A while ago Matt Snader had a giveaway to promote his YouTube channel. I think Andy and I both commented and were eligible, but then I promptly forgot all about it.
A few Sundays later the Snader family sat in front of us, and after the service Matt turned around to talk.
“By the way,” he said, “have you watched my YouTube videos lately?”
We hadn’t, and admitted it.
“You should watch the one about the giveaway,” he said.
That night after the children were in bed Andy pulled up Matt’s video on his phone. In it he announced the giveaway winner – Tabitha Stoltzfus!
I’ve never won a gift card before, much less $100 dollars! I was thrilled! But it soon became complicated.
We’ve never been wealthy. Homesteading in Alaska and trying to balance building a house and clearing land with earning an income doesn’t lend itself to extra cash. And money has been extra tight lately. Like the last six months lately. We put all we had toward that skid steer in the fall and had to borrow money for the first time ever to be able to fly down for my sister’s wedding. Add to that a hefty amount of taxes we owe instead of getting a refund as hoped and we’ve been only buying necessities for a long time.
So what do I do with the gift card? Be practical and spend it on groceries? Blow it on things for me, like a good coat or more frivolous things like a rose bush or chocolate?
And then I began to think of all the starving children in the world. How can I justify spending that much money on myself when so many people don’t have even half of what I think are necessities? It is a Walmart gift card, so it’s hard to give it to missions, but still, the idea of spending so much on myself at a time like this makes me cringe.
You can see the dilemma. This is something I’ve wrestled with all my Christian life. What blessings do I receive with gratefulness as a gift from God, and what should I be sharing with others?
Andy says I should not spend it on groceries no matter how much the practical part of me wants to do just that. He says I should use it to get things I’ve been doing without lately, or things for fun. But still I wrestle…
What would you do if you won a $100 Walmart gift card?
The gift card currently sits in my wallet as I mentally spend it and then retract the order and spend it again a different way.
At this point my thoughts are these –
Spend 1/2 on needed items, like a coat or curtains for our bedroom window. (We currently have a blanket propped up to keep it a bit darker at night and you can’t see out the window without knocking it down.)
Spend 1/4 on fun stuff – things I really don’t need but would be fun to have. Think chocolate, bath salts, coffee accessories.
Spend 1/4 on gifts. I really love giving gifts and enjoy keeping up with birthdays for the extended family, but when there isn’t money for extras it becomes increasingly difficult to find something around the house to send. Plus I’ve had my eye on some things I would love to get for Andy and the children.
So there are my thoughts about how to spend the gift card. How would you advise me? What would you do if you were in my shoes?
I like the idea of ‘extras’ that last a long time like a pretty journal or notepad, or a fancier version of something you use all the time (nice scented dish soap, differently flavored toothpaste from a health food store, or even nicely scented cleaning spray like Mrs. Meyer’s!). Stickers are fun to pick out, for putting on mail. You could buy stamps and send people cards – it can be fun finding pretty cards or funny outdated cards at a thrift store.
Flowers are always a gift that give back borth to you your family and your friends! Make sure it’s hardy to your zone that comes back every year and something fairly maintenance free. (Lots of rose varieties can be finicky but there are a good amount made for less work) also if your using a blanket for the window in your bedroom I think curtains sound like a great way to spend it! It’s a new luxury that blesses both you and your husband making a shared space into something prettier and more enjoyed together. I enjoy your posts and looks into life in Alaska!!
I agree with Andy – no groceries! This money is for things that you can’t get with your monthly grocery money. Your plan sounds good. A practical necessity like a coat and something fun like coffee accessories. Or a rosebush. 🙂
Why allow it to be complicated? : D “Things you’ve been doing without and things for fun.” Andy gave you great ideas which provide a great frame work and plenty of choices to work with…..
“Andy says I should not spend it on groceries no matter how much the practical part of me wants to do just that. He says I should use it to get things I’ve been doing without lately, or things for fun.”
If God gives you a gift, it’s okay to go ahead and enjoy it. If I know you, you will share your enjoyment and that which is fun..
I always have this dilemma. Living with Brandon is helping me be more selfish though:) since everything is now usually so budgeted and practical that I take all the unbudgeted and unpractical/selfish chances I can get! I get it though, there’s plenty of things I go without just to be able to save for a house and I know that juggling will become a bigger learning curve once babester starts requiring more clothes, food, etc.
I like the idea of spending 1/4 on “extras”, and splitting up the rest of it up into categories. Although splitting it up into fourths probably rules out the possibility of being able to get a good coat for $25(you never know though, sometimes thrift stores and yard sales are surprisingly helpful).
Anyway, I don’t know how I’d spend it – but I like the idea of spending SOME of it on a long term investment – like a fruit tree(just so long as I don’t kill it!). I’m sure you’ll figure something out!
I won’t tell you how to spend your gift card. I’m sure the Holy Spirit will do a good job of guiding you. (By the way, congratulations.) One thing I’ve been thinking recently is that when Eph. 4:28 says “…working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth…” it doesn’t always mean giving money. Recently we bought another van so that we could give back to the church and use it to haul children to church, Bible clubs, etc. Sometimes God wants us to buy things so that we will have them to share with others. Maybe you could buy a few rose bushes and bless others with flowers? Maybe he wants you to bless others with fruit in the future? When we were with you this past summer, I certainly did not sense a selfish spirit in your family. I was blessed by the way you give to your children and put such a high priority on them. God bless you as you seek his direction in this decision and many more to come!
Well, technically, a quality coat is a necessity in Alaska!! 😉 But I definitely agree about not using it for groceries. I know for my husband it bothers him when I stress over how to spend a gift like that. If I act like I just can’t afford to spend it on myself but must spend it on necessities then he feels like he’s being a poor provider. Like it’s a reflection on him, if you understand what I’m saying. But I definitely get the struggle of feeling guilty about spending money on yourself!
Growing up my mom rarely spent anything on herself and as teenagers we would beg her to buy a new sweater etc because we wanted her to feel pretty instead of shabby. I never thought I’d be like that as a mom, but I kinda am! There are so many other needs, and the children are always outgrowing things…
Yippee! Im so glad you won! I agree with Andy!
I like how you are thinking about it. Sometimes sharing brings more joy than spending on yourself for sure! And for me, having nice things that work gives back to me every day.
Tabitha, I like how you’re thinking. Absolutely listen to your husband about not buying groceries (I’d be tempted the same way)! That grocery need will always be there. The only thing I would add is one purchase should be an investment–blueberry plants, an apple tree, something that in years to come will give back way more than you spend on it, but it’s hard to find money for the original purchase.
Good point about the grocery need always being there. As far as long term, that’s why I was thinking a rose bush. After three years of living in a construction zone, I crave flowers!!