Dear Dave,

As a Christian, I always give to my church. I was wondering if you think it’s okay to also give to local causes, such as animal shelters, scholarship funds and other things.

- Annie

Dear Annie,

Certainly, it’s okay. I think people should give to lots of different things if they’ve been blessed.

As a Christian, you probably know that you’re called to tithe. That means one-tenth of your income – off the top and before anything else – should go to your church. Beyond that, anything you give is an offering, which is over and above the tithe.

When it comes to offerings, our family picks several ministries and non-profit organizations around the community and gives generously to them rather than sending small amounts to more places.

Giving is a lot more than just moving money from your wallet to the collection plate or a charity. It’s a matter of caring, and realizing there are others who are less fortunate than you. Give freely of your money AND your time and talents, Annie. The more people you help, the more joy you will experience!

- Dave

Dear Dave,

My small business has been very successful this year. I’d like to start a profit sharing program, but the company still has some debt. Should I wait until the debt is completely paid off to implement this idea?

- Mark

Dear Mark,

I’m glad you’re thinking this way. Sharing with your team changes the very culture of the company. Your team will see the rewards of their efforts. In my mind, it’s an absolute necessity when it comes to winning in business.

Debt elimination is also a very smart thing. When debt is out of the picture, your cash flow and profits increase and your risk is reduced. Plus, if you’re thinking about a profit sharing plan, it will give you more money to share with your team!

So, what you have here is two good ideas. Give both of them a shot! Find a balance between the profit sharing and debt payments, and see what happens. When your debt is paid off, you can increase the profit sharing because you’ll have more money to go around!

- Dave

Dear Dave,

My company makes me use my personal credit card for overseas travel. They take care of my expenses, but sometimes they don’t send the money until after the payment is due. Does this affect my credit score?

- Marshall

Dear Marshall,

Unless you pay on time instead of waiting for their money, you bet it affects your credit score! It’s your card! You signed for it, and it’s in your name. Every late payment affects your credit bureau score.

I don’t know who you work for, but this is a very dangerous and bad practice – both by you and your company. Your company is using your credit and abusing you in the process. One of these days they’re not going to pay you, and then you’ll have a mess on your hands!

Talk to them about furnishing you with a corporate card. Better yet, a corporate debit card! If your employer is going to send you overseas, or anywhere on the road, it shouldn’t cost you money or cause you problems.

-Dave