CAN I AFFORD THAT?
I received a text message this week that informed me my Hulu subscription was about to be renewed. I don’t remember all the details, but a year ago I saw an offer for Hulu at 99 cents a month for one year. I ran some quick calculations and concluded we could spare $12 in 2022, so I signed up just to see what was available. (I also noted the date in my 2023 calendar with the memo “Cancel Hulu.”) Surprisingly, they actually warned me that my bill would soon jump to $14.99 a month. Since we’ve probably watched Hulu about twice this year, I concluded we could not afford $180 in 2023.
All that got me wondering about how much people spend on streaming services, and other unnecessary stuff, without “counting the cost.” A whole lot, it turns out. About half of households spend $50 – $100+ a month for streaming services in addition to basic TV services. Wow! (Anybody remember when rabbit ears and three networks were completely adequate?) I wonder how many folks with those high bills started out with a 99 cents trial offer? I won’t even try to guess what some folks spend a year at their daily coffee drive-thru.
About now you are probably asking, “What’s his point?” so let me get there. Last Sunday I reported on the status of the Know Your Bible television ministry. The numbers show that Northsiders continue to give generously to keep the program on the air and it’s much appreciated! But I didn’t mention that the giving comes from a relatively small percentage of the congregation. I understand that is normal; the old 80/20 rule applies to most everything. I also understand that there are a multitude of good works that need financing at Northside. Not everyone can afford to give to everything. But, what if??? What if everyone gave just a little bit every week or every month to our two major outreaches – KYB and the Missions fund? Consider this my 99 cents trial offer. What if YOU got on Realm, clicked on “Giving,” and “subscribed” $5 a week each to KYB and Missions? Could you afford that? I imagine the answer is overwhelmingly “yes.” If your answer is an easy “yes,” then try $50+ a month. Final thought: Go through your expenses and see how many “subscriptions” you really don’t use or need. Then cancel them and give that amount to a good work at Northside. You won’t find a better investment than helping sow the seed of the Kingdom!