Financial Advice Not Reaching Black America

According to an article distributed by the Afro American Newspapers, we aren’t getting the same financial advice as our white counterparts: Only two out of every 10 African-Americans are on a path to achieve their retirement goals, according to a six-month-old survey of Blacks conducted by a major wealth manager. The study, entitled “The African-American [...]

The Money Mom: I Am Thankful!

This past November we celebrated Thanksgiving. For many of us, we had turkey, dressing, pies, cakes, and family on our minds. And I was no exception. I love that time of the year because I get to take time off from work to be with my family. This is not always easy for me to [...]

Giving the Gift of Gift Cards…Hold Up a Minute

Gift cards are my go-to gift for children, teenagers, brides, and mothers-to-be.  Even more so after reading that we spend over $57 billion a year on unwanted gifts.  I think I’ve received at least a couple million dollars worth. So giving the gift of gift cards seems like the best option, right?  Right.  But there [...]

Black Friday Might Not Be For You…

We were having a little fun on Twitter yesterday noting the many reasons why you should not partake in the Black Friday shopping orgy.  And while many observations were said in jest, it is a way of speaking the truth.  Many of these admonitions are based on our own personal failings, mistakes, and lessons learned.  [...]

Personal Finance Roundup

Several articles worth reading for getting your finances in order. Newsweek has a great article outlining the five signs that you’re headed for bankruptcy.  Those signs include using your credit cards for groceries and other housing expenses, not having health insurance, abusing a home equity line of credit, living paycheck to paycheck, and co-signing loans.   But [...]

Remember Layaway?

Remember when you actually had to put your school clothes in layaway in July and August so you could have enough time to pay it off before school started in September?  There was no instant gratification back in the day.  If you wanted that new purse or new outfit, you had to put more than [...]

Last Minute Shopping? Don’t Lose Your Financial Head

Last minute Christmas shopping is usually when all financial sense goes out of the window. If you’re still shopping for that perfect gift, keep the following advice and tips in mind: When in doubt, don’t buy it. Just get a gift card. Afrobella has some great gift ideas for natural sistas (t-shirts, hair products, etc.). [...]

Do You Really Need A Landline Telephone?

I must admit I haven’t answered my home phone in months it seems.  The only people who call me at home are people I don’t know.  These include telemarketers, rogue bill collectors looking for some strange man that doesn’t live in my house, and wrong number callers. I typically check my home voicemail once it [...]

Bulking Up May Not Save You Money

I’ve never been a fan of buying in bulk. As a matter of fact, I’ve got friends and family members that take the notion a little too seriously. I’m all for saving money, but not at the expense of towering rolls of paper towel I have nowhere to put. Now it appears that it may [...]

Nickled and Dimed? Fight Bill Creep

Karen Blumenthal writes in the Wall Street Journal on ways to combat extra fees that mysteriously show up on your bills: The bane of my budget isn’t a trip to the mall or dining out, but an insidious creature who takes more than his share when I’m not looking. I call him “Bill Creep.” You almost certainly know him if you have two of the most wonderful conveniences of modern life: a cellphone and cable or satellite TV. But you may also recognize his wily nature if you have stuff stashed in a storage unit, belong to a health club or subscribe to a video-rental service.

Next Page »