Women Embrace Financial Independence

Ask 100 single black women about the characteristic that ranks at the top of the "What I Want Out of Life" list, and nine times out of ten they’ll say independence, specifically financial independence. Ask the same question of married women and they most often site family. But underlying that response,  is having enough money to provide adequately for their children. In both cases the concept is the same, women want security via their own money.

Financial independence generally means accumulating enough assets to generate income that is exceeds your expenses. What it is not, is living paycheck to Monday. too many women readily dismiss the notion of ever being truly financially independent. They write it off as an unrealistic expectation given the current economic climate or a goal that is altogether unattainable. But in actuality, financial independence is more of a possibility than hitting the lottery or perhaps even landing the man of your dreams. And ladies, let's be realistic — if you're financially dependent on him, then you're not really independent or secure are you?

Educate yourself about financial opportunities. Just because your mother didn’t invest in the stock market or explore mutual funds and IRAs, doesn’t mean you can’t. You are probably  earning more than your mom and thanks to the age of technology, we have the added benefit of  access to information about money and investments 24/7.

Financial planner Sunshine Estivo of Omniwealth says she can't emphasize enough to her clients the importance of setting financial goals. “Goal setting is so important in every aspect of your life. This includes your financial future, because a lack of goal setting in this area can have a devastating impact if it is not addressed early on. A large number of intelligent and successful women will not achieve financial independence in their lives because they plan to fail — they fail to plan,” says Estivo.
Chances are you’ve received more than one email touting work-at-home opportunities — complete with testimonials from women who are earning hundreds of dollars a day working at home — but before you call it junk and push the delete button, take a look and determine if it's a legitimate business possibility and if it’s a good match for you. If you can generate some dollars without any or minimal investment, it may be worth your consideration and time. -roz edward

Try these books for learning more about financial independence:
Girl, Make Your Money Grow!: A Sister's Guide to Protecting Your Future and Enriching Your Life, Glinda Bridgforth and Gail Perry-Mason
Sister Ceo: The Black Woman's Guide to Starting Your Own Business, Cheryl D. Broussard

Summer Cooler: The Mojito

Okay, been away for a minute, the heat here in Atlanta — as it has been in many parts of the country — is brutal. So, I've been laying low. And when I thought about the next drink recipe, the idea of cognac in the summer made me almost to hot to live. But there is a way to drink cognac, rather than straight up or heated and enjoy it in even these temps, thanks to the Mojito. Think about sipping on this one at an evening event after the sun goes down. I'll offer a succession of Mojitos that ought to accomplish our dual objective —  relaxation and relief. Here's the first.

The beauty of cognac cocktails is that they are a way to indulge your upscale lifestyle with out paying high end prices. Mixologist don't recommend using top shelf or high end brands as they are not as doable in terms of blending with other ingredients. Thankfully, urban sophisticates who have always appreciated the fine taste of cognac can enjoy it in greater variations and more affordably. 

French Mojito
3 ounces cognac
12 fresh mint leaves
3/4 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
3/4 ounce sugar syrup
3/4 ounce Chambord raspberry liquor
raspberries (to garnish)
mint sprig (to garnish)

1. Muddle mint with vodka in base of shaker; add lime juice and sugar; shake with ice and strain into an ice-filled glass.
2.Top with soda and stir.
3.Serve in a collins glass, garnished with raspberry and mint sprigs.

Summer Samba With Sangria

Doesn't that sound great, dancing on some outdoor patio or a sandy beach to samba and sipping sangria. If you’re not already familiar, expand your horizons and indulge yourself in a favorite of the South Beach crowd (and plenty of others) — sangria. It’s a delightful fruit-based wine punch that kills two birds with one stone — you can get some of your daily fruit requirement along with your daily fun quotient.

Celebration Sangria – Sangria is perfect for big summer parties — always fun and refreshing as well as an ideal thirst quencher.

1 bottle of red wine
(Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
1 lemon cut into wedges
1 orange cut into wedges
1 lime cut into wedges
2 tablespoons of sugar
Splash of orange juice or lemonade
2 shots of gin or triple sec
1 cup of raspberries or strawberries
1 small can of diced pineapples
4 cups ginger ale

Pour wine into a large pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon, orange and lime into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and pineapple then add sugar, orange juice and gin. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale, berries and ice just before serving.


White Wine Sangria – White Lightining Sangria The beauty of this recipe is that it is as potent as it is tasty, and it only gets better as you add your favorite fruits.

1 bottle of white wine (Riesling, Albarino, Chablis, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc)
1/2 cup vodka
1/2 cup white grape juice
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup sliced grapes (seedless, green or red)
1 green apple sliced
1/2 pineapple sliced
2 cups club soda or ginger ale
1 cup strawberries:
Pour wine and vodka in the pitcher and add sliced ginger, grapes, tangerine and pineapple. Next add sugar and stir gently. Chill mixture for at least one hour. Add club soda just before serving.

Sunset Sangria – You can amp up your sangria with hard alcohol and give your punch some extra punch.

1 bottle Rioja
3 tablespoons (3 splashes) spiced dark rum
3 tablespoons orange liqueur
3 tablespoons sugar
1 navel orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
2 ripe peaches, cut into wedges
3 ripe plums, cut into wedges
2 cinnamon sticks
Combine sugar, rum, orange liqueur, fruits, and cinnamon sticks in large pitcher. Cover with 1 bottle of wine and chill sangria several hours. Spoon fruits into glasses and pour over spiced wine. Top glasses of sangria off with a splash of soda water.