MONEY

Let the Afro-American depend on no party, but on himself for his salvation. Let him to continue to education, to character, and above all, to put money in his purse. When he has money, and plenty of it, parties and races will become his servants.

—Ida B. Wells

Many of us have grown up with the notion that money is the root of all evil. We are conditioned to believe that an individual with money has sold his soul. Yet, out in the world, it is obvious that money buys us comfort, choices, and peace of mind. It can be difficult to reconcile the two extremes, to find that middle ground where we can function without guilt.

We do indeed need to have money in our bank accounts. It allows us to live without desperation, and thereby frees us from a subservient position. Let us use our money wisely, refrain from spending it as if there were no tomorrow, and learn how to make our money work for us.

On this day, I pledge to put a fixed amount of my paycheck, no matter how small, into a savings account every week.