Last week, I was on the train sitting next to a couple that was going to marry the next day. They were both wearing “bride” and “groom” sunglasses. They were smacking on gum and they had their feet up on the train seats next to them. The bride-to-be was scrolling through some pictures on her phone and the groom-to-be was looking on—commenting, and cheesing. They were in … [Read more...]
4 Questions to Ask Yourself When You Are Considering Leaving Your Current Job
You have been at a job for a few years and you are beginning to get restless. So, you throw your hat in the ring and apply for a few jobs that pique your interest. You go through the interview process, slay it, and are extended offers from all the potential employers. You tell your friends and family, but they seem more excited about the prospects than you. You ask … [Read more...]
3 Things that Will Make Your Goal of Being a Stay-at-Home Mom a Reality
My husband and I had dinner at a friend’s house last night. She and I had been classroom teachers together for many years, but after she married and got pregnant with her son, she decided that she wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. Her rationale was, “I’ve spent most of my life raising other people’s children, it’s time that I do the same for my own.” I agree with the … [Read more...]
How to Have Tough Money Conversations with Your Bae Without Starting an Argument
Last month, I spoke on at Financial Fortitude event for a Delta Sigma Theta chapter in NYC. The room was packed with black women in their 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s wanting tips and inspiration about how to govern their finances. Many of them were tired of just being fabulous; they wanted to be financially free and fiscally flawless. At the end of the panel, a woman came up to … [Read more...]
Here are 3 Things I Learned When I Left My Husband and Flew to London Alone
When I told my friends that I would be traveling to London by myself for vacation, they looked at me with the sideeye. The brave ones inquired as to why my husband wasn't going with me. I honestly think that they were worried about the state of my marriage. They thought that flying solo (literally) was a red flag that I was on the brink of separation. There was nothing … [Read more...]
Are You Dating a Married Man? Here are 6 Red Flags that You Are
One of my single friends came to me for some advice about a man that she was dating. While I don’t consider myself a relationship coach, I do consider myself a pretty good judge of character, so when she shared with me some of her dating experiences with this particular man, it was clear that this man was not fully single. This man, more than likely, was married. Here are … [Read more...]
3 Signs That Going Into Business with Your Spouse Will be a Win or Fail
The term "power couple" is thrown around so loosely these days. Beyonce and Jay-Z, Michelle and Barack, Jada and Will. We look at these couples as equal players from the boardroom to the bedroom. For a while, I had myself thinking that my husband and I could be that couple-- one that worked and played seamlessly. But I learned that my husband and I are great as lovers and … [Read more...]
How to Save 50% of Your Family’s Income in 6 Simple Steps
My husband and I have always toyed with the idea of living off of fifty percent of our incomes— not necessarily because one of us wants to quit our job right now, but because we are serious about wealth and understand that our daily decisions impact our ultimate financial outcomes. Even though we live pretty simple lives, I never sat down to figure out what it would take for … [Read more...]
3 Signs You’re Committing Financial Infidelity in Your Marriage
Financial infidelity can do as much harm to your marriage as a romantic infidelity. Since marriage is part romance and part finance (i.e. running a household, setting common life and financial goals), when you find your spouse engaging in financial behaviors that lack transparency, hide the truth, and/or purposefully obscure the financial realities of your household, you are … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Repair Your Marriage That Won’t Cost a Thing
Marriage is a journey and along the way, you will have to make repairs. Before you spend money on courses, retreats, and counselors, start with these three basics of a sound marriage. Instead of investing your money, these tips require you to invest your intention and time. Be on time. I know that I have a tendency to run late when it comes to my personal life. I’m on time … [Read more...]
5 Meal Planning Tips That Can Save You Money (and Possibly Your Marriage)
As a personal finance coach, I work with a lot of women that control the purse strings in the home but find themselves struggling to meet their families’ savings goals. When we sit down and do a deep dive and analysis of their budget, one of the biggest money wasters is food— whether it is overspending on groceries, letting food spoil, or going out to eat more often than … [Read more...]
5 Great Ways to Make the Most Out of Your Tax Refund that You Haven’t Thought Of
A few years ago, I was walking in the mall and overheard a business owner trying to convince a woman to use her tax return to purchase a weave. She said that her hair was an investment. I didn’t stick around long enough to hear the customer’s response, but in my mind, I was thinking, “Buying a weave is not an investment, I don’t care how you cut it.” With the end of tax … [Read more...]
Two Questions that Will Help Every #MarriageShift
I was having a conversation with my husband earlier today about some of the shifts that I am experiencing in my life. For the past year, I have been rethinking my priorities. Since I was a little girl, I have been pushed to excel in my academics and career. I’ve worked since I was eleven, lived in different countries, and did all that I was expected of me in finishing my … [Read more...]
Is the Man that You’re Dating Your Financial Match?
Michelle Singletary, columnist at The Washington Post used to have a personal finance intervention show on TVOne back in 2006 called Singletary Says. I used to wake up early Sunday mornings so I wouldn’t miss the show. I did not even care when they showed the reruns. It was that good. One of my favorite episodes was when Michelle shared how she chose her husband from another … [Read more...]
3 Things Every Woman Should Know About Love and Money Before Getting Married
Before I got married, I spent nearly half of my life dating. Yes, half! In the sixteen years that I dated and dated and… dated, I learned a lot about the role that money plays in relationships. Even though money is that one thing that no one likes to talk about in a relationship, I can tell you that as a married woman, money plays an extremely significant role in how … [Read more...]