Getting Financial Help at Church

By Sara Stewart, Reporter

Tools

By Sara Stewart

Story Created: Mar 28, 2009 at 8:42 PM CST

Story Updated: Mar 31, 2009 at 3:23 AM CST

"Fiscal discipline is hard work but it's easy when you're motivated and a recession is built in motivation," says Craig Brown, the Instructor of Financial Peace University at First Trinity Lutheran Church.

The economic recession has more and more people turning to churches for help.

A Cedar Rapids pastor says he is seeing more people re-prioritize their lives.

The majority of those people are getting their finances in check with a faith-based financial planning class.

"This thing is spreading like wildfire and its good too because it's exactly what our country needs,” says Brown.

It's exactly what Bob and Anne Spina needed.

"I did the checkbooks so I knew we were either treading water or going backwards,” says Bob.

Like many, the slow economy was reducing hours at work. Bob even got a second job to make ends meet.

"I've worked two jobs before but, I had no direction so it wears you down. This time- I've got direction I know where I'm going I know what it's going to be used for,” he says.

The class taught them to get on a budget, save, plan for retirement and even give to charity.

"It gives you practical help how to budget, how to live within your means. This stuff isn't new-this is stuff your grandma did-but it works,” says Brown.

Part of the old-school approach is using cash, not credit cards.
Now, less than a year later, the Spina's paid off a credit card and are working toward financial peace.

"Do you have financial peace?”
“Not yet, working on it-we're getting more-every day,” says Bob and Anne.

Now they're passing the buck, teaching the classes at their church and hoping it helps one family at a time.

The next financial class at First Lutheran Church starts on April 8th.

For more information about this class and other classes in Eastern Iowa - go to the news links section of our website and click on Financial Peace University.

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