report. (Simply cut & paste the Category Titles from your 4C's Accounting Tool Summary Tab)
Step3 Enter the total spent per Category in last month's column. (On February 1st - enter January's total spending in the JAN column).
Whatever Accounting Tool you use- may include a total spent per month by category. (software or online) If you use paper and pencil - just add up totals spent last month
If you use the Hear Well Done - 4C's Accounting Tool: Go to Each Category Cut & Paste all transaction amounts for the month - into a new Excel Column to the right Click the next cell down in that column where a total can go. Click the SUM TOTAL button on the EXCEL MENU BAR - highlight all the numbers to be totaled, and hit ‘enter.’ It will calculate your total spent for the month from that category.
Step4 Enter the "total spent" month after month for each category in your 4C's Monthly Spent.
Step 5 Enter Year To Date for each category (Excel will do this for you) In the far right "Total" Column. (Click the SUM TOTAL Button in Excel and ensure it highlights across the row) Then Hit Enter. It will give you the total for the row for all the months so far for that category. Once you get the Total Year To Date for your first category (first row) Just click on the total cell - bottom right corner - and when it changes to a "Thin Black Plus Sign" Then drag down to fill in totals year to date for all the rows (every category)
Step 6: Enter the Average per Month for each category (From your Accounting Tool, or for the 4C’s Accounting Tool)
In the Mo/Avg Column - Type an = (equals) sign Then single click the total column – Then hit the \ (backslash) button Then type number of months you have entered so far. (on April 1st, you would type the number "3" (for Jan, Feb, Mar completed) Then hit ENTER - and Excel will calculate the total column divided by the number of months completed so far which gives you average/month.
If you need help call us: Takes literally 5 seconds! and you'll always remember how to do it in the future.
That's It!
It takes very little time, to get an accurate (and often eye opening) picture of how you are spending God's money month over month. Review 4C's Monthly Spent each month with your spouse and ask God what He wants you to change or keep the same.
Please also ask God to show you who to walk with on a 4C's MONTHLY CALL - a one hour meeting between two couples sharing RSVP Monthly - Monthly Progress and Monthly Spent. You will pray for each other, and God will use both of you to share Godly counsel and great encouragement as you grow more and more faithful - to hear and obey - financially. Be sure to also share your 4C's Monthly Spent each month with your Daily Call partner.
This will change your life financially and will change your life spiritually no matter how faithful you are - or aren't- right now). Why? Because walking with another couple equally committed to hearing and obeying financially is an iron sharpening iron relationship about the very thing that most indicates our heart condition - what we do with God's money.
Ask God to bring you a couple who are humble enough, and love God enough, and trust you enough - to be transparent in their money-obedience walk with God. Call us and we will help you find someone humble and faithful, who like you - wants to hear well done - financially - and see God bring freedom and great blessing in both of your financial and spiritual lives.
4C's Monthly Spent is the "account of your stewardship" each month - what you did with the money God entrusted to you.
Faithful not Frugal Remember, God doesn't want you to be frugal, He wants you to be faithful. He wants you to learn how to Let Him make the money decisions. Those who live their best life, know where God's money is and do what He tells them to do with it.
Consider your ways Knowing where God's money went last month is a way, not only to give an account, but seek God and verify that you are indeed doing what He wants you to do with His resources.
Isaiah 55:8 - For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. This means that God's ways of handling money are very different from ours.
Haggai 1:7 - This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways."
Your 4C's Monthly Spent allows you to give careful thought to your ways. Month by month spending by category at a glance - allows you to give careful thought to your ways. They become obvious.
Isaiah 55:7 - "Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon." This truth reveals that God wants us to intentionally change any "ways" - not fully directed by him. This especially applies to financial ways!
His Ways vs Your Ways Financially We know that Haggai 1:7 'give careful thought to your ways' was talking about money. Because in verse 9 it says: "You expected much, but see it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?, declares the LORD Almighty "Because of my house which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.
The Israelites had neglected the temple of the LORD. They stopped giving the tithes and offerings that belonged to God. But the broader issue was they were doing their own thing financially - instead of doing God's thing financially. They were busy with their own priorities - rather than letting God set their financial priorities.
Your 4C's Monthly Spent - lets you plainly see where God's money went - month by month, category by category. It enables you and your spouse to see the truth, get on your face before God, and have him confirm or redirect your allocations and spending.
What you spend reveals your heart
Let God direct you where to put more and less, and where to spend more and less. This is not overkill!
2 Corinthians10:5 - We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
The National Science Foundation estimates that the average person thinks between 12,000 and 50,000 thoughts per day.
A study of 396 men and women tape recorded, found that humans speak about 16,000 words per day.
Matthew 12:36-37 - "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every useless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted and by your words you will be condemned.
We will give account
If we will give account for 50,000 thoughts per day, and 16,000 words per day... Would God not have us give account for the 3 or 4 financial transactions we make on average each day? Especially since it's His money... and His Word says that money decisions like no other - reveal the true condition of our heart.
Matthew 6:24 - No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Luke 16:11 - "So if you have not been faithful in the use of worldly wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you."
Your 4C's Monthly Spent - is an eye-opening tool for both spouses to consider their ways, it indicates your "use of" money this month.
It helps you seek God's direction to be sure you are hearing and obeying financially. It helps you let God make your financial decisions, walk in the Spirit – financially – so you can walk in his blessing!