It All Counts: A Faith-Based Guide to Talking About Money This Talk Money Week
In short
- Talk Money Week 2026 runs Monday 2 to Friday 6 November. It is run by the UK's Money and Pensions Service, and this year's theme is It All Counts.
- Scripture agrees: whoever is faithful in little is faithful in much (Luke 16:10). Small money decisions shape big outcomes.
- Five steps for this week: know where it goes, plan before you spend, give first, save on purpose, and talk about it at home.
- Start free with the stewardship check. It takes a few minutes and gives you one clear next step.
Most of us were never taught how to talk about money. Not at school, often not at home, and rarely at church. So we stay quiet, and the quiet costs us. Bills pile up unopened. Couples argue about the symptom and never the cause. Young people leave home knowing how to tap a card but not how to plan a month.
This week, organisations across the UK are joining Talk Money Week, and the message is simple: it all counts. Every pound, every small habit, every honest conversation. As a woman of faith, I would put it this way: it all counts because it all belongs to God.
"The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof." Psalm 24:1
Why talking about money is a stewardship issue
When we see money as ours, it becomes a private matter, often a source of pride or shame. When we see it as God's, entrusted to us for a season, it becomes a stewardship matter. Stewards give account. They check, they plan, they ask for wisdom, and they are not ashamed to talk about what they manage.
I know this from experience, not theory. Austin and I have been married since 1993 and raised four children. There were seasons when we did not talk about money as we should have, and our family felt it, right up to the point of losing our home. God, in His mercy, opened a door: a buyer came forward, which let us put things right, sell, and walk away with a fresh start. That season taught me the lesson I now teach: silence about money is never neutral. It always costs something.
Five steps for Talk Money Week (one a day)
Monday: Know where it goes
"Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds." Proverbs 27:23
Write down every outgoing this week, however small: the coffee, the subscription, the bus fare. You cannot steward what you cannot see. Most people find at least one leak they did not know about.
Tuesday: Plan before you spend
"The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness." Proverbs 21:5
Give every pound a job before the month starts. List your income, then your fixed bills, then giving and saving, then everything else. A plan is not a cage. It is permission to spend on what matters without guilt.
Wednesday: Give first
"Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase." Proverbs 3:9
Giving first is not a reward for having enough left over. It is a declaration of who owns it all, and it breaks the grip money tries to have on our hearts. Decide your giving before anything else in the plan.
Thursday: Save on purpose
"There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise." Proverbs 21:20
Start an emergency fund, even if it is £5 a week. Name it. A named fund is far easier to protect than a vague hope to "save more". Then fix the leaks you found on Monday and send the difference there.
Friday: Talk about it at home
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
Have one short money conversation with someone you love. Not a lecture: a question. Try, "What is one thing we spent on this month that we would not choose again?" Agree one small action and a date to talk again. Children who hear calm money conversations grow into adults who can have them.
What if you are already behind?
Then you are exactly who this week is for. Being behind is not a verdict on your worth. Start with Monday's step, and if debt is pressing, speak to a free, regulated service such as MoneyHelper, which is backed by the government. Faith and wise counsel work together.
"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Psalm 90:12
For schools, churches and groups
Many educators and church leaders want to mark Talk Money Week but have no time to build lessons. I have created faith-based money lessons you can use straight away:
- Free Day 1 lesson on Tes
- The stewardship workbook on Tes (£20)
- Group workbook licence, £150 a year or the live 5-week programme for your group, £497 (each for up to 30 learners)
Frequently asked questions
When is Talk Money Week 2026?
Monday 2 to Friday 6 November 2026. It is run by the Money and Pensions Service, and this year's theme is It All Counts.
What does the Bible say about managing money?
That everything belongs to God (Psalm 24:1) and we are stewards, not owners. Know the state of what you have (Proverbs 27:23), plan before you spend (Proverbs 21:5), give first (Proverbs 3:9), save wisely (Proverbs 21:20), and be faithful in small things (Luke 16:10).
How do I start talking about money with my family?
Pick a calm time, ask one question rather than giving a lecture, agree one small action, and set a date to talk again. Short, regular conversations work better than one big one.
What is one simple thing I can do this week?
Write down every outgoing for seven days, however small. Seeing where money goes is the first step of stewardship.
What is a stewardship check?
My free stewardship check is a short quiz at eruvwuobuaya.com that shows where you stand with planning, giving, saving and debt, and gives you one clear next step.
Your one thing this week
Take the free stewardship check. It takes a few minutes, and you will know exactly where to start.
Take the free stewardship check