Join The Club

Visit Keeping It Rich Club

The Keeping It Rich Club is a community for people to share their best deals, ask financial questions of experts and mingle with like-minded wealth builders. I often interview subjects and experts and we have a grand time trading wealth building secrets. But once the interview is over, the sharing is over. Now, I have formed this club, so we can keep the money-saving dialogue going.

Please join me and lets talk (money) shop. How did you get the deal on that designer bag? How did you keep your electricity bill low during the summer? How did you find a financial planner? How did you survive the oil crisis? Let's get the dialogue going so we can all become wealthier! JOIN NOW for Free!

Budget Booklet Kit Now Available Online

Every single month I sit at my desk (or kitchen table, or on the bed, or...) and I pull out my Keeping It Rich mug and my Keeping It Rich budget booklet to pay my bills. My tools are now available to you online. Order yours today!

Excerpt:

"Dear Future Rich Person,

The first step to the process of keeping it rich is to define for yourself what it means to be wealthy. This Budget Booklet will help you identify and quantify your current lifestyle so you can begin to plan and define your ideal lifestyle. This is why I've placed a line for Major Goals on the top of each page. This way you will be reminded about what you are saving toward each month....

Although you may be intimidated to complete this budget because you fear a negative number at the bottom, I assure you that number will likely get even worse if you don't take the first step now and access the situation. Besides, the pages don't bite and no one else besides you will know the outcome of your math other than you."

Order Your Keeping It Rich Budget Booklet Kit Now!

Who Is Keeping it Rich?

I've been writing a lot for Black Enterprise magazine and Essence magazine in the last few months about people who are doing a great job of keeping it rich. It inspired me to write this entry. Often times when we think of being rich, we think of people with fur coats, yachts, and diamonds. But I don't. I believe keeping it rich is a mindset defined by the individual. Rich for me may not be rich for you. I'm good with a house, some grass and a good public school system. That's rich for me. But I'm fortunate to interview people who keep it rich with much less than me and those who keep it rich with a great deal more than me.  

I've decided to bring you more of their stories here at www.keepingitrich.com because the magazines and web outlets where i contribute only have but so much space. :)

Click to read more ...

Keeping It Rich on Madamenoire.com

Holiday Spending on Kids

Speaking with Madamenoire.com's Mommy In Chief host Karyn Parsons (formerly Hillary on Fresh Prince of Bel Air) reminded me how to keep costs down this holiday season. Here are some of the money tips I share on how to spend wisely on kids: 

Click to read more ...

Keeping It Rich in a Recession

About two years ago, @frugalista asked for people to share their recession stories on twitter. I replied with this picture of my then-recently purchased nightshirt that sarcastically reads, ‘What Recession?’ Boy, those were the days…

Today, I know exactly what recession everyone is talking about. My company lost its largest client about 12 months ago, I invested in a print shop that I am now selling because of increased losses and I just all around can’t seem to find the additional cash for the rising cost of food and gas! Hallelujah, I had a strong emergency fund and enough clients on the roster so I could pay the mortgage for 2011. But, what about 2012?

Click to read more ...

Keeping It Rich with Land Rover

As I test drive the Land Rover LR4 for Simplyrides.com, I tell the story of how I built my credit the hard way with a high car payment in 1997. I also get to check out all the RICH amenities of the LR4. SEE VIDEO!   

Click to read more ...

AC Fasting Becomes Way of Life

Replacing the storm door with a screen door for the summer has really helped.Air conditioning is a luxury. No one can ever tell me differently at this point. I can't believe I got through the entire summer to August without using my AC. Of course I don't understand why it is so unbelievable, especially considering I grew up in Jersey City apartments in the 1970s with absolutely no air conditioning to even chose to turn on or off. But somehow, once you become 'successful', and exposed to certain things in life--- like AC, you just feel as though you can not live without it.

Well, I'm here to tell you--- Yes, you can live without it.

Click to read more ...

AAYOU Welcomes Essence Relationship Editor

I'm so excited to announce the addition of Demetria L. Lucas to the All About You Day speakers' roster. Being newly single again, I'm so looking forward to the words of wisdom from Demetria to help me maintain a strong mind while I await my Mr. Right. But whether you are single or married, this relationship expert can help you enjoy the experience. Come prepared to ask her your questions that she couldn't get to answer in Essence.

Click to read more ...

Keeping It Rich Goes to BET.com

Series Hosted By Award-Winning Finance Journalist Offers Candid Conversations About Money To Help Viewers Define And Live Their ‘Rich’ Lifestyle

 NEW YORK—November 4, 2010—Seeking to decrease the wealth gap between people of color and mainstream America, KEEPING IT RICH WITH SAKINA will premiere on BET.com on Wednesday, November 17 at 3:00 p.m. ET. The loosely based “financial reality” talk show features award-winning personal finance journalist and entrepreneur Sakina Spruell Cole talking candidly with her personal financial advisors, colleagues and friends offering advice, information and tips on living the ‘rich’ life. The four part web series will air four consecutive weeks beginning November 17^th.

Click to read more ...

Prepaid Debit Update- Month 5

It's July 17 and I have not reloaded the prepaid debit card yet this month because I have been so busy. But I tell you it is evident in my life that I have not. I'm spending money on birthday party gifts for my kids and ordering Dominos like crazy. And I'm not keeping track. We moved this month and so everything is out of whack. Bad time not to have a discretionary budget line, because there is definitely discretionary spending going on. At least when its on prepaid, I feel like its already in the budget. The biggest drawback is that hubs doesn't have access to any extra cash when I don't reload it so he can't even go to Cold Stone and bring me a treat after work. I will put $200 bucks on that card tomorrow. And when its gone, there will be no more birthday party gifts, eating out or 10pm runs to Shop Rite for ice cream :) (like now). Watch. Well, no more 'til August anyways :).

See Middle Class Prepaid Debit Experiment for details as to why I do this. Don't try this at home if you can't make ends meet.