by Hope
I found a church I like here in Austin earlier in the summer. Although I continued to visit other churches that were closer to me, I really fell in love with this church. And now I can’t stand to miss a service.
And the best thing to me, or two best things to me, are 1) it’s super casual. I don’t have to even think about what I wear. Outside of them keeping the building freezing cold, I can wear whatever and no one looks at me sideways. This has always been a HUGE thing for me. Since I was a child. I have always hated “dressing” up. Like HATE!
And 2) they have Saturday service. I’ve never been to a church that had service any other day of the week, but this one has 2 services on Saturdays and 3 services on Sundays. And I absolutely LOVE going to church on Saturday afternoon.
I joined a small group during the summer. And then I began leading a small group in the fall. Continuing in both this winter/spring as well.
All that to say…
Tithing 10%
Last month, they did a whole series on giving. I think most churches do it every year as a lead into the year end giving drive. I’ve never really paid attention to it. Certainly never felt convicted to give.
And gave up donating and tithing pretty readily soon as I started writing here with the excuse that that money needed to go toward debt instead. Which in theory, might have been right, but the reality is, it didn’t. I spent it. Not wisely.
But that is the past, and this is the 2026 version of Hope. And I learned alot during my church’s end of the year series on giving. And was convicted that I need to start tithing again.
All in…so starting immediately. This year. I will be giving 10% of all income to my church.
Do you give? Tithing regularly or just when you are asked? Or feel like it?
Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.
Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.
Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.
How will this work in the absence of a budget? Without a concrete plan, this additional contribution will simply displace any savings you might have planned. Or even worse, a financial slip and the committed tithe will put you back into debt.
Please be very careful here.
I’ve always been committed to giving. But I’ve only done a true tithe for the last fourteen months. God has blessed me so much. I have it processed automatically once a month.
We’ve always tithed on our gross income. It was almost always our biggest annual expense. However I’m a little puzzled in retirement to figure out what to tithe on now. Every dollar that we invested was tithed on, same for the Social Security taxes we paid. So our income now in retirement is coming from sources we already tithed on. We still give generously, but the fact is, I have no idea what to apply the 10% to now that we are in the withdrawal phase of life.
I don’t tithe, I am not giving money to institutions that get tax breaks and do nothing for the people they’re preaching to. I don’t mind giving to charity, but a church is not it for me.
This is not a smart idea. You are not financially stable at all. If anything, you should be on the receiving end of charity, such as food banks or housing help. This is a wild choice that you can’t afford until you are out of debt and have housing.
They played you like a fiddle at that session about giving.
Oh Hope, please reconsider. While you do not have debt, you also have shockingly little retirement investments for someone your age. You cannot live at your church in 20 years, and no one there will pay your bills. I’m not sure how they convinced you to tithe, and while I know your intentions are good, hear me as another Christian woman: Jesus would support you savings and investing in your own retirement more than tithing.