“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” Arms Black Buyers With the Knowledge Dealerships Hope They Never Have
At a time when federal data confirms Black car buyers pay significantly higher auto loan interest rates compared to white borrowers with similar credit profiles, one author is putting the power back in Black hands.Roosevelt Gist has released
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” – a comprehensive, plain-language guide that walks Black car buyers through exactly what vehicles cost, how dealership financing actually works, and how to walk into any dealership and walk out with a fair deal.
The book arrives at a critical moment. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau documents that dealer interest rate markups cost American car buyers billions of dollars annually, with Black buyers absorbing a disproportionate share of those markups. The average Black family loses thousands of dollars over the life of a single auto loan through rate markups alone, according to federal consumer protection data.
“Black Families Deserve the Whole Truth”
“Black families work hard for every dollar they earn,” said Gist. “When they walk into a dealership, they deserve to know exactly what that car costs, exactly what their financing costs, and exactly how to negotiate from a position of strength. This book gives them that knowledge before they ever sit down at the finance desk.”
The book covers the full car-buying landscape in clear, accessible language designed for first-time buyers, families preparing for a major purchase, and experienced buyers who want to ensure they never overpay again. Readers learn how dealerships structure profit across the vehicle sale and financing transaction, how interest rate markups work and how to counter them, how to read and negotiate every line of a purchase contract, and how to calculate the true total cost of vehicle ownership beyond the monthly payment.
A Resource Born From Community
Gist developed the book from deep personal and professional experience with the systemic barriers Black car buyers face. The book connects consumer financial education to the broader Black wealth-building conversation – framing every car purchase as a decision with generational implications.
“Every dollar a Black family loses to a dealership markup is a dollar that leaves our community,” Gist said. “This book is about keeping that money where it belongs – in Black hands, building Black wealth.
”What the Book Covers: “The Color of Our Money Is Green” guides readers through:
• How to determine the true fair market value of any vehicle before negotiating
• How dealer financing markup works and how to identify and counter it
• How to secure pre-approval from a community lender before any dealership visit
• How to read every line of a retail installment sale contract
• How to calculate the total cost of ownership, including insurance, maintenance, fuel, and depreciation
• How to negotiate vehicle price and financing independently
• How to identify and reject add-on products and hidden fees
• How post-purchase decisions affect long-term family wealth
Community Impact
The book serves as a cornerstone financial education resource for Black community organizations, HBCU business programs, Black church financial literacy ministries, and Black chambers of commerce across the country.
The book connects directly to the growing DriveEquity movement – a community-driven initiative delivering full-service, advocate-supported car-buying services to Black families, reinforcing the financial education mission that empowers Black buyers to protect their wealth in every vehicle transaction.
About the Author
Roosevelt Gist brings decades of experience in community advocacy, financial education, and consumer protection to this work. His commitment to Black economic empowerment drives every page of this guide. Gist developed “The Color of Our Money Is Green” specifically to address the documented gap in financial education resources serving Black car buyers – resources that speak directly to their experience, their community, and their wealth-building goals.
Availability“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” is available now at stan.store/RGist
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