Remember to always keep your priorities in order. Pay the Lord first, pay yourself second, and invest your money wisely. It is important to pay the Lord first—He is your most important creditor and the source of all of your blessings.

Pay yourself second. You should not view savings as the amount that is left over at the end of the month; savings should be the 10 to 20 percent or more that is taken out of your income right after you pay the Lord. Invest your savings wisely. Remember the “Priority of Money” and the investment hourglass.

Before you invest, review the top of the investment hourglass and answer the questions posed by the hourglass (see Chart 35.1). If you can agree with each of the statements, you are ready to invest. As you invest, consider not only the risks that you are willing to take, but the order in which you should make investments. Make sure your priorities are in order.

As you begin to save and invest, review the bottom of the investment hourglass (see Chart 35.2). Start with the basics: build your emergency fund and food storage and then work up the pyramid. Remember, it is not what you earn but what you keep after taxes and inflation that makes you financially self-reliant.

Chart 35.1: The Top of the Investment Hourglass

Chart 35.2: The Bottom of the Investment Hourglass