Have you ever had someone tell you what they would do if they were in your situation? Well the fact of the matter is that no one can ever be you in your situation. So when people say, "If I were you.." only bad advice will follow. When figuring out solutions to our own problems and answers to questions our minds go in a multitude of directions. Most of the mental paths that … [Read more...]
6 Ways to Resist the Urge to Shop When You Have a Closet Full of Clothes but Nothing to Wear
I hear so many women (myself included) complain that they never have anything to wear, although they have a closet full of clothes. But we all know that this is never true. What we are really trying to say, is that we have run out of ideas, creativity, inspiration, and focus. If you find yourself having this issue, here are a few tips to refocus your finances and your … [Read more...]
4 Things to Do With Your Money If You’re a Financial Overachiever
Financial overachievers have done all of their financial due diligence—paid off their debt, maxed out their retirement contributions, and maintained at least six months of emergency funds. Once they have achieved these goals, they can grow unsure about what money moves to make next. For the financial overachiever, this state of uncertainty may create a bit of anxiety. Below … [Read more...]
3 Core Money Mindset Principles that will Keep You Out of Debt and From Living Paycheck to Paycheck
As you embark on any journey of financial self-awareness, I want you to remember three of my core money mindset principles. These principles not only empower me, they also push me to make smart money decisions on a daily basis. Know Your Why One of the ways to improve your relationship with money is to understand why are you spending or saving. Money is a proxy for so many … [Read more...]
4 Feelings that Every Black Woman Should Experience in 2016
I know it’s New Year’s resolution time. This usually means that we talk about things that we want to do and want to accomplish. We break out the scissors and the glue and create beautiful vision boards with all of the people, places, and things that we want to meet, go, or purchase. And don’t get me wrong, I’m all for it. I still have my vision board from last year which … [Read more...]
Singles: 7 Guiding Principles for Having Amazing Relationships in 2015
Having a successful relationship starts with knowing who you are completely. You can't fully love someone, if you are still questioning who you are, or what you could possibly bring to the table. 2014 was a year of learning and transition for many people, and if you are ready to step into 2015 with a roadmap for love, we wish you much success. We'd like to share … [Read more...]
9 Signs that You are in a Toxic Relationship
You know that feeling you get in your gut when you are deeply involved in a situation that just isn’t sitting well with your soul? It’s an unsettling feeling that tells you something needs to change, yet you find yourself holding on to the situation, ignoring what your gut is communicating loudly and clearly. Typically that gut feeling is rarely wrong. It’s our body’s way of … [Read more...]
4 Signs You Know It’s Time to Let a Friendship Go
I have a tendency to hold on to friendships longer than I should because I am loyal and often worry that I may hurt their feelings if I begin to pull away. Can you relate? But the one thing that growing up has taught me, is that life is about phases, changes, and breakthroughs. You can’t be afraid to respond to the whispers (as Mama Oprah likes to say) and the writing on … [Read more...]
8 Ways that Black Women Can Improve Their Relationship with Money this Weekend
Growing up in a household led by a single-mother who immigrated from the Caribbean and was partly responsible for supporting some of her siblings make their way to the United States, I saw firsthand how her role as chief financial leader (CFL) and head emotional caretaker (HEC) left my mother emotionally burnt out, overwhelmed, and financially depleted. I think part of the … [Read more...]
19 Tips on How I Lived on $11.30 Discretionary Income Last Week and Loved It
Last week, I challenged my Frugal Feminista community and myself to a $20 Cash Crash Diet 5-Day Challenge after noticing that my spending had become a bit reckless for recent months. I created a Facebook closed community for support and accountability and this structure worked wonderfully. I was able to be more mindful about my purchases and truly forced myself to choice … [Read more...]
5 Secrets That Could Destroy Your Marriage
I am very happily married, but our entire marriage has been built on a lie since I have been keeping a few secrets. Now did you believe that for one second? I sure didn’t, because strong, healthy, happy marriages are not built on lies and secrets. Marriages that are truly happy—the kind that last—are built on open and honest communication. Keeping secrets rarely serves … [Read more...]
3 Things Women Should Never Do to Their Men in Public
With more women becoming successful on their own terms, it’s easy to get caught up in the definition of Ne-Yo’s “Independent Woman” and forget how to be in a healthy relationship with a man. I grew up not really understanding the male ego or how to deal with it. Relationships were just not something we talked about in my home, so I had to make it up as I went. The problem … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Be Happily Married When She Makes More
Last night, I stayed up late and Martin, one of my favorite shows from the 90s, was on. In this particular episode, Martin discovered that Gina made substantially more money than he did. And he was far from happy to say the least. In fact, when he found out that Gina made more money than he did, he sulked in his chair, and asked her to leave his apartment so he could be … [Read more...]
There’s a Reason He’s Your Ex
We've all done it: ran into an ex we haven't seen for a minute and got so caught up in how good they looked that we developed amnesia about our past with that person. If we're still waiting on Mr. Right, we start wondering if we did the right thing by letting this one go. Maybe we just overreacted and read too much into past situations. Maybe we were being too picky. And maybe, … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Make the “Cooling Off” Period in Your Marriage Less Stressful and More Productive
Early in our marriage, I used to think that the world was coming to an end when my husband and I would fight. I would get so sad and despondent. I would cry, lose sleep, and let my work suffer because I thought we were on the brink of divorce in that “in between time.” Even though my husband and I rarely have big fallouts, I have learned so much about our marriage, our … [Read more...]