November 10, 2006
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All About the Benjamins
My company has a policy that whenever bonus checks are given, the first $100 is given in cash, and the rest is in a check. Seems kind of inefficient compared to direct-deposit like normal paychecks. Because it’s not like there’s a lack of ATMs to withdraw real cash. And $100 bills are kind of hard to spend, at least at the fine dining establishments where June and I typically unwrap our food. So today is bonus day:
I have to say it feels kind of good to carry around a $100 bill. If I ever start a company, I’ll keep the policy of giving away cash. Even though it’s less convenient and efficient than an electronic bank account transfer, there’s just something about the feel of money. It makes you feel like you have… spending power. In a way that carrying around a credit card just doesn’t do.
Five years ago, I was in a startup that made a sale to a police office in Japan. Oddly enough, they paid by cash. We had made a lot of sales to companies that paid the normal way, but this cash was a cause for celebration:
These past few months I’ve been thinking about money. Mostly, how to collect and organize my thoughts about it. June and I have been in an Economic Discipleship small group with mostly people from CCFC and The Gathering. The focus is how to live simply and give generously. Our discussions have been really good (and personal), and I’m trying to figure out how to share the wealth, knowledge-wise. Been tossing around the idea of maybe coming up with a series of 4 talks, all about being wise with money:
- How to Earn Money (Career and Calling)
- How to Save Money (being Chinese — just kidding — Basic Money Management and Investment)
- How to Spend Money (Living Simply)
- How to Give Money (Generosity and Global Impact)
But I get paralyzed by a lot of questions. What’s the best format — is it lecture, roundtable, or something else? What if there’s too much material for each topic to cover in one session? Would a retreat-style setting be better? How big is the target audience? Where can I find the activation energy and support? Will it be affiliated with CCFC or multiple churches?
Comments (10)
When should you rebuke someone for spending too much money on him/herself?
i’d love to hear/read your thoughts on that. i take it you don’t want to just write them up and post them?
Antli: rebuke is loaded word… but maybe that’s a topic that could take an entire session (or more) by itself.
Beata: I’ve thought about putting together course notes and posting them on xanga first. That’s one option.
“when?” anticipates “loaded”. surely a person can be in need of rebuking
how about some shorter workshops or seminars on campuses for graduating seniors, come spring?
that’s really awesome that you and june are partaking in this small group.
“yay” for Christian values!
sounds like a really good series. i’m helping with hraacf’s “senior group” for the class of ’07, and if you get something going, we might appreciate your help with the “stewardship” topic…
have you ever heard of john wesley’s sermon on “the use of money”? (if you want to borrow it, i have a copy) it includes a 4 point test on spending money (in his words): “1) in expending this, am i acting according to my character? am i acting herein, not as a proprietor, but as a steward of my Lord’s goods? 2) am i doing this in obedience to his word? in what scripture does he require me so to do? 3) can i offer up this action, this expense, as a sacrifice to God through Jesus Christ? 4) have i reason to believe, that for this very work i shall have a reward at the resurrection of the just?”
Companies giving away cash at bonus time to their employees.
– Generally a good thing: my company usually give away American Express gift cheques.
– However after the HR department fed-exed them to our office in Malaysia, to distribute to the staff out there. The staff is still trying to figure out how to cash them.
Companies getting paid in cash, or making sales pitches, to the police… With cash… Don’t tell me this doesn’t sound suspicious.
– Ask me about the company in China, that needed to get a large bank loan, the suitcase, and the taxi across town.
One thought would be to start small and take incremental steps as you incorporate feedback. Step 1 might be posting on xanga. Step 2 might be a small group or a series of talks at CCFC. Step 3 might be organizing a retreat for people who want to hear/think/discuss/pray intensely about this topic. Etc. Basically, with each step your content will get more refined and incorporate additional insights from people. And, hopefully, with each step God will make clear where and how He wants you to proceed. My 1 rupee ($0.02).
Could the material be abridged so it can be covered in, say, two two-hour sessions?