Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten Season for Christians. Lent can be a great time to focus on spiritual renewal and refresh our financial habits. As Christians, when we profess to believe that everything we have comes from God, that includes our money. Are we being good stewards of the money that God has provided us with? Lent can be a great time to examine if we’re managing our money in a way that aligns with God’s Will.
If you’re new to Lent, there are three disciplines to Lent: Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. And they go hand in hand. When it comes to managing money it can simply be broken down into:
Prayer: The first thing that I think we all should do is to pray over our money. I know that sounds so strange and even foreign to us in modern society but if as Christians we claim to believe that everything we have is a gift from God well then that includes our money. Therefore we should treat our money as if it’s really His money and we should pray over it and ask His direction.
Fasting: Go on a spending fast for Lent. Does Amazon show up at your door every week? Cut out shopping on Amazon for Lent. Take the money you would have spent on Amazon and instead give it to the poor or wherever God leads you. Have issues with impulse buying? Go on a spending fast and only spend money on transportation, bills, and groceries. Have issues with eating out all the time? Go on a eating out fast and only eat your meals at home or bring your lunch with you to work. Where are you weakest in your money management?
Almsgiving: God does not call us to give only when we have an abundance of money. We are very clearly called to give even when we don’t have anything to give. That’s why the first discipline of Lent is prayer – we’re supposed to pray and ask God what He wants us to do. Then we’re supposed to obey even when it doesn’t make any sense. Ask God to show you how to give and then trust Him. Trust that if he tells you to give more than you think you can possibly give, do it anyway. I promise you’ll be surprised at how He shows up in your life.
Now, here are some more “practical” money management tips for Lent that align with themes of simplicity, sacrifice, and intentionality:
1. Practice Financial Fasting
💰 Cut Out Unnecessary Spending – Challenge yourself to give up dining out, impulse shopping, or luxury purchases.
📆 Try a No-Spend Challenge – Pick one day a week (or weekends) where you only spend on essentials.
🍽 Cut Out Eating Out – Instead of eating out during Lent, challenge yourself to fast from it and only eat meals at home or those that you bring to work/school.
2. Give Generously & Purposefully
🙏 Tithe or Donate – Set aside a portion of your budget to support your church, a charity, or someone in need.
📦 Declutter & Give – Sell unused items and donate the proceeds to the poor.
3. Simplify Your Financial Life
📝 Audit Subscriptions & Expenses – Unsubscribe from services you don’t use and redirect the savings. How many apps are you paying for that you no longer use? Redirect the money to a charity of your choice.
🏦 Automate Savings & Giving – Set up automatic transfers to your savings account or donation sinking fund.
4. Align Your Spending with Your Values
💡 Spend Mindfully – Before purchasing, ask, “Does this reflect my faith and priorities?” Remember, prayer is the first step – pray and ask God if this purchase is really what you should be spending the money on.
🥗 Meal Plan & Reduce Waste – Avoid food waste and unnecessary spending by planning meals ahead.
Emeals has a two-week trial of their meal plan that you can sign up for here. Just remember to cancel before the trial ends.
5. Use This Time to Build a New Habit
📖 Read a Faith-Based Finance Book – Consider devotionals like Faithful Finances to reflect on money from a biblical perspective. Or make a list of book recommendations from friends at church and then head to your local library!
🧾 Set a Goal for Easter – Whether it’s paying off a small debt, saving $100, or giving more, use Lent to take meaningful financial steps.
If you’d like other ideas for spiritual reads to read during Lent, these have been some of my favorites:
The Return of the Prodigal Son (I highly recommend every Christian read this one. It’s the most convicting book I’ve ever read.)
The Way (This book has short blurbs that are perfect for reading before going to bed or starting your day.)
A Severe Mercy (This book will break your heart in the most heartbreakingly beautiful way.)
The Seven Last Words (This book focuses on the last seven words spoken by our Lord.)
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