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Creating Your Personal Money Map
According to Ethan Pope, most financial problems could be eliminated if individuals and couples would take the time to develop and use a simple and unique budgeting system called the Money Allocation Plan (MAP). In this straightforward and practical book, Pope gives step-by-step instructions for how to use the MAP to become more generous in your giving, consistent in your saving, and truly free with your spending.
163 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 19, 2024
I picked this book as it was suggested for someone that didn't like Dave Ramsey. I was curious as to how it compared. It is complimented as a good Christian viewpoint for biblical financial budgeting advice and practice.
The tactics are almost the same as Dave Ramsey. So if you don't like Dave Ramsey because of his methods, then this may not be the book for you. This book is separated into two sections. First we learn about budgets, why we should budget, the purpose of budgeting, and the freedom of budget. Its very forthright and encouraging and lays out all the ground work for Pope's method.
The second section is all about HOW to budget. It is a zero based budget (meaning every single dollar is to have a purpose and to be budgeted before you spend any of the money from your paycheck--) and has different steps you work towards financial freedom. Save for emergency, pay off debt, build a longer emergency fund, save for retirement, invest, pay off mortgage.... hmmm
Pope draws on a MAP method (Money Allocation Plan). In this method you will learn to first and foremost, give to "God's kingdom" (the church, whether that's the offering plate or things that further His kingdom--- I'm just going to stop here on that. I have a hold issue with that, but I do NOT have an issue with tithing or giving) and allocate your money in a way that sustains your family here on earth without going into debt or constantly robbing Peter to pay Paul.
It is dated. The version I have is copyrighted 2003. Checks are written willy nilly in this book. I think even with our budgeting tactics my husband and I had in our early married years, we wrote a fraction of the checks this guys does. One of the things that made me scratch my head at this financial advice was to write yourself a check and go and cash it for your personal allowance. Why not save your money that checks cost and just withdraw that money from the bank? You already have to go there to cash said check. It was little things like that sprinkled throughout the book that had me scratch my head.
But in the end, I did find some nuggets that I will take away.
"God entrusts us with resources that we are to use for [H]is honor, which includes meeting the needs of our family, paying for housing and transportation, supporting our local church, supporting other ministries, helping the poor, and being willing to meet special needs."
"What is one way we can be faithful? By properly managing God's resources. In practical terms, this means we are not to be careless, wasteful, and foolish with the resources God has entrusted to us."
"The road of materialism and the attitude of never quite being content causes much waste, consumes too much energy, and is spiritually destructive."
The tactics are almost the same as Dave Ramsey. So if you don't like Dave Ramsey because of his methods, then this may not be the book for you. This book is separated into two sections. First we learn about budgets, why we should budget, the purpose of budgeting, and the freedom of budget. Its very forthright and encouraging and lays out all the ground work for Pope's method.
The second section is all about HOW to budget. It is a zero based budget (meaning every single dollar is to have a purpose and to be budgeted before you spend any of the money from your paycheck--) and has different steps you work towards financial freedom. Save for emergency, pay off debt, build a longer emergency fund, save for retirement, invest, pay off mortgage.... hmmm
Pope draws on a MAP method (Money Allocation Plan). In this method you will learn to first and foremost, give to "God's kingdom" (the church, whether that's the offering plate or things that further His kingdom--- I'm just going to stop here on that. I have a hold issue with that, but I do NOT have an issue with tithing or giving) and allocate your money in a way that sustains your family here on earth without going into debt or constantly robbing Peter to pay Paul.
It is dated. The version I have is copyrighted 2003. Checks are written willy nilly in this book. I think even with our budgeting tactics my husband and I had in our early married years, we wrote a fraction of the checks this guys does. One of the things that made me scratch my head at this financial advice was to write yourself a check and go and cash it for your personal allowance. Why not save your money that checks cost and just withdraw that money from the bank? You already have to go there to cash said check. It was little things like that sprinkled throughout the book that had me scratch my head.
But in the end, I did find some nuggets that I will take away.
"God entrusts us with resources that we are to use for [H]is honor, which includes meeting the needs of our family, paying for housing and transportation, supporting our local church, supporting other ministries, helping the poor, and being willing to meet special needs."
"What is one way we can be faithful? By properly managing God's resources. In practical terms, this means we are not to be careless, wasteful, and foolish with the resources God has entrusted to us."
"The road of materialism and the attitude of never quite being content causes much waste, consumes too much energy, and is spiritually destructive."
March 11, 2022
Great, helpful, Biblical planning method for financial freedom and stewardship. Maybe a little dated in practice for today but the principles hold true and are very helpful!
January 24, 2010
Used this to recreate my budget when I was a single mom.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews