Hello it’s Me

 Hello My Peoples,

I felt I would reintroduce with that Isley Brothers song “Hello it’s Me”….

Hello, it's me, I've thought about us for a long, long time

Maybe I think too much but something's wrong

I think the lyrics are perfect for this time. After the election, I took some time to reflect and regroup but I have been thinking of you and how to give guidance and hope. I still am a history buff and recommend that everyone read “The Defender” by Ethan Michaeli. This book is about the great black Chicago newspaper but also shows us how our people survived and navigate difficult presidencies and trying times. I am sorry that some of you have found out that your financial advisors don’t know any more than you do. Their advice of readjusting your portfolio and staying calm is just not cutting it as you see your portfolio crashing. Are you having flashbacks to 1990, 2008 or 2020? I know you want someone to make the pain go away but the hard truth is to never give the final guidance to someone else, whether you make or lose money is not going to effect your advisor’s paycheck too harshly. Remember, they have many more clients. You have to decide what your loss point is and at what point do you cut your losses and park your money on the side. I am no guru, but the tariff war doesn’t make since. Tariffs are complicated and there is a reason why we have not made drastic changes, but I am not going to debate this on here. So here are some things I have learned along the way:

1. If you have 30 to 40 years til retirement, you just have to stay in the market and ride it out. Your retirement account are investing on dollar cost average so the cheaper the mutual fund price the more mutual fund stock you buy with the potential that it will all be worth more upon retirement.

2. If you are within 5-10 years til retirement, you need to make a decision whether to stay in or sit on the side lines. Do you have enough money to be okay? Remember, pigs get fat, but hogs get slaughtered. Rethink what retirement looks like and can slow quit. Can you reduce time spent in the office, use vacation and those saved up sick days for mental health and leisure? Retirement doesn’t mean you have to leave your job, retirement mentally. You can access your 401k or 403b with penalty after 59 1/2, just don’t take out more than 4% annually.

3. Education: we are back to the pre affirmative action days. Get your kids as much education as possible and remember they may have to follow the opportunity even if it means leaving those red states or looking internationally. Our people won’t make it just settling for Starbucks jobs.

4. I still drink seltzer but not Perrier, I bought a Soda Stream. I am saving money and reducing recycling.

5. I hope Warren Buffet stays around for at least 4 more years. Berkshire B shares have been good to me even during this downturn.

6. Don’t sacrifice your health during this period. Eat healthy and exercise. My best investment last year was an E-bike. Trust me, get an Actbest on Amazon. It is reasonably priced and well built.

7. If you have a Kitchen Aid mixer, get the ice cream attachment. I have made the best Oatmilk nondairy ice cream. I normally put in fresh blueberries or strawberries. You will never buy store bought ice cream again.

8. We still have some tough months ahead financially and as a people. The coming months will be difficult but we are built for endurance. This is a time to be frugal and reduce costs and lean into your spirituality.

Peace out,

Frugal Frank OTBS 

Back in 2025-repost from 2019

Hello My Peoples,

I posted this blog in 2019 and I think it is worth reposting during this Trump 2.0 time.

Hello my peoples,

I don’t know about you, but I miss President Obama. During these times, we need to remember that we are still living in Obama’s economy.
The jobs growth- Obama
Healthcare- Obama
Stock Market- Obama
Minimum wage increases- Obama
Green economy- Obama

We need to also remember that we will feel the full effect of Trump’s policies in the next 4 years going forward. Just think of the Bush years. Clinton left a booming surplus economy and it only took Bush 4 years to destroy it. Remember, that’s why we got Obama., a republican President drove the economy into the ditch. The sad thing is, he was smarter than the present dude.
I am not here to bash President Trump, because it just waste energy and history will always uncover the truth.

I have been slow reading the new Frederick Douglass biography by David Blight and it helps me appreciate and understand the times we are in now. Just think about it, Fred saw all the progress made during abolition and reconstruction only to see so much ground lost during the beginnings of Jim Crow. In reading the book, I saw that white supremacy takes no vacations and will try and rewrite history because most of the populists takes the path of least resistance. Fred never stop living as a man and continued to speak truth to power. I don’t want to give a summary of the book, so I suggest that you make this your holiday read and come back and discuss it with me.

So, with the holidays amongst us, what should we discuss? Beyoncé, Jay-Z or Kanye? As Whitney Houston once said, “Hell to the no!” We see a lot of this mindless material on television. I think it should be finances. Why? Because money issues shorten our life span, leads to divorce, unhappy retirements and unhappy relationships. As a black man living in New England, I have learned that weekends are great for biking, tennis, golf, and farm to table eating. Weekends are not meant for Mall retail shopping, fast food eating, and any sedentary activity possible. I also love the Lord, but have found many ways and places to worship not always in the traditional church structure. I sometimes attend church with my white brethren when I want a short service with the word, but I also go to the black church for spiritual renewal. There is just something about a white choir singing Negro spirituals that is just not right. So, I will be attending my black church during the holidays with my people. You know, “Silent Night” with the Motown twist can’t be beat at Christmas.

So back to finances, as I read Frederick Douglass, one of my takeaways is that blacks after Reconstruction were involved in educating their children and were trying to make impacts on society. As, I look at  the Jay-Z’s, Will Smiths, Kanye’s and multiple wealthy celebrities, I wonder if they are producing future doctors, scientists, and lawyers or future consumers of mindless materialism? Is it the ultimate goal to be on E!News every night? Is that what our people fought and died for? You know the ironic thing about this whole college admissions scam involving celebrities? There were no black celebrity parents. They will buy kids $200,000 cars and throw the biggest birthday bashes but are not trying to get their kids into elite colleges, even illegally. I will give George Foreman some serious credit, none of his kids are boxers; but they are lawyers, doctors and dentists even though their father is worth $300 million and they could live off his wealth.
Let’s keep our eyes on the prize. During this holiday season, don’t overspend. Your kids should still love you if they don’t get the latest new toy and if they have issues check your parenting skills. Trust me I am raising two strong sisters who are woke and self conscious. Maybe it’s the parenting or because they have a frugal dad, but this year they want gifts after Christmas when stores give the greatest markdowns. They are giving me my greatest Christmas gift, Frugal Kids on the black side.

So, during this period of holiday joy and political turmoil, get your finances in order so that you can bear the economic down turn coming, and believe me, it is coming. We may have one or two years of breathing room. So do these during the holidays:

1. Pay off as much debt as possible
2. Build reserve funds
3. Build retirement
4. Educate your kids, if A’s are not coming home, some serious shit needs to get restricted.
5. Join Planet Fitness instead of buying a Peloton
6. Upgrade to a used car instead of a new car
7. Stop drinking all soft drinks and switch to Perrier
    This and reduced bread intake will improve health and weight loss
8. Buy a subscription to Consumer Reports
9. Subscribe to SiriusXM for Urban Talk-get woke
10. You still need to get your kid a junior golf membership to a nice golf course plus lessons
11. For the  HolidayFive Black Movies to Watch this Holiday

Retirement in Black

 Hello my Peoples,

I know people are constantly complaining about rising costs, but we are still living in the greatest times and in the greatest country. People are constantly asking me how much money you need to retire comfortably or when should you retire. Let me be clear, retirement strategy for black folks is a little different from other people. Now if you are part of the wealthy black group then I am not talking to you. This conversation is for the middle to upper middle class frugal black folk. Of course the biggest two questions is health insurance coverage and a home mortgage. If you can keep your company’s insurance then you could retire before 65 but if not 65 is a possible target. Life in retirement is definitely easier in retirement with no mortgage, but remember you still have taxes and home insurance to pay. Your million dollar home may be paid off but the taxes and insurance could damper retirement life because you will be living on a fixed income. Buy a good solid car that is cheap on repair cost before you retire and pay it off.

Now, the next question is how much you need? Some say 1 million others say 2 million. It also depends on whether you manage it or have someone else do it and do you buy an annuity. Frugal people manage their own money. Why? Here is a question I always ask my students, “If you have a million dollars earning 5%interest a year and you take out $50,000 a year, how long will your money last?” Those who know the answer submit the answer in Comments. Hey, I have to run…conversation to be continued….

Peace out FFBS

It’s Christmas Time Again

 Hello my Peoples,

This is Frugal Frank on the Blackside, back in black just in time for Christmas. Every year, I tell myself that I am going to blog more but then it’s Christmas again. Santa has delivered me a Dow above 36000 this December and you bet I am going to be watching it like a mother to catch a downturn. If it starts nosediving again, this brother may have to park his funds in a Money Market Fund for a bit. I got my ass burnt with some Alibaba but lucky me I balanced it with some Berkshire Hathaway B shares. I am selling that Alibaba this week, taking the hit because it ain’t coming back. Like Aretha says”Ain’t no Way”. I should have bought more Amazon.

Can I tell you people that my 2006 Volvo XC70 is finally giving out. That damn transmission and auto shops want $5000 to replace it, but the engine still purrs like a kitten. Looks like I will be calling, “1877Cars for Kids” Hell, what am I complaining about? I bought the car 11 years ago for 10 grand and have over 300,000 miles on it and that tank protected my kids to and from golf tournaments, swim meets, tennis meets, music lessons and family trips through rain, sleet and snow. I can’t decide on the next vehicle though. Should it be another Volvo or Subaru or just go for a Hybrid.

I hope everyone is getting ready for the Holidays. Me? I start playing Christmas music November 1st. This should be a good Christmas to those of you who listened to me years ago and bought homes with interest rates in the 3% range. I haven’t seen rates this high since 1989, yep during those Reagan and Bush years rates were like 10 and 11 percent. I purchased my first home in 1990 and my rate was 10.75 but that damn Clinton brought those rates down. So young people, what do you do? You still purchase a home, just a smaller one because rates will eventually come down and your salaries will go up. Listen to me, homeowners never have trouble getting people to loan them money. I just wish loan advertisers would stop sending me shit. A friend once reminded me that they are not making any more land so get you a home or some land. Now Older folks, our portfolios should look nice, if you did like I did and stayed in stocks and weathered the storm and didn’t purchase those dumbass annuities sold to you by your Financial Advisor (see my previous posts). 

Can I digress a bit?

 I love my white neighbors both North and South. They keep the neighborhood clean and quiet and safe and will often bring over some baked goods. For my people still living in the house you own in the hood, but hearing gun shots and seeing the neighborhood go down. It ain’t coming back, sell that damn house and get out. We need to stop making starter homes permanent homes. When you can do better, you ought to do better.

After visiting the Vineyard this summer and reading Sunny Hostin’s “Summer on the Bluffs”, I discovered Pamela Thompson-Graham’s 3 book series about murder at the Ivies. Not only can this sister write, but her resume is impressive. I would add her collection to your Christmas list. To Pamela, I am sorry for your loss and I know you are busy with your career but can you at least finish the Ivy series and get your heroine to kick Dante to the curb and get a real brother like you did😉. I still miss E.Lynn Harris’s writing. “And This Too Shall Pass” and “If This World Were Mine” are my holiday favorites. He left us too soon. 

Well, it is getting past my bedtime, but my next post will be about my thoughts on Retirement(rethinking it)

Peace out,

Frugal Frank OTBS

Some Black Frugal Nostalgia

 Hello My Peoples,

Some nostalgia, I posted the blog below years ago when I first started. My girls are both in college, Ivy League and post graduate work abroad. My wife and I are still together. I left the South for New England and I just had my $15 Cole Hann shoes repaired for guess what? $15. I still have that 2006 Volvo XC 70 I bought for 10 grand. It has 300,000 miles, looks good, but my wife thinks we should bail on it. The yearly repairs still don’t match a new car payment. I now own 2 homes, live comfortably under the radar, own a Costco and BJ’s membership and a membership in a food cooperative where the food is fresh and healthy.

Hello,

I am a frugal black man that lives life to the fullest. I am a strong brother with a lovely wife and two beautiful kids. My goal here is to create a movement of black people, who like being at the opposite end of the bling bling society. This group will get thrills from not purchasing a new Coach bag at retail with their Platinum card, but from getting a gently used pair of Cole Hanns for $15.00 at a consignment store and by having people guess how you are living. You will take the journey with me as I help raise a 3 year old and 8 year old (girls) responsibly and frugally. They already know the code words for Goodwill and how to say "My grandmother bought this in a specialty shop in Atlanta."

Now, don't get me wrong. My wife and I have masters degrees from prestigious private universities and live in a golf club community, but I can squeeze water from a rock.

I never buy cars that cost more than $10,000 and they have to have at least 100,000 miles on them.
I will share my thought process on this later along with my mother's old wisdom sayings like,
"It's not how much you make, It's what you do with what you make."

Sorry but I have to get some shut eye.

Frugal Frank from the Blackside

Black Christmas 2022

 Hello My Peoples, 

You know I just can’t seem to blog as much lately, but the holiday season always bring me back here. We have lost so many greats this year, Irene Cara, Bernard Shaw, Ramsey Lewis, Bill Russell, LeonTalley, Lani Guinier, Sidney Poitier. Hats off to these greats. I have been blessed with my family and friends through this COVID pandemic and yes, I still wear my mask. 

As most of you already know, now is not a good time to retire. Unless you hate your job, what’s the hurry? You probably have at least 4 weeks of vacation, a paid off home and possibly older kids. Right now you should be thinking of what comes next on your last day and taking it easy is not an answer. Hell, you can “quiet quit” on your current job. Oh, for you old asses who don’t stay current, “quiet quitting” is when you cut back your activities on your current job. You start using those sick days, stop working overtime and weekends, and stop stressing about the little shit. 

Did you know that many black people go downhill with health after retirement? Because work was the only activity we did, we become inactive, gain weight and start having health problems. We retire because people tell us that’s what you should do at a certain age or we listen to some dumbass financial advisor using a generic algorithm that tells us we are good. Here is the thing, I don’t want to volunteer at church every day or hang out at the senior center with those old ass white people or keep bad ass grandkids. So, Frugal Frank what shall we do you ask? Follow along then:

Step 1: Get your ass in shape, stop going home and taking a nap after work. Exercise or join a Pickleball group. Use your employee discount for health club membership. Buy a Fitbit and make sure you walk 10000 steps a day, with at least 500 moderate jogging.(get that heart pumping)

Step 2: Stop eating fast food, anything high in sodium, no sodas and reduce carbs.

Step 3: Stop waiting for retirement to go places on the weekends and I don’t mean shopping. Go to museums, parks, performances. A one night weekend driveable trip can do wonders.

Step 4: Do your “quiet quit” at work, if you are still down South, those people are probably working you too damn hard anyway. My trick is, you only have to stay 5 more minutes than your boss. They neither know or care if you worked 5 minutes or 5 hours, because their asses are hanging out at the Country Club.

Step 5. Survey your neighborhood. I don’t care how long you have lived there, if Pokie is selling weed next door and gunshots happen as often as the mail, you need to plan on moving after retirement. Find a nice safe area with walking and bike trails.

Step 6. Before leaving your job, try living on 1/3 of your salary for a year or two, because that’s retirement. If you can’t do it with a job, then you better put on that Walmart greeter vest.

So, this is your starter list. 

Also stay invested. I have been through three downturns. We probably have another year or two to go, but it will rally back.

For Christmas, don’t buy too much unnecessary stuff. For ideas check out my previous Christmas blogs.

Peace out and stay frugal,

Frugal Frank from the Blackside

Happy 2022 in The Black

 Hello my Peoples,

I hope everyone is staying COVID free to start the New Year. I am worried because I am seeing too many black folks walking around with no masks and listening to too much conspiracy bull crap on the internet. I know that the Black Frugal group is following the science and staying safe and healthy. I cooked a healthy batch of Collards this Christmas( no ham hock), well, after I burnt the first batch. Take a note from me when cooking Collards, never take a nap during cooking without a timer. Ha ha. From my wife, you need white wine, cayenne pepper, a little sugar and a pinch of salt. I also watched King Richard and Harlem.

During 2020-2021, I have done the following:

- created a workout area in my basement for under $300

- increased my wealth

- paid off all vehicles 

- sent two kids to Europe for a week

- improved my golf and tennis game

- renovated a kitchen on the cheap

- built a Little Free Library 

- also, update on my Hisense Flatscreen, it lasted 8 years, not bad for $300 50 inch, but the speakers are terrible. The good deals now are the Samsungs.

So, for the Black Frugal group, I hope you have stayed invested in the stock market. With all the gas increases, viruses and mutations, the Dow has gone from 28000 in 2020 to 36000 at the end of 2021. You should still keep most of your money in mutual funds and stay away from anyone trying to sell you annuities and crypto for now. Hey, you can spend a few hundred on Dogecoin or Shiba and see what happens, but it is too volatile to anything except dabble. The only good things coming from this pandemic is that we have learned that we were wasting too much money on materialistic items, eating unhealthy and paying preachers too much damn money. The online sermons really separated out the theologians from the prosperity preachers. 

This is still a good time to buy a home and for my black peoples we need to upgrade to neighborhood where our property can appreciate like the whites. I know we love our black hoods but until real estate companies and cities stop marginalizing our communities our wealth in assets will never build like them. Remember never buy the most expensive house in you neighborhood, if you do you are already at the top price point and your house will never appreciate in value at a profitable rate. I believe interest rates are going to rise over the next year. We are no longer in our grandparents generation where you bought a house in a black neighborhood and never moved. Our black neighborhoods now are degrading at a much faster rate and we have not learned the keys to gentrification of our neighborhoods like the whites have. You just can’t run the drug gangs or predators out, you have to price them out and put city power on the slum lords. Now, many of you may disagree but again that’s my two cents and like my mom used to say opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.

Peace out for now,

Frugal Frank OTBS