Question: We are almost out of debt again. I say “again” because this is the fourth time that we’ve worked our way totally out of debt and then gotten back into it again. It seems like once the pressure is off we go back to spending. Response: Here are a couple points to consider. First, becoming and staying debt free is a spiritual issue that requires spiritual decisions. There are over 3000 verses in the Bible having to do with money and material possessions which can be summarized in the biblical principles of “Wealth” (He’s the owner–all wealth comes from Him) and “Stewardship” (your job is to manage what He gives you). I suggest you prayerfully consider working through our Financial Freedom God’s Way Online Academy to better understand both the spiritual nature of your financial attitudes and actions AND learn how to get God’s financial Words up and operating in your life. The second point to consider is that getting and staying debt free requires personal discipline. For example, use an Impulse Buying Sheet to help you prayerfully control non-budget spending. For anything you want to buy that isn’t already in your budget and costs more than $10, you get three additional prices and wait thirty days before you buy it (or whatever period of time that feels comfortable to you). This will give you time to shop for a better price, and often it allows enough time for that impulse to pass. As soon as the impulse passes, you probably won’t even buy that item. What’s happening in your situation, I expect, is that you’ve gotten yourself into the habit of living beyond your means by spending more than you make. So, you go on a crash budget for a while then start overspending again partially because you’re tired of the crash budget. Crash budgets, like crash diets, seldom work. The only way to break this cycle is to be disciplined, over time, to learn, apply and pass along what God’s Word has to say about how to manage HIS wealth.