Reasons Black Women Can’t Save Money

Hair Hair Hair
Hair Hair Hair (Photo credit: SodanieChea)

Compared to their white counterparts, black women are perceived to be poor in savings. In 2011, a study found out that the median wealth of single black women is $100 compared to that of single white women at $41,000. 
These are some of the reasons
Black women can’t save.

  1. We make our hair and nails top priority. We give too much attention to hair and nails. It will shock a black woman to find out how much she spends on hair alone in just one year. Unlike a single white woman, who will be most interested in securing her future, a single black woman can spend upto her last dime to get her hair to look fashionable.
  2. We treat boyfriends like husbands, upto the point of spending our money to cook for them and going into debt with them, when they dump us, we pay all the debts owed while together.
  3. We try to impress friends and family by living in neighborhoods too expensive for our income. We live in  rich neighborhoods and work so hard struggling to pay big rents.
  4. We don’t know when to say NO, we try to provide for others from nothing, we donate too much to church, we bear the financial burden of siblings and relatives. When the weight becomes too heavy, when it is damaging our own financial futures, we do not know to say NO.
  5. When we shop for perishable accessories and even cars, rather than go for what our income can comfortably pay, we go for what we think will wow! Friends and neighbors. We go into debt just to impress.
Do you agree?

60 thoughts on “Reasons Black Women Can’t Save Money”

  1. Am wondering if its possible for a single white woman to save up to 41,000 bucks even in a thriving economy, ths fig is far fetched, as a single nigerian lady I save a lot and I neva go above my means, I have 3sources of income and I don't spend a lot on my hair, I fix my hair for as low as 300naira (once a mnth) or as high as 4k(once in a year).
    I actually agree with ths post becos I see a lot of ladies struggling with their finances but they still buy loads n tons of clothes.
    Securing a future for oneself doesn't also mean u shldnt buy, spoil yourself , nigerian ladies need to learn the act of modesty.

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  2. So true!!! Brazillian and Indian hair won't kill me. What can I do? Dear God! If I don't wear, won't I be seen as poor and razz?

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  3. Women always go for what they want instead of what they need.
    They forgot to add money spent on different Ashoebi for different events.
    I quite agree with all the points asides the number2 point.

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  4. Hair yes am guilty,just bought 2 today,cook 4 bf with my money,d guy need wake up,that's if I agree 2 cook 4 him.I really need 2 start saving oh:(,God help me

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  5. I agree with all points made… Except that I vehemently disagree with No 2.

    (We treat boyfriends like husbands, upto
    the point of spending our money to cook
    for them and going into debt with them,)

    Not the women of nowadays, even when they spend their money for such they have triple ways to retrieve the cash.

    They'll rather make you buy meals at kfc or chicken republic or the hottest bucca joint in ur neighborhood.

    Some can't even cook, too busy pinging, gossiping, fixing and weaving, so spoilt by the waves of social media.

    Point No 3 cynically points to the lady who complained about her hubby taking her deeper into ikorodu. Irony is, she had 2 reasons to hate ikorodu (1) her job, (2) being cut off from friends and acquaintances, but the man is wise enuff to know that he needs to become a landlord and stop paying rents, but all she wants is the city buzz!

    Nuff'said!
    Bye…

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  6. @ace bentley; i AM the lady from ikorodu u mentioned. You do not know a thing abt me to conclude that am only interested in city buzz. i have never been a wanna be in my life. i dont fix nails, when i noticed fixing hair is getting more expensive by the day , i resorted more to using wigs as its more economical. if i am such a city girl i would not be where i am now. all i want then and now is to be where there is more than one access road to my house, that i wont have to develop hypertension because of the deadly traffic… and i am sure there are many areas that will do just fine ,whose roads are less killing and the rent is the same as what is obtainable here, (I WENT ON A SEARCH) but my husband will not bulge becos ikorodu is easier for HIS own job and all his family stays here. ALL of them! meanwhile try staying in ikorodu for a week before you talk about what i went through before i quit my job when i was 8 mths pregnant..
    As for the landlord thingy… nobody wants to stay a tenant forever, but it requires planning! But if building a house on a whim…with #1million (inclusive of house building cost+interior material cost+ *omo onile cost+ wiring & plumbing+other miscellaneous cost ,etc) becos u and the landlord fought , is the solution to building a house… then hop aboard!!
    P.s: Dont forget..u must build the house within 2 months.. and u r still processing the loan!

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  7. @acebentley; Only God knows where u get the ladies u date from. Well, sorry to disappoint you, real ladies ( single and married) do not spend their time going from eatery to eatery or bucca to bucca as you so piously like to think, because they know that one dont know what goes on behind the counter when these joints prepare their food! Increasing traffic and comments on food recipes on this blog also indicates that people are more interested in adding their own twist to what comes out of their kitchen than sitting around buccas or eatries waiting for their junk or overpriced artificial meals.
    That does not mean that from time to time, you would not want to put your feet up away from the heat in the kitchen and not want to enjoy a meal not cooked by you for a change, but saying or thinking that ladies would rather lounge at eateries all day, is not it all.
    #Nuffsaid
    Bye

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  8. I donno y…i just don't like u, yes am entitiled to my own opinion just like u..
    I v a feeling u come here to ridicule women, haaaa aw i pity ur gf.

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  9. My dear,pls don't mind dat guy, berra don't give yasef hpb cos of ds nigga dat doesn't no hs left from hs right.
    He noticed dat Bona is like d only guy on ds blog now he wants to creep in hs ugly head.
    Anyway we need d twist so at least we ladies will c dat truely der r a lot of insensitive men around…starting wit Ace
    #Nuffsaid
    Bye

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  10. Bia Ace……who do u think u r, judging dat lady like dat.
    Abi now ur trending here ba. Clap for ur sef. I pity u buh most especially i piri d lady dat ll end up in ur house.
    Berra introduce her to ds blog so dat we wud give her advice.
    V never been to ikorodu, buh d stories i hear of d area has giving me more dan enof fears. Y wud u think a lady ll b against her husby building a house, dats ry ladies dream buh not wen its in debt or wen it isn't convinent for d family.
    Anyway to d lady, just takia of ursef n pls pls pray hard n b happy.eat healthy n stop crying ok. All is well…*hugs
    #nuffsaid
    Bye

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  11. @ Ace,I just wish u'll learn frm guys like Bona,well brought up,well mannered n alwez hv somfin meaningful 2 say,dis blog has saved pple's lives pls allow it save urs and allow women change d perception you alredy hv about women. FYI,nt all ladies buy doz xpensive hair,I don't hv any for one,nt dat I cnt afford dem bt I just dnt blive dat it has anyfin 2 add 2 my beauty. Not all ladies eat out all d time,I mostly dnt,except wen am in sch n very hungry otherwise I cook my meals myself. As per d gossip aspect of women,hmmm,Ace dear,I think women has delegated dat aspect of their nature 2 guys,u guys nw gossip about anyfin and evrything evn more than women. So pls dear,its either u change the kinda females around u or u change ur perception about dem bkos u pass to me like a pompouse,intimidating,arrogant guy. #enoughsaid#…….Ugo

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  12. Hm…my dear, people should go and stay in the village then since they have to be landlords by force. What is the use being a landlord when it will leave you in debt and keep you in a place where you'll probably spend more on light, water and transportation? And I remember you saying something about your son's school. So you shud put your son in a rubbish school because you want to be a landlord. Abeg. It's easier to talk when we are not the ones involved.

    And ur hub will spend way more than 1m to get that house done. Even if it is a 2-bedroom bungalow.

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  13. The above post it true. Many ladies spend so much on hair and nails. I dnt fix my nails. I'll rather groom them if I want long nails. I have 3 colours of nail polish. Ruby, Hot Pink and Jade. Finish! I paint my toe nails myself.

    About hair, I buy weaves once a year and I have never bought any weave more than 10k for the two. I reuse weaves by washing, straightening or curling with hair benders. I use baby oil to straighten and a big toothed comb.

    I can say most of my personal money goes into the house of God. No one can give to God and lose. I am sewing seeds for a better future for my family. I have already gotten so many testimonies from that so that one about 'donation' no follow.

    My money also goes into my family. Sometimes I take them out to the cinema, I stock the house with treats esp. for my hub and I make a lot of orishirishi. thanks to Aunty Eya and her blog. However, when my hub takes me to a supermart like to buy wine or chocolate, I quickly add beverages and some other food items to the cart. No dullin'…

    About impressing, I left that one behind in secondary school. Even then I wasn't over the top bu the moment I entered Uni, I did not care what anyone thinks. After all, all those people who were forming then, where are they now?

    Savimng is good sha. But thhe best form of savings is investment. Since I started my business, I dnt waste money again. I know just what every dime can do for me. My salary sef became too small for me cos once it comes, I want to put everything into my biz…

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  14. No I don't agree. I love fashion but do everything in moderation. I split my income and even from my spendable portion, I create a budget. There are times I give myself a treat, but I understand. Scale of preferene, and opportunity cost. A noble woman is a prudent woman. Its not about where the woman comes from, but her xter. I can give a lot to church. Afterall isn't it God who blessed me? The more I have given, I have received.

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  15. Wat were u wearing before the brazillian hair was in vogue. Live ur life and stop bothering about what people think. At the end of the day no one cares cos we all got our own baggage to carry.

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  16. Ace ace ace. Its nt by 4ce 2 talk O! Wen u wana open ur mouth, ensure uve brushed.. Dnt go around judgin peo bcos dey shared der probs. Dats nt hw its don here. Der r oda blogs 4 dat kinda rubbish… #enufsaid#

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  17. @ Ace clap for ur sef,good boy adviser.u beta respect ur old age before ur uninvited advice land u some insult and learn from mature minds like bona.

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  18. @ Ace,on this blog,I read every single comment because I know I can learn from wise people. But as for u my friend;u've added no value I can ever point to. U have a very myopic view. Do u stay in Lagos? I used to,I was working in Ikoyi and living in Egbeda for some time and I nearly died. I had to move to VI when I couldn't cope,even though I had to strain myself seriously to pay rent,and I was even single o,so not much stress for me then. Do u know Ikorodu? I'm sure u don't! Pls don't judge this lady,cos u don't know what even today will bring your way. For u my dear lady he was talking about,pls don't mind people who feel dy can judge u,even though dy don't know what ur journey has been all about. Very soon,u'll have ur testimony by d grace of God.

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  19. Ok… I read all your comments either about me or my post and I am taking all as good criticism, I don't wanna come through to you all as an antagonist. I'll work on myself
    .

    All of you have spoken well, but as you all have chosen to call bona all sort of glorified names especially the "well brought up" how do you know a well brought up via blog post? Or is it by talkin of vasline and the sexual innuendo's it suggests?

    Irony is… We all can't sleep and lay our heads in the same direction, you all need stereotyped and chorused comment and when you don't get it you lash out. As stupid as my views are they represent the thinking of an average man and if you don't see things from a mans specter you can't balance opinions here, you won't even try to understand why does things in a certain way, that's is exactly what I try to represent when I comment.

    If you all noticed I said "women of nowadays" which meant "young girls of this era", most of you married women attacking the point I made thereof should have read in-between the lines except I have mistakenly described you, or don't we have married woman who can't cook and hate chores?.

    As for my dear sister from Ikorodu, I owe you an unreserved apology, I may not have properly understood your situation now I know better… SORRY, Am Indeed, very sorry! Thanks for handling things maturely.

    Finally, for those who asked about my gf, yea, she's a blog fan and I sent her the URL to this blog 2weeks ago. If you mistakenly come across her ask her about me.

    Nuff'said
    Have a splendid day!

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  20. Ace that was rather insensitive of you to use what the lady going through a difficult time shared with us as an example. Ensure you think before you type. its not that difficult!!

    As for me i save o even from the meager salary i'm earning now. i try to save no matter how little and plan my life around what i have left after my savings. it was before that i used to bother myself about hair but not anymore bcos there are lots of good weaves that are not so expensive in the market now so i make do with those ones and still look beautiful.lol
    Biko i beg to disagree with point no.2 cos its not always true.

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  21. Ace like seriously u said dis about me ??
    Haba av always held u in high esteem,I was so happy when I saw u on dis blog,but u so disappointed me with this ur comment.
    Can't believe u decided to pick on me instead of face ur fear and convince them with ur points. Who do I transfer my aggressions when insulted on LIB or even when they misunderstand me here(go check the story about d Catholic priest)
    I don't always reply commenys about me on blogs,wouldn't av replied u if I had oda means of reaching u. Dis propaganda was uncalled for my brother.

    ~BONARIO~says so via NOKIA3310

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  22. Abi ,this brazilian hair craze really gulps money one can use for better things.
    I have only two,but the moment I feel the urge to get more or some friend brings it to sell(as its always the case)I run as fast as possible and use that money to invest in gold jewelleries!that's a more valuable investment cos I wonder what happens when this hair goes out of vogue? for some friends of mine and others that have like a box full of different types FA!
    But for my jewellery they add value and I can sell incase of any emergency.
    so basically pple across the globe have different priorities so putting it on African women alone is quite unfair.

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  23. @Bona, I meant no harm… Seriously!
    I understand ur personality and I only tried to lay a reference where necessary, Abeg, I dint mean you are bad, just was putting rationale to some ill informed comments !

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  24. u gotta love this blog. pls let's forgive Ace cos no one is above mistake. i admire the fact he's not too proud to admit his mistakes and apologise too. that should count for sth innit?

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  25. It was ahdaisy and one clinic lady lastweek dat said ahdaisy is blog monitor. Today its d two guys. Hahahahaa.

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  26. Im so loving dis blog. Aunty Eya do keep up d good work. As for Bona n Ace, talk is cheap..lets all stop taking offences

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  27. Im so loving dis blog. Aunty Eya do keep up d good work. As for Bona n Ace, talk is cheap..lets all stop taking offences

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  28. @Ace,u have suffad today'!
    U made a comment offensive to one person(ikorodu woman),while trying to apologize,u ended up offending another(bonario),making two pple??…abi u are not in good terms with ur oga at the top'?hahaha!
    But criously Ace did not commit any sin by saying ladies of nowadays are unfocused and wasteful,its very true!
    I work with the youth section in church,you need to see complains everyday by parents of how ladies esp misbehave at home,or is sleeping around for cash to buy the latest short dress,18inches shoes',blackberry pone(their no1 obsession),lace wig,etc..or anything that will make them belong!I could go on and on.
    The generation is loosing it,but y'all hate the truth.I am surprised everybody is crucifying Ace,
    truth is truly bitter!!

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  29. Hehehe, Gigi, leave dat tin o… Dey are guys, they'll move on sharparly. In my own case, some people almost died and are still dying on the matter…lol. Bottom line Ace, the one important lesson I learnt from my drama is that just bcos you have an issue with someone and go to bed peacefully, doesn't mean others would. Avoid wahala as much as possible.

    And I'm actually happy we have another guy here so that when we start the woman-man arguments, we'll see ur opinion.

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  30. Thanks @Queen bee.. Well said, @Bona you're now my oga at the top… Biko, Gbalu'm! @Nekky, ur comments from LIB to LLB and now WTHC have always been some of my favorites… You are def a matured soul…
    @AhDaisy, I have crushed on you for real, most nigerian ladies ain't as deep as you think! You'll make a very smart wifey.

    @aunty eya, thanks a million,
    I 1st bookmarked this blog about 6 months ago, I also added you on fb instantly and saved ur cell no, really don't know why I did all that, maybe I just felt it was a mature zone and the aim was well thought of! Thanks for accommodating us male!

    #All'Said…
    Bye fam!

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  31. The hair thing is so common amongst black women(not all tho) we av bn brought(by the media) to hate our hair. Though I have learnt to never say never,its important that we love ourselves as we are,then better ourselves in reasonable ways and not go beyond our means! I think we really need to cultivate a better savings culture!

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  32. Personally, I largely disagree with these point coS it generalises and its stereotypical. I think the ability to save or not to is an individual thing. Go to england and see how young women quikly get into dept. Check out how much they spend on booze and partying. Its nonsense to say while white women are trying to improve their future the Black women don't. This writer sure hasn't met some focused African women.

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  33. Matured blog thanks to the blogger. About the post its soo true for 90% of ladies. For me my weak point is that I like to shop but I am trying to stop that now with my low income. About doing things to please people? That has never been my pattern. I don't care what anybody things. I am so confident in my rages and thanks to God I have a boyfriend that thinks the same way too. The problem with some ladies is that they want to impress the men they date and their group of friends so they have to constantly be up to standard at all cost. If a man cannot appreciate you when you live within your means then there is no point for ME but what those women fail to understand is that a guy will appreciate you more if you are confident even with ur synthetic hair compare to a lady with brazilian hair with no self confidence.

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  34. Point 2is very correct,my bf earns,I earn also bt am sre I av up2 500k in his hand 4rm borrow me borrow me!*rme* well I still c it as investment cos am too sre he'll pay 1day.lol

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  35. Dnt mind d joker,he doesn't av a clue!girls dese days cook n yes we use our money!yes mayb we av ways 2collect it bck bt dat how relationships shud b,it shud b give n take!ur man taking u out 2eat 1ce in a while isn't even too much2ask 4,if u cook4him regularly.a man wants 2b a landlord in ikorudu means he shud treat his woman like trash,I really do pity ur gf!hisss

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  36. Lol!am really aving a laff @ace u no try,bringing up bona's vaseline jokes!bt guess he's 4given u!most of wat dey wrote is tru sha,dis hair thin is a spirit,I av like 10pple selling hair on my bb!*phew*goin 2delete most now!I av so many hair n bt I still wanna buy a new 1 4 my wedding!bt I promise dat will b d last,lol!as I no afta marriage responsibilities will show

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  37. First timer here. I agree in part with the author of that piece. A relative owns a boutique in Lagos and she tells me how her customers regularly make purchases of up to 100k on credit and how she has a running battle with them to pay up by month's end.
    This goes on almost monthly. They apparently are well paid but I wonder if they can really afford such expenses on the regular and why they have to owe so much.
    I think there's a lot of keeping up with the Joneses involved.

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  38. On the other hand, I know several black women who work hard, save lots of money and even build houses and start up businesses. Some are even able to provide large funds and cover their husbands nakedness in the rainy days. One thing I can't stand is generalising. I'm sure u fit into what to described in ur post

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  39. Ds goes to d anom dat said her bf boros from her….am sorry for ya…u think he wee pay back wit marriage abi…u will marry him n u ll end up footing d family bills. Ha ba how can ur bf b borrowing from u na…berra shine ur eyes ooo so dat u wunt come wit ur own story soon. U think hs a man, well hs just a loser

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  40. I don't mean to cause an issue cause you probably don't realise it but your 'people should go and stay in the village then since they have to be landlords by force.' isn't right and may come off as a bit rude. This is still her husband.
    As for acebentley, please ignore as I'm sure he only comments for the shock factor and popularity.
    Slightly off topic: to the lady that he was referring to, not every part of Ikorodu is remote. Hope you can convince him to move to some better areas if he insists on Ikorodu

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  41. Ok, i just read all the comments and saw that ace apologised. So I also apologise for saying you were making controversial comments for the shock factor.
    All's well that ends well!

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  42. Nigerian ladies sha.we've heard. God will help us.invest in fixed assets. Pay 11k monthly and get a piece of land. Call 07039323385 or add 25B6853D for details

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  43. Mehn, I'm beginning to love dis blog. 1st time to comment anyway. @bona 1 of d reasons I visit LIB cos of ur comment,u r here too.#bbm surprised look… Thumb up! Going thru d comments, I learnt 1 or 2 things. Thankz all and to aunty Eya,more power to ur elbow.

    Reply

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