What is a tax refund? I know it may sound silly, but I really want you to think about it. What is it?

A tax refund is just that – a refund of your own hard-earned money. It is not a random gift or a stroke of good luck. It didn’t just come out of nowhere… and it’s NOT extra money. It’s money you worked hard to earn.

According to Time magazine, 3 out of 4 Americans receive refunds, averaging around $3,000 each, after filing their taxes. And while that may seem like a huge relief to some people, it may look like a free shopping spree to others. But today I want us to look at what it really is.

See, we (and I’m not just talking about Americans here…) live in a total “microwave” society today, where we do what we want, when we want, just because we can, without giving any thought to our financial future. And where has that gotten us? We have traded our financial freedom for more stuff, more debt and more bondage.

We fall into the trap of “more-more-more,” until we find ourselves buried alive in debt. So many people are in constant financial strain, and yet we are more concerned about our stuff than we are about our long-term financial future!

I know right now you’re saying, “Okay Dani, so what does this have to do with my tax refund?”

There’s one rule proven to be true over and over again, and it is true here. Find out what everyone else is doing and do the exact opposite. You may have heard me say this before: 98% of the population will end up dead or dead broke by the age of 65, dependent on their friends, family, or the federal government as their main source of income. On the other hand, 2% are doing well financially.

So what can you do to cross over from the 98% to the 2% this tax season? Here are a few ideas:

1. Keep your goals in mind. When you get a large, unexpected (or expected) chunk of change in your hand, it can be easy to lose sight of the financial goals you have set for yourself. Whether you have a goal to pay off $10,000 of debt, give $10,000 away to orphans, or invest $10,000 this year, do not lose sight of that goal!
2. Resist temptation. There are all kinds of sales and advertisements, and even articles from so-called “financial experts” giving tons of ideas on how to spend your tax refund this year. They are trying to sell you everything from new clothes to a new grill, video games, or even a down payment on a new car. I’m telling you, don’t go there!
3. Invest. So instead of spending your tax refund foolishly, choose to put that money aside for investing! This way you have a chance to make your money work for you without the fear of losing big.

Here’s what I know about you. You are not called to be one of those people. You were designed for wealth and freedom. How do I know that? Because you are here right now, reading this. Because you have a desire to succeed financially. You have a desire to see your children, your friends, and your community live debt-free, totally financially independent lives.

I would love to know what you think about today’s message. Are you getting (or have you gotten) a tax refund this year? What do you plan to do with it? I can’t wait to read your comments. But I also have a few more ideas on how to spend your tax refund that I can’t wait to share with you tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Join us today! We’ll be live on the air this afternoon at 12:00 pm ET/11:00 AM CT for The Dani Johnson Show daily.

In great faith,

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