The Smart Money Woman By Arese Ugwu

        With her best friends Tami (the flighty fashion designer), Lara (the tough oil and gas executive), Adesuwa (the conservative lawyer), and Ladun (the fabulous housewife), Zuri grows a little, learns a lot and navigates her way to making better financial decisions and building wealth.   Meet Zuri. She’s living a fabulous life. Great car, gorgeous apartment, well paid job. Meet Zuri. Broken down car, an apartment she cant afford, a job she’s about to lose. What’s a broke girl to do? This book tackles, debt, spending, the consumerist culture of the African middle class, the fear and misconceptions surrounding money and the lack of it, love, friendships, cultural and societal pressures and the roles they play in success. With each chapter comes a Smart Money Lesson, there to help you work your way up the financial ladder. This book actually got me thinking about my life. It wasn't necessarily the story about the girls that kept me going, but the messages, advice, and tips on understanding and managing your finances. I have known for a while that something was wrong with the way I handle my finances. I thought the problem was simply overspending and buying things I don't need, but I did not understand that it was beyond overspending. Halfway through the book, I started understanding what I wanted the money I earn to do for me. I was inspired enough to actually create a spreadsheet to assess my finances, particularly my spending habits. What I discovered on that spreadsheet shocked me to my bones and was a wake-up call. I'm really glad I bought this book and I am now inspired to take charge of my finances. The book is probably not for everybody, but it sure did speak to me.