Affordable is subjective and means different things to different people. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, it means being within the financial means of most people. But the dictionary doesn't define financial means. Here is my definition of affordable for everything except a house: Spending a specific amount or committing to spend those funds without increasing debt, and preventing access to a foreseeable future need without taking on debt. When we can get loans easily, it's essential we keep in mind this affordable definition. Unless we have a firm grip on affordablity, we will not be trustworthy stewards.
To access the Affordability Calculator immediately, click here.
Over the years, to help understand attitudes, behaviors, choices (ABCs) impacting money handling, I developed a 100-questions questionnaire that I use as I counsel couples. However, at the first meeting, I work with this 10-question self assessment checklist to benchmark where folks are with their ideas about money management. I repeat: This list is not scientific; I developed it after years dealing with couples of different races, cultures, and financial conditions, and it has proved reliable.
Affordable Housing
Affordable housing should be viewed separately from affordability of other buys. Your house is likely to be your most expensive lifetime buy, and it's unlikely you could buy it without debt. Housing affordability became widespread in the 1980s in Europe and North America. Today, it is a major issue. Here is my simple checklist to decide affordable housing. Ensure each of these criteria exists before you conclude you can afford to buy a home. Don't let government enticements by lowering deposit requirements, cutting interest rates, and so on, sway your decision:
- You are debt free
- Working with a monthly budget
- Know today's and tomorrow's likely housing needs
- Have at least 20% down payment for a conventional mortgage and so avoid mortgage insurance (in Canada)
- Understand and accept sacrifices (what might you have to give up to pay these costs)
- Understand current and projected state of the economy and housing market, and feel reasonably comfortable you will be able to fund your total housing expenses for six months, even if you were laid off... read article on speeding up mortgage payments might help you.
- Understand the best approach for mortgage life insurance.
- Couples are on the same page
Affordable Except For Buying A House
Affordable for all other items is the ability to pay for items without debt, and not compromise current and projected household budgets, plans and commitments.
Who Decides Affordability
Governments try to define affordability for us. They don't care if you add to your debt; they want you to spend. They want households to use the same reckless Ponzi-style funding they use to waste taxpayers’ monies. Reject their approach; each household member should decide if he or she can afford to spend. You decide affordability, not governments or merchants.
What Happens With An Unaffordable Home
To get a grip on this challenge, separate two decisions. First, can you afford your present home? Second, if no, how can you get affordable housing?
If you can’t afford your present home using my definition, move directly to question two. Don’t try to juggle the numbers by lowering or deferring a few months' mortgage. This does not deal with the root cause. Look at your lifestyle; understand renting can be a virtue. Some ownership arrangements give home owners significant risks with no equity. That’s why so many mortgages are higher than home values. While mulling over these two questions, review this article about when you're better off renting than buying a house.
If you are in an unaffordable home, this is a significant, difficult challenge. How you got there will vary from person to person. Some made bad choices, while unexpected events jolted others. Still, there is no easy way out. Did you make errors along the way? Ensure you learn from them. After exhausting realistic lifestyle changes, consider lifestyle counseling with a trusted counselor, while exploring avenues to increase income. You might conclude you need to sell the home and begin renting, which is fine. This journey could be long, but rewarding for the future if you learned from your errors, and developed a healthy attitude to lifestyle management. seven housing myths.
Debt Free Lifestyle
Today, people don't consider affordability before spending. Instead, they look at payment terms. They think the item is affordable if they can pay the first few months installments—even if they take on debt. Considering the affordability of items before buying is crucial to living a debt free and stress free lifestyle—I suggest the overarching goal for each household should be to live a debt free lifestyle. That's why I recommend that households consider the affordability of each item before committing to spend. This led me to develop the Affordability Index.
I repeat, excluding your home, you can't afford to buy an item if you must borrow to get it. To buy a fridge, stove, or other consumer item, pay cash, including using a credit card and paying the full monthly balance. You might need to lease (borrow to buy) the first vehicle, but after paying it off, put aside the monthly payment in the <capital fund so you can pay cash for the next vehicle... repeat this process
Affordability Index Calculator
The Affordability Index Calculator will help you answer this questions: Can you afford your lifestyle? If you want to practice effective stewardship, you need to ensure you can afford to spend before you spend. The affordability index is a authenthic financial management tool designed to help you stay away from debt. If you use it routinely, you will live debt free.
We developed the Affordability Index to help folks decide, based on preset conditions, if they can afford major outlays. We defined affordability earlier as the ability to buy consumer items without going into debt, and without compromising prior needed commitments. This procedure does not replace dependence on God. Instead, it's meant to help you clarify wants from needs so you might focus your prayers. Let Jesus be your final decision maker. The Affordability Index quantifies contemplated spending decisions based on our PLANE Spending Analysis that asks these five questions:
- Did I Plan this expenditure and include it in my budget?
- Will the expenditure increase my Loans?
- Are there realistic Alternatives to achieve my spending objective?
- Is the expenditure Necessary to achieve my spending objective?
- Is this the most Effective use of resources now, relative to my life goals and budget goals?
The Affordability Index has two preconditions. First, define precisely the spending objective. Why am I spending? This is the key... understanding why. For instance, you might wish to change your car; but that's not a good spending objective. The real issue is this: What are my current and medium term transport needs? This is a different question that could produce a different answer. Mull ove this because poor spending objectives' definitions often lead to excessive spending based clever, seductive advertising.
The second precondition is to ensure the proposed spending conforms to the GAS Principle. If it does, answer the PLANE questions above based on a proper definition of your spending objective. After, fill in the Affordability Index Calculator below for the item you believe fits the objective. Decide to apply the Affordability Index to all spending on individual items greater than a predetermined amount. Couples should use it together.
Affordability Index Calculator
Ask yourself these questions first:
1. What am I buying? What's my objective?
2. Why am I buying this? (Don't assume you need an item being replaced. Re-justify it. Define the need generically: you don't need a car, you need transport, which the public system could supply.)
"PLANE" Questions
Plan
This is a spending decision process. Decide if the amount is in your budget or can be accommodated therein without overspending the total budget. If it's in, select "0." Otherwise, it's "Not Budgeted".
Loans
If you will pay by credit card, select "Unchanged" only if you resereved funds to pay the full credit card balance when it is due.
Alternatives
Is there an alternative to do the same objective? Not an alternative objective, but an alternative to achieve the same objective. The Affordability Index assumes you identified the need to do the objective already. This question helps to decide if you can afford to carry out this need.
Necessary
Is this item you plan to buy Necessary for the stated objective. If you aim to "provide transport" is it necessary to buy a top of the line Mercedes, versus a more economical car? However, beware, you do not swing the other way and buy a car that will need continuing maintemance.
Effective
Is this item you plan to buy Necessary for the stated objective. If you aim to "provide transport" is it necessary to buy a top of the line Mercedes, versus a more economical car? However, beware, you do not swing the other way and buy a car that will need continuing maintemance.
Scoring System:
If the total of the five selected items is less than 6, you can afford this item. If the total of the five selected items is "6" or greater, you cannot afford this. But, this is merely an initial guide. Mull over the process and the result. Wait at least 24-hours and re-read the affordability definition above before your final decision.