Tithing - Saving Money: Lesson Activity - Money Mottos to place in wallet - "Why do we pay tithing?"

For Young Women & Young Men SUNDAY SCHOOL or SEMINARY, or HOME

LESSON LIFESAVERS Activity
Money Mottos to place in wallet

Use these Money Mottos to remind youth to take responsibility for their finances. Have Youth:
• Write their money goals on the “Think before I spend” bill and place the bill in their wallet.
• Have them place the credit card inside their wallet, reminding them to use caution in spending unnecessarily.
• Talk about how it is best to pay their tithing first. For the Strength of Youth counsels: “Pay [tithing] first, even when you think you do not have enough money to meet your other needs. Doing so will help you develop greater faith, overcome selfishness, and be more receptive to the Spirit.

Fun Idea: Give each youth a small pad of e.g. Post-it to stick on their money motto card. Tell them that “Prioritized spending is as easy as 1,2,3. Just list the items you want to buy and prioritize them in order of purchase, e.g., buy this one first, this one second, and the other third, always using this method to avoid $ stress.

TO MAKE: Print activity in color or black and white.
• To make the Think before I spend bill, fold and glue it back to back with the My Money Goals list. Laminate with clear contact paper (after girls list their goals).
• To make the Do Not FORGET . . . stay out of debt! credit card, fold, glue back-to-back. Laminate.

THOUGHT TREAT: Money Tree Treats.
1. Mount some twigs in Styrofoam and place the twig/Styrofoam in a pot or container.
2. Tie the play money or real money on the tree along with pieces of wrapped candy (like taffy).
3. Ask the youth to take a treat off the tree and eat. Discuss the idea that “money doesn’t grow on trees,” and say that saving money is “sweet.” Ask, “How do you feel when you realize that you are out of money and can’t buy something you want?” Saving money for the right things can give you a sweet feeling of peace and contentment. It’s a good feeling knowing that you have money when you need or want it.

Elder LeGrand R. Curtis said, “Dates can be fun and wholesome without spending a lot of money. Young men and young women alike should be cautious about overspending and taxing resources unnecessarily on frills that are not necessary to have a good time.” – Searching for the One You Will Marry

TESTIMONY SHARING: Ask the youth to share their testimony on the following. Introduce this by reading, Why do we pay tithing? (HERE) “Paying tithing is a sacred privilege. When we pay tithing, we show gratitude for all that God has given us and return to Him a portion of what we have received. Tithing is used to build temples and meetinghouses, translate and publish the scriptures, do missionary and family history work, and in other ways build God’s kingdom on earth.”

MUTUAL NIGHT Activities

TALK ABOUT FINANCIAL PITFALLS: Have a banker, an accountant, a parent, and a college student talk about financial pitfalls. Do a book review on some of the following books: “The Millionaire Next Door,” “The Richest Man in Babylon,” or another book that teaches the value of saving money.

WANTS AND NEEDS BUDGET PLAN:
Step 1: Have someone from an average household talk about how they budget their time and money to make things work, to avoid debt, and to live within their means. Talk about the peace that can come into a home between husband and wife if they live within their means.
Step 2: Review books on how to budget.
Step 3: Divide the youth into two groups, giving each group some play money. Ask them to evaluate a typical family budget and show where the money goes. Seeing a budget is believing. Have them start with an average monthly income amount written on a card. Have them write on cards their wants and needs, listing each expense on a different card. Have them lay the cards out on the table with the money next to the cards that they have budgeted for in that month’s budget. Lay the other cards out and talk about wants and needs.
Step 4: Talk about living within your means, cutting back to save what’s ahead, e.g., Christmas, birthdays, school clothes. Give the youth envelopes, and suggest they place money in the envelope for things they are saving for. Have them write on the envelope things they want and prioritize these. Note that it helps to window shop without a purse and think about items before buying them.

ARTICLE on Money Matter$ By Kristi Linton, Sept, 2004 New Era tells seven ways to put money in its place: tithing first, spending, wants and needs, work, pay yourself, get an education, follow a budget. Also in the article (above), see budgeting forms and quotes (below).

QUOTES ON MONEY:

• “Discipline yourselves in your purchases to avoid debt to the extent possible. Pay off debt as quickly as you can, and free yourselves from bondage.” —President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Nov. 1998, 54.

• “We must not allow our yearnings to exceed our earnings.” —President Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, Nov. 2002, 54.

• “Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy” (2 Ne. 9:51).

• “If there is any one thing that will bring peace and contentment into the human heart, and into the family, it is to live within our means.” —President Heber J. Grant (1856–1945), Seventh President of the Church, Relief Society Magazine, May 1932, 302.

VIDEO: Matt and Mandy, September 2010 – Matt’s grandpa tells him of the importance of tithing. (2:07)