Easter 2013 marks a difficult time for both consumers and churches – as Americans are still struggling to recover from the financial crisis and recession, so are the churches that depend on donations to stay afloat. Top personal finance resource, www.GoBankingRates.com, explores how individuals celebrating Easter can stay true to their church tithing commitment when their budgets are tight.
EL SEGUNDO, CA (March 30, 2013) – Those who will be celebrating Easter 2013 are familiar with church tithing – the idea that 10% of Christians' incomes should be donated to the church. However, Deseret News reports the religious sector is still hurting from the economic crisis and high unemployment rate of its contributors, with church donations growing at less than half the rate of all charitable giving as of last year.
In its Easter 2013 report, GoBankingRates answers the question of whether churchgoers should attempt church tithing when their savings finances are tight, especially considering churches are becoming increasingly desperate for contributions in a sluggish economy.
While many financial experts, including Dave Ramsey, recommend making church tithing the most important line item in a budget, the GoBankingRates report explains that Easter celebrants should not overextend themselves to meet the 10% tithing requirement.
Expert contributor to GoBankingRates, Paul Sisolak, explains, "In the event of true financial crisis, your primary obligation is getting your finances in order. The quicker you can make this happen, the faster you'll be able to fulfill your 10 percent tithing commitment."
Sisolak adds, "If debt, bankruptcy or the risk of losing your assets truly stand in the way of keeping a roof over your head, charitable donating is just not possible."
However, the report lists a number of ways consumers can make room in their budgets for church tithing, as well as still contribute on Easter 2013 even if it's not monetarily.
View the details of report here.
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GoBankingRates.com is a national website dedicated to connecting readers with the best interest rates on financial services nationwide, as well as informative personal finance content, news and tools. GoBankingRates collects interest rate information from more than 4,000 U.S. banks and credit unions, making it the only online rates aggregator with the ability to provide the most comprehensive and authentic local interest rate information.