A simple, biblical framework for building a life where generosity comes first, the future is funded, and the present is lived fully — on what remains.
The first portion belongs to God. This is your tithe — returned to the Church, where it funds the mission, the community, and the work of the kingdom. Off the top, before anything else.
The second portion belongs to your future self. Emergency fund, retirement, big purchases, student loans — this is the margin that turns one bad month from a crisis into an inconvenience.
Everything else — rent, food, transport, fun, clothing, subscriptions — comes from here. It is your life. Enjoy it. Build it. Be generous with it toward people. Just do it on what remains.
Giving before anything else is the practical expression of the truth that God is the owner. When you write that first transfer — tithe to the church, off the top of your paycheck — you are not being religious. You are being accurate about reality. It was never all yours to begin with.
This is not a rule to follow. It is a posture to practice. And that posture, practiced over months and years, reshapes how you hold everything else. Generous people are less anxious, less materialistic, and more free. That is not coincidence. It is design.
"Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."
Saving 15% is aggressive for most young adults — but it is the number that builds real financial resilience. This bucket is not one thing. It is a prioritized stack of financial goals that you fill in order.
The emergency fund comes first — three to six months of expenses in a savings account you do not touch. After that, retirement contributions (especially if your employer matches). After that, targeted savings goals — a car, a down payment, debt payoff. Every dollar in this bucket is buying your future self options and stability.
"Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it."
After giving 10% and saving 15%, you have 75% to build your actual life on. For most young adults, this is more than enough — if you are intentional with it. The goal of this bucket is not deprivation. It is clarity. You know exactly what you have to work with, and you can live fully within it.
Housing, food, transportation, subscriptions, clothing, eating out, entertainment, gifts — all of it comes from this number. The discipline is not feeling guilty every time you spend on something fun. It is making sure that when you do, it fits within the 75%.
Here is what the 10/15/75 framework looks like across three common income levels for young adults. These are monthly gross income examples.
| Bucket | % | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Give (Tithe) | 10% | $200 |
| Save | 15% | $300 |
| Live | 75% | $1,500 |
| Total | 100% | $2,000 |
You do not need a perfect budget. You need a starting point. Here is how to build the 10/15/75 framework into your life right now, even if you are starting from zero.
Add up your actual net pay after taxes for the month. This is the number you work with. If your income is variable (tips, freelance, hourly), use an average of the last three months.
Go to Church Center or your bank and set up an automatic transfer of 10% to go out on payday. Do this first, before anything else. If you wait until the end of the month, it will not happen.
Open a free high-yield savings account (Ally, Marcus, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, etc.) and set up an automatic transfer of 15% on payday into it. Label it "Emergency Fund" until you have 3–6 months saved.
Rent, utilities, phone, car payment, insurance, subscriptions — write them all down. Add them up and subtract from your 75%. What remains is your flexible spending for the month.
Sit down for 10 minutes on the 1st and 15th and look at where you are. Are you over in any category? Under? Adjust. Budgeting is not a set-it-and-forget-it — it is a monthly conversation with yourself about your values.
Read the five biblical truths about money and stewardship from Rob McDowell's session.