Key points
- Black History Month is a time to acknowledge the contributions, challenges, and triumphs of African Americans.
- Here are four personal finance gurus who are empowering people to better their lives.
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During Black History Month, it’s important to reflect on the people who endured challenges and made sacrifices to change society for the better. Some of those people are doing that right now by imparting financial wisdom to the masses. In honor of Black History Month, here are four personal finance gurus it pays to follow.
1. Bola Sokunbi
Bola Sokunbi has an amazing story. Her mother made the decision to go back to school in her 30s after seeing many of her female friends land in desperate financial situations due to circumstances like divorce.
Sokunbi’s mother inspired her to pursue her own education, and now, she’s a Certified Financial Education Instructor, a best-selling author, and the founder of Clever Girl Finance. Most recently, she was the recipient of the 2021 Financial Education Instructor of the Year (FEIY) Award from the National Council of Financial Educators.
Sokunbi’s goal is to inspire and empower women to become financially stable by avoiding debt and building wealth. She herself managed to save her first $100,000 before age 30 — an impressive feat she accomplished by maximizing her retirement plan, steadily putting money into savings, and taking advantage of side hustle opportunities.
2. Tiffany Aliche
The voice behind the popular personal finance blog The Budgetnista is Tiffany Aliche, whose goal is to help women in particular change the way they think about their finances. Aliche’s educational background has helped make her a strong presence in the world of finance blogs. And she’s a firm believer in teaching people to take control of their finances from a young age.
In 2019, Aliche partnered with Assemblywoman Angela V. McKnight to write a bill that later became Law A1414 — The Budgetnista Law. This legislation has made it mandatory for financial education to be taught in all middle schools in New Jersey, where Aliche herself was a teacher for many years.
It’s Aliche’s hip, relatable voice that makes the topic of personal finance so accessible and digestible to her audience. She’ll no doubt continue to inspire her readers to make smart financial moves, like avoiding debt and working toward their savings goals.
3. Chris Browning
Chris Browning is the creator and host of the award-winning podcast Popcorn Finance, where he dishes about everything from investing to rocking a side hustle. It’s Browning’s fun personality and down-to-earth nature that helps him captivate his audience.
Browning is also the cohost of the This Is Awkward podcast, which helps people navigate tricky money situations. This hands-on, real-world approach to talking money makes Browning a strong presence in the personal finance space.
4. Talaat and Tai McNeely
Talaat and Tai McNeely are the couple behind His & Her Money, and their claim to fame is that they managed to not only pay off $30,000 of consumer debt, but also pay off their home in just five years.
But what makes the couple so relatable is their honesty. When they first got together, the two were not, as they say, financially compatible. They had to work through a series of issues, like Talaat’s debt, to get to a healthier financial place. The couple is extremely open about sharing their personal challenges. And their goal is to inspire other couples to not only take control of their finances, but also get on the same page and work toward common objectives.
Though Black History Month will eventually come to an end, it pays to keep these major personalities on your radar all year round. There’s a strong chance you’ll learn a thing or two that could not only help you avoid financial stress, but also get on a solid path to long-term financial stability.
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