Does idea of telling your spouse what you spent on marketing send chills down your spine? Why? Because you have nothing to show for it…yet?

Do you have a set budget you follow, including your online expenditures? Or, are you just throwing your money at whatever looks provocative at moment?

Have you found out that PPC (Pay per click) search engines eat your money faster than you can check your credit card balance?

Don’t cry, I’m right there with you. Running up a credit card balance is very scary, hoping against all that your promoting will pay off. It can eventually show some profit if you keep at it, but where is break-even point?

I know firsthand how this feels. Been there, done that.

Ok, first thing you MUST DO: STOP USING CREDIT!

If you aren’t seeing any income, stop using your cards and instead set aside an amount in a savings-type account to draw from with a debit card. If you are receiving some commissions, or income, reinvest that rather than put your family’s livelihood on line.

This is very difficult.

I have come to associate online marketing like gambling. It isn’t a sure thing, so it must be a gamble. This is a sin to me now. I am very cautious about where I put my money. I still invest in advertising mind you but I research it thoroughly.

I have searched and prayed for an answer to this question: “If I am to prosper as promised, I must follow Gods principles or I won’t be entitled to promise”.

I found this resource that has helped me tremendously: http://www.crown.org/

there aren’t any affiliate links so I don’t get a dime promoting them but I am anyway.

I’ve learned so much from their vast assortment of resources. I have set a budget and am trying diligently to stick to it, making at least 5% for marketing/advertising.

To quote an article from Crown:

Debt Nothing in area of finances has dominated or influenced direction of our society during past 50 years as much as debt. However, being debt free is still God’s plan for His people today.

The blessings of becoming debt free go far beyond financial area; they extend to spiritual and marital realms as well. No one who is financially bound can be spiritually free. The effects of financial bondage on a marriage relationship are measurable in statistics of failed marriages.

Approximately 50 percent of all new marriages fail, and finances are listed as leading cause of divorce by a factor of four to one.

What is debt?

Simply put, debt is something that is owed. The Bible does not prohibit a person from borrowing, but it does warn against surety—taking on debt without an absolutely sure way of paying it back. If collateral used to secure loan can, in case of default on loan, cover balance of money owed plus interest, loan is not surety. However, taking into consideration that most debt in America is surety, we need to redefine debt.

Today, debt can be defined as a condition that exists when a loan commitment is not met or when inadequate collateral is pledged to satisfy loan agreement.

Debt is not credit. Credit is establishment of a mutual trust relationship between a lender and a borrower. Most often undisciplined use of credit quickly leads to debt.

Establishing credit.

The best way to establish credit is to borrow against an acceptable asset, such as an existing savings account. Almost any bank will lend money up to amount that is in account and charge from 1 to 2 percent more for loan than prevailing saving rate. If within a year you pay back amount borrowed, total cost for acquiring loan will be approximately $20. Then, by using bank as a credit reference, you most likely can qualify for a major credit card, although credit limit may be minimum amount.

With disciplined use of credit card and faithful payment of bill, credit limits probably will be raised.

The best way to cancel an existing credit card or credit account is first to make sure account is not delinquent. If it is current, you can send a letter to accounts department, customer service, or business office of bank that issued card and request that your account be cancelled. Because credit card is property of issuing bank, you also will need to cut cards in half and send cut cards along with your letter. Generally, banks will not accept a letter of cancellation unless cut up cards accompany letter and account is current. Along with letter you can either send a check to cover outstanding balance or request payment arrangements. However, payment arrangements they offer may or may not be same as your previous monthly payment requirements.

This one occasion warrants attention and a special holiday so with deck chairs resplendent, locals champion cold to casually gather and watch sun make its first tentative 25 minute pass of many more appearances. So begins day one of a very short summer, and with a community revitalized by sunlight, they party with every bit as much lunacy as any new years eve.

So, what is it that makes a people remain and challenge very hardships such a place holds? That they should muster time and again some inner fortitude to while away those sub zero temperatures. When out of all places one could end up, for whatever reason, they choose to eke out an existence in one of bleakest landscapes on our Earth?

The mind is a truly wonderful mechanism and when called upon, can adapt to just about any situation shaping very best outcomes for those with a purpose. The thing is, and it's in each of us, it’s entirely up to us how we control and apply our minds.

There are lots of external factors and most of those you'll have absolutely no control over, like number of times you might sight sun in a year; for example. The way you look at these challenges is everything and more positive your view greater your confidence within yourself and better your likely prospects. But that's not entire picture.