Have a Family Help Fund Ready
As people, we live in a community. We have relatives and friends and neighbors around us. Then, there are the underprivileged among us. All of us, at some point in our lives, would need money. It would be great to have some ready funds to help those who are in distress without stressing our existing budget. In our family, we call that our help fund.
Why Do You Need to Have a Help Fund
So why did we establish a family help fund? Here are the reasons why.
There are people who need help.
We are social animals, so that means we rely on each other even in times of need. We just cannot avoid financial pitfalls. When that happens to a close friend or relative, can you just turn a blind eye?
Of course, not. But sometimes, we can also be hard up and end up not extending any help. Sometimes, this can be misconstrued as not wanting to help or that you just don’t care. And relationships can get sour. In the end, you feel bad that you were not able to help your friend or relative.
Teaches us to live simply.
We spend on things we don’t need. A lot of times, we overextend ourselves in terms of food, fashion, and entertainment. While we think that we deserve it because we are the ones earning, sometimes it can become excessive. We don’t have to follow YOLO and FOMO moves.
There is wisdom and satisfaction in frugality as well. For the little amount that you set aside each month from your salary, you know that eventually, it will help somebody go through a difficult time. It is actually empowering.
Teaches the kids to extend help.
If we set up a family help fund, our kids will understand that in this world, we don’t only live for ourselves. There are other people who badly need money more than us. We may not be able to help everybody, but we can help those who are around our vicinity–the people closest to us.
It also helps kids to budget their money.
We don’t want to upset our family budget unnecessarily.
A lot of us save for the things that we need and want. It could be for a car, the family home, children’s tuition fees, your child’s birthday party, or for family travel. You have been saving for these goals for months or even years, depending on the amount and the size of the goal. You haven’t touched these funds, even though you also became in need at some point.
In order to still be able to help and not remove funds from your various savings, you can take out money from your help fund. That way, you will not feel bad that you touched the money that you have worked hard to save up for so long.
We can avoid giving out loans.
I have a thing about giving out loans. That is because through the years, I have seen people getting burned because of lending, even to people who used to be so close to them.
It’s just so emotional to lend your money to a friend in order get her through a tough spot. But for some reason or the other, she can’t or won’t pay you. Trust is betrayed and relationships are destroyed. And it hurts more if you see her posts on Facebook, flaunting a new purchase or going on vacations.
So I would rather give as much as I can. But I will also avoid lending.
How to Take Care of Your Help Fund
Just like any progressive or living thing, your help fund needs some love and care. It’s living because it grows as well as it gives hope and life to the people you help. So how do you take care of it?
Add to it regularly.
So how do you earn? Are you a freelancer like me or are you a salaried employee? Set aside a part of your income and put it in your help fund. You can start small or delegate a certain percentage of your income to make it grow. Make it a habit, like feeding your children.
Put it where you can easily take it out.
Honestly, I don’t put our help fund inside the bank. If somebody has a need, it is easier to take out. If it’s in the bank, it would be easy for you to deny somebody because it’s a hassle to go to the bank and make a withdrawal.
If you have deposited your help fund along with all your money, you will easily mistake it as your own. If you open a separate bank account for it, you need to spend for the minimum balance. So instead, I keep it at home. I keep it where it’s not very easy for me to get it for my personal needs but it’s easy enough to take out for somebody else’s need.
Budget your help fund.
My husband and I have to agree where we allocate our help fund. If there’s a need, we talk about it and agree as to how much we are going to extend. Sometimes, our help fund gets depleted but we can’t help it when there are so many needs around us. We have to be “led” towards it. We let our hearts speak to us. We can give as low as P500 to as high as P15,000 to a single person, depending on the need and the availability of our funds.
Don’t take anything from your help fund for personal use.
This is where you need to exercise self control. It is so easy to tell yourself that you have some idle funds sitting somewhere in the house. So you have to make that decision not to touch it for personal use. Treat it as money that you don’t own anymore because you have already intended it for somebody else.
The Economy of God
Do we worry about our own expenses? We get concerned, of course, especially if there’s a pending big expense like school enrollment or bills to pay. But we do not let worry swallow us. It strengthens our faith when we have a need and God provides for that mysteriously.
Also, we have observed that the more we give, God replaces us with something better and something more. The kindness that we extend comes back to us, sometimes in better form. So don’t worry about giving more. God’s economy is different from our worldly view.
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,we have observed that the more we give, God replaces us with something better and something more. absoultely agree, we should keep helping the needy people …. and also establish a help fund.
It is easy to think of ourselves, so much so that your own funds are always geared towards your family’s comfort, leisure, pleasure and ultimate survival. But oh what a beautiful idea of the help fund, a no-guilt account to help out others at your discretion. I think for some, there are instances that the heart wants to help, but the finances can’t. This is a wonderful idea for adults and children to help someone, to show compassion, and watch how God’s blessings manifest through your giving and perhaps one day, some way or another, through receiving help from others as well. Wonderful article!
I completely agree with having a family fund in case of an emergency. For our situation, we are currently living overseas and having this type of fund could help us in unknown territory. But a help fund is also a good one to start for those in need.
This is an awesome idea and something that I would hope everyone would adopt. I’ve always believed in people coming together for the greater good of humanity and setting up a help fund seems like a great first start to that. Thank you for sharing!
Well I like this idea. A nice addition to an emergency fund. There are so many times someone else is in need and you think, “If only I had $500 to help them out.” Now you can with a help fund.
Ain’t that true. Start your help fund, John. 😀
I love this post! We live next door to a family that is currently very much in need. We have a budget set aside for them and we help them each month. I love the idea of having a special help fund for people in need. I love that you included God into this. I’m a religious person and we have tithe set aside out of my husband’s paycheck. We split the tithe between the family I mentioned above and our church. I think more people should set up a help fund to help those in need.
Thanks for sharing your story Jessica. I believe you are heaven-sent to your neighbor 😀
This is such a beautiful and amazing idea! I have never heard of people doing this! So amazing to have a help fund.
This is awesome. People who genuinely care about others stepping up and being proactive to help the unfortunate. We may never know when circumstance will put us in bind and in a need of help. This is really cool that you all are doing this with your family’s help fund.
This is such a great act of kindness that all people should follow. It is always great to give back to the community too. Great idea to have a help fund at hand!
what a great post! I truly believe in helping people outside of our friends and family too… We all matter and if others can swing it, they should help, why not?!
I love the idea of having a help fund and hope the readers become inspired to do more ; )
What a nice idea of having a help fund! I completely agree with you about the reasons for having one. What touched me was when you wrote – when you give, God replaces that with something better (And more)…paraphrasing here! Thanks for sharing such valuable insight.
Yes, that’s so true. Glad you read through the end 😀 Hope you can also start your help fund 😀
I was thinking to write about this but you posted already. Anyways I agree with all the points but there are instances as well where heart wants to help, but the finances can’t. It is always a great idea of having a help fund!
This is such a beautiful idea. I had never heard of a help fund before. but i think it is really helpful to have extra money handy!
I loved this post. What a lovely idea to have a help fund, such a brilliant concept and a really admirable thing to do
I only think about savings but I’ve actually never thought about help funds which is definitely my consideration from today. No wonder I keep on diving into my savings for emergencies and in the long run, I’m having no savings. Food for thought for sure!
This is such a good initiative. I love giving back to people who are in need. so far giving in time, but i like this idea too, of having a help fund ready.
Yes I totally agree with this post. Its spot on to have a help fund. It is important that we can save some money and keep it for a rainy day when you need money for a sudden operation or if someone falls sick in the family.
What an amazing and thoughtful idea to help those out that are close to you. It’s best to always have a help fund at hand.
What a great and enlightening post! I love the subject of a family help fund because although things happen in life (it always seems to happen) there are some things that can’t be replaced. Like extending help when necessary … that goes a longer way than anything.
I totally agree with this practice. My husband and I have this compassion fund, which serves as our fund helping relatives, friends in need. We do it on a regular basis and one reason is not to mess our regular budget too.
Oh that’s awesome that we have the same idea! 😀 Let’s keep it up Eliza! 😀
These are great tips for a family help fund and also very important that your kids participate on those too! Will have this in mind for the future!
Great tips in establishing a family help fund. All families can make use of this reserved fund.
This is a great idea. I need to implement a help fund in my lifestyle. I will have this in mind for the future. Thanks for sharing this blog post.
I love the idea of earmarking funds to help others! Since we’ve started attending a church that doesn’t accept tithes and offerings, it’s been a unique challenge to find other ways to make our money effect good change in the world. Finding ways to be intentional about meeting felt needs in our community is an awesome idea. Thanks for sharing this with us!
This is such a great idea for helping others. I love how you are blessing others and teaching your children, too!
Much better po talaga if may emergency fund po tayo..Ang Sarap sa pakiramdam ung makatulong ka po na kahit sa unting halaga lang.