Paris Woods - The Black Girls Guide to Financial Freedom: Build Wealth, Retire Early, and Live the Life of Your Dreams

The Black Girls Guide to Financial Freedom is a great roadmap to masteringyour money and learning a lot about yourself in the process. With practicaladvice and a solid dose of big sister wisdom, Paris Woods shows you howto check your financial assumptions, reframe unhealthy attitudes aboutmoney, and figure out the best path for your unique financial journey.

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach, author of the New York Times bestseller, Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom

Paris knows what its like to struggle. Raised by a creative and resilientsingle mother who managed to raise 6 kids on a $40,000/year secretaryssalary, she learned valuable financial lessons that she imparts in this book.With actionable advice on buying a car the smart way, going to collegedebt-free, investing, and achieving financial freedom via different paths,Pariss relatable guide will teach you how to build wealth and live life onyour own terms.

Kristy Shen, co-author of Quit Like A Millionaire

This book expertly blends the WHY and the HOW of personal finance in away few books do. By starting with why these concepts are so important, itroots all of the how steps in a larger purpose. Its actionable, and digestiblefor readers whether theyre in their first job, or have a decade plus ofprofessional experience. Id recommend this book to anyone lookingto hone their personal finance knowledge and take achievable steps toachieving financial freedom.

Ryan Frailich, CFP, CSLP, Founder of Deliberate Finances

Like a motivational big sister, Paris Woods delivers tough love adviceon developing strong money habitsto get out of debt (or avoid it inthe first place), save more money, invest more prudently and earn whatyoure worth. The reflective questions at the end of each chapter providea structure that encourages and enables readers to put the lessons learnedinto practice right away. Throughout the book, Woods shares her personalexperiences, including digging out of thousands of dollars in debt, howshe creatively funded a high school trip to France that cost $2,000 andhow she trimmed her budget by more than half in order to reach financialindependence faster. The book is written as a rallying cry to black women,but is a solid financial primer for all.

Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Career Coach and Founder, Dream Career Club

Wealth is more than money for Black women. Its about living fulfillinglives with loving relationships, the ability to accomplish your educationalgoals, eating healthy and more. Woods champions this definition of wealthfor Black women, reminding and giving us the tools to flip the script onfinancial health as oppressive to financial health as liberating.

Gabrielle Wyatt, Founder, The Highland Project

If no one ever taught you how to develop a sustainable plan for your finances,The Black Girls Guide to Financial Freedom is for you. Woods strikes theperfect balance of personal stories, lessons learned the hard way, resourcesand worksheets to help anyone design their life of financial freedom.

Rhonda Broussard, author and founder of Beloved Community

What makes this book stand out among the vast library of financial self-helpcoaching karma is the authors very personal and compelling experience,and her ability to frame that experience in a larger social context. Likeany good coach she is relentlessly optimistic, but goes deeper to see alarger context. Her aim is to give not only encouragement and advice butperspective, to protect you fromand help you to overcomeyour ownbiases or naivete. And she succeeds. Paris Woods has made a valuableaddition to the vast collection of advice thats out there.

Rachel Siegel CFA, author, Personal Finance, v 3.1 (Flatworld, 2020 [2010])

Creating financial freedom requires taking a slow cooker approach in amicrowave world, as Paris Woods shows us. This book will teach you howto reframe your thoughts, build resistance and resilience, work throughyour numbers and take immediate action. Its a must-read for anyone whowants to learn the basicsboth in theory and in real-world applicationabout how to move towards a life of financial freedom.

Paula Pant, host of the Afford Anything podcast

Pariss personal financial stories are relatable and her journey from debtto financial freedom is inspiring for women of any age.

Kiersten Saunders, co-creator of rich & REGULAR

2021 Paris Woods

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Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

Adherence to all applicable laws and regulations, including international, federal, state and local governing professional licensing, business practices, advertising, and all other aspects of doing business in the US, Canada or any other jurisdiction is the sole responsibility of the reader and consumer.

Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility or liability whatsoever on behalf of the consumer or reader of this material. Any perceived slight of any individual or organization is purely unintentional.

The resources in this book are provided for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the specialized training and professional judgment of a licensed professional.

Neither the author nor the publisher can be held responsible for the use of the information provided within this book. Please always consult a trained professional before making any decision regarding your personal finance and investment decisions.

ISBN 978-1-7376066-0-4

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FOR MOM

The masters tools will never dismantle the masters house. Audre Lorde

Become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion. Albert Camus

I was raised by an inspiring, smart, compassionate, and loving Black woman who unfortunately had no idea how to manage money. I remember seeing her in tears, pouring over handwritten budgets and trying to make the numbers work. Despite the many calculations, series of extra jobs, side hustles, and creative spending schemes, we rarely ever seemed to have enough to make ends meet.

When my sister and I were little, we would join my mom on some of these extra jobs. For a time, she was cleaning office buildings overnight. Rather than leave us home alone, she brought us with her and let us help change out the trash bags as she worked. Then my mom created a printing business out of our home. She was resourceful in coming up with this idea, purchasing a paper cutter to trim pages and buying glue to bind booklets and notepads.