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Merry Christmas!

This year, instead of our usual Christmas episode where we dive into a biblical text and explore its connection to stewardship, we’re taking a different direction.

As the year draws to a close, many listeners find themselves blessed with year-end bonuses, additional income, or financial gifts. While it’s tempting to view these funds as “extra” for personal enjoyment, they present a unique opportunity for intentional stewardship. How we manage these financial gifts reflects our current values and priorities, and it allows us to honor God with these additional resources, aligning with His principles of wise management.

In this episode, we’ll discuss practical, biblically grounded steps for stewarding year-end bonuses and unexpected income—ways to meet our personal needs while also investing in the kingdom and impacting others.

 

How to Steward Year-End Bonuses and Extra Income

This is extra money, it’s not money that you need to make your budget work! We certainly understand that there are people who are living so close to the end that these bonuses are how they stay in the green.

Be very careful about making assumptions on bonuses. It could be more or less. There might not be any! Don’t rely on it. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch!



Types of extra incomes

  • Year end bonuses – These are unpredictable! The amount may vary, and you may or may not actually get a bonus. 
  • 3rd paychecks – These are more predictable. You typically know how much your paychecks will be and when you will receive them. 
  • Receiving money as a gift – Total surprise!
  • Owner draws – As an owner, if your business is profitable, you are able to take out the profit as a draw.

 

How to view extra income

Shift your mindset. Instead of seeing a bonus or extra income as “free money,” view it as an opportunity to improve financial stability. Don’t make these dollars “orphan dollars.” Instead, make these funds serve a purpose. Purposes could include:

  • Generosity
  • Paying off debt
  • Emergency fund
  • Etc…

 

Putting a purpose on extra income and funds

As mentioned, use these funds with a purpose. 

Extra Paychecks – Many people budget 2 paychecks per month. If you are paid bi-weekly, you will receive a 3rd paycheck 2 times per year. Instead of thinking of this money as free money, you could assign a purpose to this money. It could be a home repair, a blessing to someone else, or maybe you have to put it in your emergency fund to help recoup from an unexpected expense. There is a caveat. You need to not have it in your monthly budget. 

Tyler likes to use this extra paycheck to add more to his family’s house savings account. 

Bonuses – Because you cannot predict what this amount will be (or whether or not there will be one), it can be more difficult to assign a purpose to this category of funds. You may not be able to plan on covering a house expense or something large due to the unexpected nature of bonuses. Instead, you could use these funds in ways that we will be describing in a few minutes.

Tyler likes to put bonuses into his daughter’s 529 Education plan. 

Receiving money as a gift – Many times, we receive these gifts and they are for a specific purpose. If that is the case, honor the gift giver and make it go towards what was intended! 

Drew has received a gift to install a ceiling fan in his garage. He chose to honor the gift giver and make sure the funds went towards its intended purpose. 

Owner Draws – Have a plan for what you want to do with this share of money. Many times it is used to pay off business debt, be generous, pay taxes, or add to emergency reserves.

 

Here are a handful of ways that you and I can use and steward year-end bonuses or extra income in a way that aligns with biblical principles of generosity, responsibility, stewardship and gratitude:

 

Giving and Generosity

  • Tithe: Dedicate the first 10% to your local church, honoring God as the source of all provision (Malachi 3:10).
  • Give to Missions: Support international or local missionaries spreading the gospel.
  • Donate to a Ministry Organization: Partner with Christian organizations doing work in areas like education or evangelism.
  • Sponsor a Child: Through programs like Compassion or World Vision, help lift a child out of poverty.
  • Contribute to Disaster Relief: Support a Christian organization aiding areas impacted by natural disasters.  We all know that there is a great need today because of the many hurricanes this year.
  • Donate to Pro-Life Causes: Support ministries working to protect and advocate for the sanctity of life.
  • Give to a Bible Translation Ministry: Help provide the Word of God to people in their native language.
  • Bless a Family in Need: Help someone in your church or community facing financial difficulties.  The goal is help in a time of need…not enable.
  • Set Up a Family Giving Fund: Create a fund that allows for spontaneous giving opportunities throughout the year.
  • Do some random acts of kindness!  Pay Someone’s Grocery Bill or Gas: Randomly pay for someone’s essentials to bless them anonymously.
  • Host a Generosity Challenge in Your Church: Encourage others by setting up a matching fund for their giving.
  • Create a Meal Basket: Provide meals for families in need during or after the holidays.
  • Fund a Ministry Project: Help fund a special project within your church, like outreach events.
  • Give to a Church Building Fund: Help support building expansions or renovations.
  • Set Up a Scholarship for College Students: Help students from your church fund their education.
  • Bless Your Pastor(s):  Considering giving a gift (financial or physical) to your Pastor(s) during this holiday season
  • Sponsor Life Institute’s Stewardship Lifestyle Seminar at your church! 

Responsible Financial Planning

  • Pay Down Debt: Use extra income to pay down credit cards, loans, or mortgages.  Get that debt “monkey” off your back!
  • Build or Add to an Emergency Fund: Secure savings for unforeseen expenses (Proverbs 21:20).
  • Start or Contribute to a Retirement Fund: Plan wisely for the future to maintain financial independence.
  • Open or Add to a College Fund for Children or Grand Children: Save for future educational expenses to reduce or eliminate student loan burdens.
  • Save for Large Upcoming Expenses: Anticipate and save for events like a wedding, car replacement, or medical expenses.
  • Contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA): Use tax-advantaged savings for healthcare expenses.
  • Establish a Household Maintenance Fund: Save for home repairs to avoid emergency financial stress.  You do know that there will be that needed…yet unexpected repair coming your way soon! 

Personal and Spiritual Growth

  • Attend a Christian Conference or Retreat: Engage in events that encourage and deepen your faith.
  • Purchase Quality Bible Study Tools: Invest in tools like a study Bible, commentary, or software for Bible research.
  • Enroll in a Seminary Course: Deepen your theological understanding by taking a course or two if you’re feeling called to study.
  • Take a Mission Trip and/or Family Missions Trip: Save for and participate in a mission trip to serve others and spread the gospel.
  • Invest In Your Marriage (if you are married):  Plan a retreat or go do a multi-day marriage retreat to bring the two of you closer together!

Hospitality and Community Engagement

  • Host a Fellowship Dinner: Use extra income to open your home for fellowship, encouraging Christian community.
  • Upgrade Your Home for Hospitality: Improve your living space to make it more welcoming for guests and gatherings.
  • Provide Meals to the Sick or Shut-Ins: Use funds to make or buy meals for those who are homebound or ill.
  • Provide Meals for “Soup Kitchens”:  Bless an ongoing ministry with either a donation of funds or food to take care of those in need.
  • Sponsor a Marriage Retreat: Help a couple (or couples) in your church attend a marriage retreat for growth and renewal.
  • Volunteer with Extra Resources: Use extra income to volunteer and fund projects with organizations you care about. Samaritans purse and other very helpful and hands-on ministries

Each of these suggestions represents an opportunity to use your resources in ways that honor God and bless others. When stewarded with prayerful intention, your year-end bonus or extra income can be a powerful tool for the kingdom, allowing you to live out Christ’s call to be “faithful in little” and trustworthy in much (Luke 16:10).



Stewardship Application:

How we choose to steward our year-end bonuses and extra income reflects our values and our faith. Rather than seeing these funds as just a means for personal gain, we can also view them as a unique opportunity to honor God and have an impact on others. 

Each extra dollar that we are blessed with at the end of the year holds the potential to serve His kingdom, whether through giving, planning wisely for our future, or investing in spiritual growth opportunities for you, your family and for your church. 

By prayerfully considering how to intentionally use this “extra” income that was entrusted to us, we can take these unexpected, and even sometimes expected financial blessings and turn them into acts of worship and faithfulness…all while joyfully and cheerfully embracing our role as good and faithful stewards of His “over-the-top” abundant provision.



Next Steps

 

Material presented is property of The Stewardology Podcast, a ministry of Life Financial Group and Life Institute. You may not copy, reproduce, modify, create derivative works, or exploit any content without the expressed written permission of The Stewardology Podcast. For more information, contact us at Contact@StewardologyPodcast.com or (800) 688-5800.

The topics discussed in this podcast are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations.Investing and investment strategies involve risk including the potential loss of principal. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

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