Financial Freedom

It’s that time again! We’re nearing that brief stretch of the year where resolutions become the topic of discussion around our workplace water coolers. At a time when many of us have been so disappointed by having the economy involuntarily defer our dreams, what better time than a brand new year to rejuvenate our greatest […]

The concept of Bank Transfer Day only sprung up this past weekend and already the social media driven initiative has gone viral and gained media attention worldwide. The Facebook campaign is urging Americans to close their accounts at large banks and place their money in local credit unions by or on November 5th in order […]

The reason banks continue to create junk fees is simple: they understand that consumers are creatures of habit; slaves to our own laziness. Just think about the fees you “agree” to pay when you use an ATM outside of your banks network. Ever paid $4.50 to get $20 out of the machine? Hurts, doesn’t it? […]

Ever heard the saying, “Stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready?” . . . Well, with the ambush of earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis and tornadoes we’ve experienced since the beginning of the year, you should’ve seen enough by now to know how devastating the effects of any disaster – natural or man-made, can be. […]

Remember the first time you heard the pastor say that “Sin is sin,” meaning if you told just a little white lie or savagely murdered someone you were pretty much in the same boat with God. Wasn’t that a hard pill to swallow? Apparently, it’s a hard pill for many even when this concept is […]

Last July, the unthinkable happened. My father-in-law died suddenly at just 58 years old. Both devastation and reality gripped our family. For my husband (his eldest child) and I, it was probably the first time we had considered as a couple the “what-if’s” that surround mortality and the fine, yet vastly important details which frame […]

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think reality shows like the “Basketball Wives” and even the “Real Housewives” franchises are getting a bad rap. . . Okay, well maybe not a bad rap, but far too much credit in creating what some may call “gold diggers.” I’ve heard several times recently that these […]

Spring time should be known for more than heightened allergies and losing an hour of sleep. It’s that time of year when even border line hoarders get the urge to purge through the mounds of unnecessary clutter in their homes. But instead of just throwing everything out, why not put a little planning into getting […]

Yes, it’s true! You can actually file your federal taxes for free. The real question becomes, however, “Is that always beneficial?” It’s no secret that nowadays folks are scrambling to save a buck wherever possible. Even though many Americans over pay their taxes and expect some level of tax refund, the promise of a few […]

Isn’t it amazing how creditors seem to come out of the woodwork during tax time? Bill collectors who haven’t attempted to contact you in months or possibly years begin to send settlement letters almost as if they sniff a good return coming around. Well, don’t be fooled. Although you definitely want to meet your obligations, […]

Tax time: That interestingly peculiar time of year when ordinarily smart people begin to make really dumb financial decisions. Isn’t it amazing to watch what a little extra cash, okay well for some, maybe a lot of extra cash lining the pockets can do? The average tax refund for 2011 may be a little over […]

After last week’s post on financial scams ruining the Black community , I received an overwhelming amount of response. Between the several websites which adopted the post or created their own conversations around it, I read well over 100 comments presumably from other Black people reminding me of scams I left out. People proclaimed I […]