Wise Women Managing Money: Expert Advice on Debt, Wealth, Budgeting, and More

by Miriam Neff, Valerie Neff Hogan

Overview

A book by women, for women, about money management.

More women than ever have control of capital and are making financial decisions. Yet not every woman has command of the lingo, the underlying principles, or the big-picture perspective of money management. If that describes you, Wise Women Managing Money is here to help.

Written by a mother-daughter team, this book is uniquely positioned to come alongside you and provide the financial overview you need. Miriam, the mother in the duo, has enough real-world experience to give her a vintage outlook on life. As a long-time counselor, she understands human needs. And as a widow, she knows what it means to be thrust unexpectedly into money matters. Valerie, the daughter, is an attorney, certified financial planner, and an expert in Christian philanthropy. Together, Miriam and Valerie combine their skillsets to answer your pressing questions about things like:

• Credit cards
• Managing debt
• Insurance
• Loans and contracts
• Budget busters
• Avoiding fraud
• Picking a financial advisor
• IRAs, annuities, & Roths
• Kingdom giving
• And much more!

Whether you’re newly involved in money management due to a career or life transition, or you just want to be more knowledgeable about this important part of life, Wise Women Managing Money will teach you the ropes in language anyone can understand. Don’t let all the business jargon or technical terms intimidate you. Take control of your financial future and start managing your money in ways that honor God and allow you to do good with the resources He provides.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802499882
Publisher:	Moody Publishers
Publication date:	03/01/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

MIRIAM NEFF is the founder and president of Widow Connection (a not for profit ministry) and author of twelve books, including From One Widow to Another: Conversations on the New You and Women and Their Emotions. She is a counselor by profession, Bible study teacher, seminar and conference speaker, mother, and grandmother. She sponsors sewing projects and bakery training for widows in Africa and Albania. Her one-minute features, New Beginnings and Wise Women Managing Money are heard on many outlets, and she is a frequent radio guest on Moody Broadcasting and other networks. She is the co-creator of a video series, with her daughter Valerie Neff Hogan, Wise Women Managing Money. For more information, visit www.widowconnection.com.

VALERIE NEFF HOGAN holds a law degree and the Certified Financial Planner designation. She works with National Christian Foundation, Orchard Ministry Development, and Widow Connection. Since 2000 Valerie has served at church leading groups and individuals toward good stewardship with Christian Financial Concepts, Crown Financial, and Financial Peace University. She loves to help people overcome financial obstacles to achieve freedom, become more generous, and do more ministry. She is married, has three adopted children, and one fabulous rescue dog.
MIRIAM NEFF is the founder and president of Widow Connection, and has several projects for widows in Africa. Her one minute feature, New Beginnings, is heard on over 1200 outlets. She is author of ten books, including From One Widow to Another: Conversations on the New You, Women and Their Emotions, and a DVD series, One Widow to Another: The Connection That Counts. She is a former high school counselor and teacher and currently teaches a Bible study for widows, Miriam's late husband, Bob, was the former vice president of Moody Broadcasting Network. She is a contributor to MBN's Midday Connection and Chris Fabry Live. She is also an adventurer and a conference speaker. For more information, visit www.widowconnection.com.

Table of Contents

First Things First

Chapter 1 What Matters: Know It, Own It, Like It, Change It 11

Chapter 2 Troubled Times: Change, Crisis, or Chaos 25

Chapter 3 Spending Plan: Incoming-Outgoing a Match? 35

Chapter 4 Credit Cards 45

Chapter 5 Wise Women: Where to Store Assets 57

Manage It

Chapter 6 Housing 69

Chapter 7 Cars 79

Chapter 8 Managing Debt 87

Chapter 9 Discretionary: Clothes, Food, Entertainment 97

Chapter 10 Insurance 109

Chapter 11 Loaning Money, Cosigning Contracts 119

Chapter 12 Marriage and Money 129

Budget Busters

Chapter 13 Emotions: Budget Busters 141

Chapter 14 Financial Fraud 149

Chapter 15 Danger! Filling Our Void with "Stuff" or People 157

Chapter 16 Crisis Equals Opportunity 165

Investing

Chapter 17 Knowledge, Goals, Risk Tolerance 175

Chapter 18 How to Pick a Financial Advisor 189

Chapter 19 The Importance of a Will 197

Chapter 20 The Function of a Trust 205

Chapter 21 Surplus Money? Cautions! 213

Chapter 22 IRAs, Annuities, and Roths 225

Direction That Matters

Chapter 23 Generational Characteristics and Challenges 237

Chapter 24 Eight Habits of Wise Women Managing Money 247

Chapter 25 Kingdom Equity 255

Chapter 26 Legacy Giving: Gifts That Matter 261

Acknowledgments 269

Notes 271

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Praise for Wise Women Managing Money

“It is a privilege for me to endorse Wise Women Managing Money as it is written by very experienced, practical, and spiritual experts in the area of money and money management. I know that 80 percent of married women will experience widowhood and at least 50 percent will experience divorce. To have women writing to women with sound, practical, expert advice is a necessity, and this book meets that need. I recommend the book highly and trust that God will use it in a significant way in the lives of thousands of women.”
—RON BLUE
Founder, Ronald Blue Trust

“Finally! A complete financial guide anyone can understand—and don’t be misled by the title; Wise Women Managing Money is great for men too. I kept finding myself surprised, and delighted, that Miriam and Valerie have put the cookies on the lower shelf where even laymen can understand these things. They’ve proved this complex landscape can be navigated by anyone—and from a biblical viewpoint to boot.”
—JERRY B. JENKINS
Novelist (Left Behind and The Chosen) and biographer (Billy Graham and many others)

“Through the landmark Women Doing Well study, we listened to the voices of over seven thousand women and heard the clear message that women want to ‘do well.’ We also heard that women who were fully engaged in their purpose and passion and who were clear on their plan were the most fulfilled and generous! Do you want to be a woman ‘doing well’? If so, I recommend that you read Miriam Neff and Valerie Hogan’s book, Wise Women Managing Money. Using an interactive and conversational style, Neff and Hogan travel with you through money topics that today may seem confusing or uninteresting. They are positive voices that say, ‘You can do this.’ During the journey, they introduce you to the eight habits of wise women managing money and give you the tools to continue throughout your lifetime. You will not only begin to enjoy what God has given you in this lifetime, but you will also be prepared to answer with confidence when God asks you in eternity about what you did with what He gave you on earth.”
—SHARON EPPS
Cofounder, Women Doing Well

“This mother-daughter duo combines practical insights, biblical financial principles, and a delightful sense of humor. Whether you are struggling with your first budget, stewarding your investments or planning generous giving, this book will revolutionize your perspective on money and all that God has entrusted to you. If you want to understand why managing your money matters to God—and how to do it wisely—this is the book you need to read.”
—CHERYL BACHELDER
Former CEO, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc.; author, Dare to Serve: How to Drive Superior Results by Serving Others

“If you are anxious about money, this book is for you. Miriam and Val will guide you through the landscape of spending, saving, investing, and giving, offering wise counsel and practical wisdom, along the way. However daunted you may feel, this biblical, reliable, readable, and enjoyable book will give you the encouragement and confidence you need to manage your money well.”
—COLIN S. SMITH
Senior Pastor, The Orchard; founder and Bible teacher, Unlocking the Bible

“Women are making, marrying, and inheriting money in culture-shaping ways. Fifty-two percent of the wealth in the United States is held by women and only six percent of Christian women surveyed are confident to steward what God is entrusting to them. No matter what season of life you find yourself in, you will want to read Wise Women Managing Money. It’s practical, relatable, and rich with tools to help guide you into wise money management and increased confidence and courage to live and give in God’s image.”
—JULIE WILSON
President, Women Doing Well

“If ever two women are qualified to advise women about managing money wisely, it is Miriam and Valerie. From two generations and two areas of expertise, they give wonderfully practical and—most importantly—biblically based advice that every woman needs. Even if you think you’re doing a good job managing your money, you’ll discover, as I did, there is room for improvement. Following the wisdom in this book can truly open the door to new financial freedom for you.”
—MARY WHELCHEL LOWMAN
Founder and Speaker, The Christian Working Woman

“Miriam Neff’s latest book, Wise Women Managing Money, continues to expand her important ministry to women of all generations. Coauthored with her daughter, Valerie Neff Hogan, the book is a good introduction to help women be more confident and understand their money matters. The authors speak from biblical foundations, introducing women to core fundamentals about money and money management. The book’s tone is encouraging, and it’s written in everyday language—often with a sense of humor. I appreciated the ‘thinking it over’ sections with suggested activities for readers. The ‘Valerie Says’ and ‘Miriam Says’ sections often present personal stories that help to clarify certain money concepts. Their book includes an insightful section on legacy giving, which is often overlooked in other texts about money. That nicely extends typical estate planning information. It’s a quick, compelling, and uncomplicated read. I believe this may be a good book for study groups hosted by Christian churches and organizations that want to assist women. Indeed, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a short guide prepared for these groups in the future.”
—KATHLEEN M. REHL, PHD, CFP®, CEFT® EMERITUS
Author, Moving Forward on Your Own: A Financial Guidebook for Widows