Cash Back
It is not your business to succeed, but to do
right: when you have done so, the rest lies with God. C.S. Lewis
Have you ever really thought about cash back? You know the commercials that advertise you
can get cash back on tires, gas, groceries etc…. The commercial is intended to make you spend
more but they make it sound so enticing.
It is kind of ironic don’t you think that they sell us on buying more so
you can get something back.
In reality they are trying to convince us that the more you spend the
more you save. What kind of thinking is
that? I am currently reading a book
about business. In the book it talks
about how every transaction that we do in business should be a win-win-win for
everyone involved. What does that
mean? It means that the business owner
is not in it just to make money. If you
run your business with a win-win-win theory, it means that the business owner
wins, the supplier for the business wins and the customer wins. What a concept.
What normally happens is companies are greedy so they do whatever it
takes to win. This means they will cheat
the customer, charge outrageous prices or take advantage of their
suppliers. In this case with credit
cards they will charge extremely high interest rates so that they can offer
cash back. They want you to think you
are making money by using your credit card.
Let’s take vehicles for an example.
The average car dealer markup fee is typically between 2-5%. This number
represents the amount of money the dealer automatically raises the price to
ensure a profit. This is not the final sale price, which is often higher. For
example: a car comes in at dealer invoice (what the dealer pays for it) of
$20,000. The dealer marks it up 2-5% (this is their listed invoice price) and
then assigns an MSRP price on it that is even higher. Should you negotiate the
dealer down to invoice, they still make a 2-5% profit on the vehicle
anyway.
I am not trying to pick on the car dealers. You find the same thing in furniture
showrooms, grocery stores, gas stations and all sorts of businesses. God never intended for us to use greed as a
motivator for business. God intended us
to own businesses but our intent should not be to make the most we can
make. God’s perfect plan is for us to
charge a reasonable price and in that perfect plan the customer will return
because they know you are not cheating them.
If everything I own is God’s, how can I use it to cheat others to get
ahead.
Prayer for the Day:
Heavenly Father, I get frustrated with buying things in today’s world. Retailers spend extreme amounts of money on
advertising that is intended to make us think we are getting a good deal, when
the reality greed is the primary motivation.
There are still companies out there that charge a fair amount for
whatever they are selling. I thank You
for those companies that strive to be what You call any business to be. Please help me to use discernment when I am
spending Your money so that I may do so wisely.
Scripture: Now godliness with contentment is
great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we
can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be
content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into
many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For
the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed
from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:6-10
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