How to look great on a budget

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Natalie P. McNeal is onto something. Under the name "The Frugalista," she has come up with a set of concepts that allow us to balance our need to save with our desire to enjoy life. Black people, on average, tend to be first-class consumers, second-class savers and third-class investors, leading many of us to a life on the edge of financial ruin. Even those of us who have high incomes can end up with debt up to our eyeballs and bills that we can barely afford to pay. So, when unemployment or financial crisis hits our households, we are the first to be bankrupt or in foreclosure.

The Frugalista lays out her own experience with debt and how she found a way to save money without forcing herself to live a Spartan life. She teaches that saving money should not be the only important thing in your life, but that financial responsibility can be a key to having a better life experience. It is for that reason that Natalie P. Mcneal is today's Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight on AOL Black Voices:

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