Have you ever made it to the end of the month and wondered, “Where did all my money go?” Ignorance of your financial condition plus easy credit equals disaster. 

If you find yourself consistently coming up short with your finances, it might be time to take a closer look at where all your money is going. Proverbs 21:5 says, “Plan carefully and you will have plenty” (GNT). 

You may say, “But I had this emergency!” Everybody has emergencies. Everybody gets laid off or has unexpected expenses. The difference between the people who make it through and those who don’t is how they planned for those emergencies. If you don’t expect them, of course you’re going to be devastated by them.

You’ve heard the phrase, “money talks.” It does not. It just walks away quietly, and it doesn’t tell you where it’s going. But if you keep good records, you’ll always know where your money is going.

There are four categories of finances you need to keep good records for: what you own, what you owe, what you earn, and where it’s going. Find a tool to help you budget and then do whatever it takes to get yourself on track to “planning carefully.” You must understand your money so it works for you and not against you.

Proverbs 23:5 says, “Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle” (GNT).

Let that picture of an eagle soaring away be a reminder every time you look in your wallet. Keep it in mind when you plan and track your finances. If you don’t know where your money is going, it’s just going to fly away like an eagle.