Jasmine Okafor
Contributor
Jasmine Okafor is a marketing director and single mother of two daughters (ages 5 and 7) living in Atlanta, Georgia. After accumulating $47,000 in consumer debt by age 26, she spent 28 months paying it off and emerged with a deep commitment to teaching her children what she had to learn the hard way. Jasmine writes with unflinching honesty about her past financial mistakes and her current journey to raise financially literate kids while managing the real constraints of single parenthood. Her content focuses on practical money lessons, honest conversations about financial anxiety, and building healthy money habits without shame or judgment.
Specialties
Articles by Jasmine
The Day My 7-Year-Old Asked Why We're 'Poor' (And What I Actually Said)
We were in Target. Amara pointed at a $35 toy and asked why we couldn't buy it. When I said 'not today,' she asked louder—because we're in public—'Is it because we're poor?' Every parent within 20 feet turned to look. I had 3 seconds to decide: lie to make it less awkward, or tell the truth.
December 18, 2024
I Stopped Saying 'We Can't Afford It' and Started Saying 'No'
For years, I blamed money for every 'no.' Can't go to the trampoline park? Can't afford it. Can't get new shoes? Can't afford it. Then my 7-year-old asked, 'Mom, why are we always too poor for everything?' And I realized: I wasn't teaching her about budgets. I was teaching her that we were powerless. Here's what I changed.
November 15, 2024