LILONGWE — Stanley and Chifundo Khumbanyiwa have a stack of bills on the table and groceries are expensive.

Stressed over a beyond-stretchable budget, they look for financial advice from an unlikely source—the Bible.

At a time when the global economy is plagued with inflation, recessions, unemployment, and uncertainty, the Lilongwe couple are among many that are relying on the Scriptures to help with money management. 

“The Bible actually has some very practical advice for families and daily living,” said Stanley, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. “It is the first thing we go to whenever we need direction.”

They also use a free resource, the organization’s official website jw.org, where they find many Bible-based articles that address today’s challenges. 

For example, the article, “How to Live on Less,” discusses four tips from the Bible on how to cope with an economic crisis: How to Live on a Limited Budget; Accept your changed situation; Work together as a family; Create a budget; Prioritize your expenses and make changes.

The Khumbanyiwa family applied this advice, and it’s working for them. Chifundo explained: “We are trying to live within our means and not envy what others have. We also have a garden where we grow maize, beans, and pumpkin leaves, which we are now eating and using to save money on relish. 

"We grow other vegetables behind our house as well. We are trying to manage our food wisely by not cooking too much and avoiding waste. This is helping us get by.”

Bonface and Pemphero Kalonga were struggling to make ends meet as a one-income household with their two kids. “It seemed like we never had enough money,” Bonface said. “But the Bible’s advice about living according to our means has helped me a lot. 

"For example, Matthew 6:34 says, ‘Never be anxious about the next day.’ This principle has helped us focus on doing things according to the situation at that moment, which makes life easier.”

The article on jw.org, “How to Control Spending,” has also helped the Kalonga family apply the Bible principle found at Luke 14:28 to first calculate expenses. 

They made a list of necessities such as food and clothing, projected a monthly “price tag” for each category, and stayed within that budget.

“If we have enough money for vegetables, we buy vegetables. We don’t force ourselves to live beyond our means. This has helped us stay out of debt and has also taught our children how to spend responsibly,” said Bonface. “Bible principles really do work!”