ALIGN YOUR MONEY WITH YOUR VALUES

I’ll be honest; it’s been hard knowing what to post this past week. I don’t know enough to say much in regards to recent events, except that I’m listening, I’m aware, and I care. Most of all I’m praying. Today I wanted to post on how to make the way you align your money with your values. Specifically how you spend your money.

You may not realize it, but in a way you do vote with your dollars. That’s what I want to talk to you about today. I had planned to write about different budgeting methods, but that can wait.

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CUT OUT WHAT DOESN’T AGREE OR ADD VALUE

We recently made a seemingly insignificant decision to end our Amazon Prime membership. While it seems insignificant it does have a significant impact on our June budget; we have two birthdays to budget for after all!

It came to our attention recently that our kids do not want to watch most of what is covered under the Prime membership, we do not order a lot from Amazon (with the exception of holidays and birthdays), and the rental fees are kind of… outrageous.

We also recently signed up for Disney+ and then upgraded to the bundle to include Hulu (we ignore our ESPN privileges as sports aren’t a big thing in this household). We have more than enough viewing options at the moment.

Add this to the fact that Amazon doesn’t even give their employees free Prime or pay them really well outside of pandemic times, the $116.37 annual fee didn’t seem worth it this year.

Yes, I’m still an Amazon Associate, but to be honest I have received one payment of $13.30 in almost a year. There are still some great small businesses that sell their wares on the site. I plan to continue to highlight what I find and love.

We simply hit a point where the Prime membership no longer added value to our household. It has in the past, but hasn’t recently. That may change in the future, but it’s where we are now. So I canceled our membership.

Fun fact; it isn’t advertised, but you do not have to pay for your Prime membership on an annual basis. You can pay a monthly fee of $12.99 a month. This does cost more over a years time than the annual fee, but you can cancel any time. I was sent this as an option after canceling my membership.

Is there a company you’ve been supporting with your money that doesn’t support or live up to your values and expectations? Find a way to replace them and their products. It may seem easier said than done, but a little bit of research can make it possible.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE NO ADDITIONAL MONEY TO SUPPORT TO CAUSES

This one can be tricky; say there are causes that you want to support but you just don’t have the extra room in your budget. Find companies that support those causes!

Some large companies make it pretty clear what charitable contributions they make. Others you may need to ask. The information is out there. One good thing about the past week is that information is out there in abundance on social media!

Want to support Black-owned businesses? You need to look no further than a few Twitter threads to find what you need. Want to support woman-owned businesses? Pretty much the same. Instagram is full of a lot of the same information.

Direct the money you do have in your budget toward small and minority owned businesses to make your dollars have more of an impact. If you can make it local that’s an even bigger bonus!

ADD IN WHAT YOU VALUE MOST TO MAKE YOUR MONEY ALIGN WITH YOUR VALUES

Where possible make room in your budget for what does align with your values. I’ve recently decided to make more eco-friendly and sustainable purchases for our household. I have transferred purchases to companies that align with that focus.

If you have money in the budget by all means make contributions to verified GoFundMe campaigns and companies that pledge a portion of proceeds to causes you’re passionate about. You can also get creative and find ways to donate your time.

Also, if possible find ways to support your local church! The recent pandemic kind of threw a wrench in my plans to support our church more, but most churches are still helping their communities.

My local church has a food pantry, helps with monthly meals at a local kitchen, and provides holiday meals to those in need among other outreach programs. The needs haven’t disappeared in this time and neither have the ministries.

Reach out to your local church to find out what help is needed! More hands are usually needed on deck. It will also increase your sense of community and purpose while decreasing the feelings of isolation.

IN A SENSE, YOU VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLARS

So make your vote count! If you feel passionate about more diverse representation represent companies with more minorities seated on the board. Purchase from small businesses. Make as many local purchases as possible.

You don’t have to have a large budget to make your dollars count. More thoughtful, community-minded purchases can make a huge difference. I know I have a long ways to go in this area and I’m fairly confident some of my readers are too.

Together we can make a difference simply by making a step to align our money with our values whenever possible. I’m willing to make this step. Are you?

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