My grandmother's grandparents were slaves. My grandmother Big Mama would tell me about the stories she heard as a child growing up in the shadows of a North Carolina plantation. It's only been in my lifetime that blacks have had the right to vote, live in certain areas or hold certain jobs. It is with this black history that I write about the financial challenges African-Americans still have.

Having a separate fund for the things in life that happen, helps keep the emergency fund in tact in case you lose your job or income.

Priorities lead to prosperity.

The sad thing is many people learn how to manage money after they've made a lot of financial mistakes, some that take decades to fix.

When you give people who are being financially responsible money, you are enabling them to continue a bad habit. So you are actually helping by saying, "Love you but no."

[My grandmother] managed her money better than some financial professionals I know. I give credit always to her because she is the reason I have my column and national recognition.

I just don't like people taking debt into retirement.