www.cacjohnson.com

                                   MVP:  Bad Check Writing

“Decisions: The Pathway to Power…Do you remember when Jimmy Carter was still the President of the United States , the Empire was striking back, Yoda and Pac Man were the rage, and nothing came between Brooke Shields and her Calvin’s? The Ayatollah Khomeini had come to power in Iran and held our fellow Americans hostage; Do you remember hearing the news that John Lennon was murdered? Do you remember when Mount Saint Helen erupted, leveling 150 square miles? Did you cheer when the underdog U.S hockey team beat the Soviets, and went on to win the Olympic gold metal? That was 1980. A little more than ten years ago. Think for a moment. Where were you then? What were you like? Who were your friends? What were you hopes and dreams? I f someone asked you “Where will you be in ten or fifteen years? What would you have told them? Are you today where you wanted to be back then? A decade can pass quickly, more importantly; maybe we should be asking ourselves.” How am I going to live the next ten years of my life? How am I going to live today in order to create the tomorrow I ‘m committed to? What am I going to stand for from now on? What’s important to me right now, and what will be important to me in the long term? What actions can I take today that will shape my destiny”…

                                                                     Anthony Robbins Awakening the Giant Within

“If you don’t have a plan for your life someone else does?”

                                                                     Anthony Robbins Awakening the Giant Within

Cost & Fees: On May 25^th 2007, I wrote a check at the local grocery store for $35.00 (thirty-five) dollars not haphazardly or heedlessly but with certainty that the check would clear. Yet, precariously, I was disheartened to learn a few days later the check would not clear. As result of writing a check with insufficient funds in my checking account, I acquired inexorable fees; the cost of one single check written in the local grocery store in the area in which I reside cost $35.00 (thirty-five) dollar return check fee, $35.00(thirty-five) dollar overdraft fee, and $40.00 (forty) dollars to close the account, unequivocally, all of the mentioned fees could have been easily avoided had I reviewed and filled out my check register properly. Expeditiously, to avoid legal fees and court cost, I immediately responded, as well as followed through with the Virginia’s Commonwealth Check Enforcement Program whose Financial Training cost $70.00 (seventy)dollars not including the Victim’s fee of $61.42(sixty-one dollars and forty two cents). Still, as the account holder, the combined total cost I acquired for writing one single bad check at the local grocery store cost $458.42(four hundred  fifty eight dollars and forty two cents.)Furthermore, the day I entered the grocery store, I was not being impetuous or egregious, I earnestly believed the money was or would be available in my checking account before the check posted. Nonetheless, I wrote the check in the grocery store using my discretion whether my actions were adventitious or disingenuous, the result of my actions on May 25^th  2007 did not have a favorable out come I believed and intended, thus, prompting, a caprice in my attitude towards writing checks and the check writing process.

Insufficient Funds: To emphatically state without embellishing or lessening the severity of my actions, On May 25^th, 2007, the day I went into the local grocery store to buy groceries for the end of the month. I remember that day vaguely but I have vivid memories of what ensued after the visit to the grocery store. A few days later after my visit to the grocery store I received a letter from the bank stating my account was overdrawn, then, shortly after receiving a notice from the bank I received a letter from Virginia’s Commonwealth Check Enforcement Program; before receiving the letter, I spoke with one of the managers to see if I was in the system and I was not at the time;  I did not continue to follow through with the grocery store directly. Exhausted and exasperated from the entire check writing process, I was saddened, as well as, upset. Unquestionably only to compound and confirm my feelings was the fact I had recently opened the checking account with Bank of Wachovia and cleared two other accounts. During the time I opened my Wachovia free checking account, I was using the Bank of Wachovia free checking account to pay bills, for charity donations, and to buy groceries. Because of what transpired to open the checking account at Wachovia, I was being cautious with my check registry until the check writing incident onMay25th, 2007 did not clear. Remarkably, as I write this article in analyzing the event leading up to the day I wrote the check; I vaguely remember walking through the store, yet, I know it was with certainty. Astoundingly, at the time of my grocery shopping, I knew I had sufficient funds in my checking account to cover the check I would write on May 25th, 2007. Reflecting and tracing my footsteps leading to the days before I wrote the check in the store I would say that I was definitely, on the road to financial recovery(2007).To evince, I was already distraught and exasperated from the unplanned and unexpected move to Virginia. Initially, my checking account was opened back in March of 2005, however, before I could open my checking account with the Bank of Wachovia, I first had to pay off my Bank of America account that was opened while I was an employee with the City of Pompano, as well as, pay off my Bank Atlantic account I opened during my temporary unemployment. As standard business practice most banks will not allow new customers to open a checking account if the customer has an outstanding balance with the previous bank, likewise with the Bank of Wachovia, without being spurious, both accounts were cleared before I could re-open a checking account with the Bank of Wachovia. As a new customer in March of 2005 with previous uncleared checking accounts, opening a new account with the Bank of Wachovia, the process took a little longer than usual; inadvertently and in accordance with bank policy, the entire process took about three days to receive confirmation from both banks that my checking account were paid and cleared out of the system. Today I do not have an active checking account, my course of action might seem extreme but I rather learn to not depend on writing checks then continue on the same track of having reoccurring fees,and worrying about whether or not a check has cleared or if my bill money will be short for the next month. Although, I have stop writing checks, Debt collectors have not stop asking me to write post dated checks, or do I having check account to setup automatic withdrawal. At the age of thirty-seven, Debt Collectors and Creditors continue to ask for my mothers maiden name which throughout the years has been very irritating ,considering the fact, I file separate taxes from parent who do not claim me as an dependent. I know that eventually, I might have to reopen another checking account either to buy a new car , purchase a home, or rent apartment. Nevertheless, many businesses that I have dealt have a predilection to wards checking accounts. As standard business practice most banks will not allow new customers to open a checking account if the customer has an outstanding balance with the previous bank, likewise with the Bank of Wachovia, without being spurious, both accounts were cleared before I could re-open a checking account with the Bank of Wachovia. As mention perviously, due to the fact that I was a new customer in March of 2005 with previous uncleared checking accounts, opening a new account with the Bank of Wachovia, the process took a little longer than usual.  account After the incident in May of 2007, my checking was closed in June of 2007. Additional Fees: In tracing my footsteps, I remember completing my grocery shopping then approaching the counter with my groceries as I stood at the register the cashier proceeded to scan my items, while the cashier was scanning the items, I began to fill out a blank check. Meanwhile, at the end of the scanning process the cashier politely gave me a total of the items scanned a total of $35.00(thirty-five) dollars.

Store Policy:What was different about this day? What was different about this check?

In analyzing the day of May 25th 2007, I believe on that particular day I was already exasperated, discouraged,  distraught, and at my wits end with the check writing process. I arrived at a definitive moment. Moreover, because of the unplanned , as well as, unexpected move to the state of Virginia which only exacerbated my financial ,subsequently, causing me to live check to check literally, eventually, changing my perception about writing checks and the check writing process. What really brought me to close my checking account for an unspecified amount of time besides, the overdraft fees, insufficient fund fees, the consequences of writing a bad check outweighed the immediate gratification of having the purchased item in my hands. Even more so, as I reflect on that day or any other day I have written a check, just the thought brings me to C'est combien/C'est combien en tout? Finally, I learned through the Virginia Commonwealth Check Enforcement Program alternatives to prevent having overdrawn checking account, for instance, linking checking account to savings or CD helps to stop additional bank fees. Consequently, the result of writing a bad check at my local grocery store cost me more than the amount filled in the blanks. Because of the additional fees acquired from writing a bad check, I endured finacial hardship that proliferated from having to $171.42 the Virginia’s Commonwealth Check Enforcement Program money that I plan to used to household expenses i.e. (credit cards, phone bill, car insurance…) I paid the Virginias Commonwealth immediately upon receiving the notice of my bad check at the local grocery store. In addition to paying the Commonwealth Check Enforcement Program I sought to make immediate amends with my financial institution and the local grocery store. As former cashier in a major  grocery chain from a different state I found the policies were different, for instance, in the grocery store where I was once a cashier,a customer with an insufficient check received a notice from the grocery, in the mail, as well as,a phone call from a manager or assistant manager. The managers would then make a list of all the return checks for the month. Next, the list would be placed at each register. Therefore, if customers with outstanding check tried to write a check and their names appeared on the list then that customer could not write checks for their groceries. In order to restore their good standing with the store customers were given the option of paying return check fees and the original amount of the check at the store the check had been written. As result of the incident on May 25^th, 2007 I no longer write checks which have been a debt relief to me especially during the holiday season. Subsequently, it was the bad check that caused and prompted me to gain control over my check writing habits. I personally found  out that the period of time without writing checks became a good learning moment. In years past, I have written checks for Payday Loans or Cash Advancements to pay for bills ; however, after being unemployed or sporadically employed, I became less dependent on Payday Loans or Cash Advancements because it does not work ,in most instances ,if the individual does not have a secure line of credit. Also, I found out that taking out a Payday Loan did more detriment to my bank account than increase my credit score.

First Checking &Savings Account: I opened my first checking account with my father at the age off ten or twelve a penny savings account with all the pennies I had collected and my allowances. Since the first opening of my first checking account I have had several checking accounts right after my first job and throughout college. Many businesses in the area that I reside at the time required checking account; for instance, initially having the water and electric turned on in my apartment. Often,  I used my checking account to mostly to pay bills and I would write checks for groceries many instances I found myself trying to (Rob Peter to Pay Paul) which on more than one occasion did not go to well for   because I did not have credit. In 2001 I was employed with the City Of Pompano, I reopened a banking account with city for direct deposit; therefore, I did not have to worry about anyone stealing my checks or waiting in long lines to cash my check. As a consumer the many banking accounts I have had all have their individual fee list for overdrawn or insufficient funds. Eventually, at the end of every month I found myself having to make at least one overdraft fee. Today I do not have a checking for several reasons.  After several Payday loans or Advancements I made the choice to stop writing checks. Savings &Loan Scandal of the late seventies and early eighties: One of my earliest remembrances of bad Check writing reverts back to my being adolescence with the news of the savings and loan scandal in congress. The savings and loan scandal drew national media attention throughout the United States . My rudimentary understanding of the scandal at the time was member congress wrote checks for lascivious dinners, gifts, and trips that bounced all over Washington D.C at the taxpayer expense. It would be years later after I had graduated from college and purchased a motivational book written by Anthony Robbins Awakening the Giant Within that Would learn of the in depth details of saving and loan scandal. Indeed the scandal was not an exemplary example for American consumers and the decorum of congress was not appropriate for elected public officials. In reading Anthony Robbins Awakening the Giant Within my understanding of the savings and loan scandal became more evince. Below an excerpt from Awakening the Giant Within

Savings &Loan scandal of the late seventies and early eighties: “It all began with savings and loan challenges that came up in the late seventies and early eighties banking and S&L institutions had built their businesses primarily on the corporate and consumer market. For a bank to profit, it has to make loans, and those loans have to be at an interest rate that’s above what it pays to depositors. In the first stages of the problem, the banks faced difficulties on several fronts. First, they were hit hard when corporations entered what had previously been the sole domains of banks: lending. Large companies found that by lending to one another, the save significantly on interest, developing what’s now known as the” commercial paper market” This was so successful that it virtually destroyed the profit centers of many banks. Meanwhile, there were new developments on the American Consumer front as well. Traditionally, consumers did not look forward to meeting with a loan officer at a bank, meekly asking for loans to purchase a car or appliance... They didn’t usually feel like a “value customer” at many banks Car companies were smart enough to recognize this and began offering loans to their customers, creating a new source of profit for themselves. They saw they could make as much money on the financing as they did on the car they sold, and they could give the customer a great deal of convenience an lower interest rates. Their attitude was, of course, quite different from the bankers’-they had vested interest in seeing the customer get his loan. Soon, the customer came to prefer in-house financing over the traditional method, appreciating the convenience, flexibility, and low financing fees. One of the last bastions for bank loans was the real estate market, but interest rates and inflation had soared in one year as high as 18% percent. As a result, no one could afford the monthly payments that servicing loans at this interest rate required. As you can image, real estate loans dropped off the map. By this time, the banks  had lost the market for a great deal of their car loans, and they had begun to lose home loans as well…Everyday the banks were losing money;….These banks and S&L’s also pressured Congress to help keep them from going under, and a series of changes occurred. Large banks realized they could loan money to foreign nations that were desperately hunger for capital. They did exactly what we taught: we encouraged the to be gamblers with the Federal Deposit Insurance, promising that  if they won ,they won big, and if they failed, we would pick up the tab …As a result, builders built like crazy , causing a glut on the market. When the supply was so much greater that the demand, the market collapsed. Developers went back to the banks and said” We can’t pay” and the bankers went to the taxpayers and said “We can’t pay.” Unfortunately, there’s nobody we can turn to. What are worse, people have seen the abuse in this country, and the assumption now is that anyone who is wealthy must have taken advantage of somebody. This is creating negative attitudes toward many in business who are often the very people providing jobs that allow American dreams to flourish…."

MVP:Update of New Years Resolution

January 1st, 2009 has come and gone,but my New Year's Resolution still remains reducing my total debt that is calculated to approximately $40,000 dollars. Getting out of debt or reducing as much of the listed debt below continues to be a primary focus for cacjohnson. As of March 2009,I have stop writing checks, I continue to make the minimum monthly payments on three of my cards, I have also arranged for automatic deduction of one credit card in effort to bring my account current,on a positive note, my Fingerhut card is paid off.While working to clear up debt,at the same time,I continue to contribute to certain charities, although, my donations thus far for this year has decreased significantly;I plan to continue to donate local charities.Surprisingly, the New Year did not start the way I would have preferred with the opening of a Cd account;however, I continue to work with my creditors.

MVP: New Years Resolution/ Reconciliation of Debt

As the months of the New Year progress, I encourage readers to join me as I personally began the process of debt reconciliation. My battle with consumer debt has been an ongoing soap opera,as I write this article, I hope that other consumers will find inspiration, as well as, feel compelled to also follow the process of Debt Reconciliation.Not surprisingly, who else would have better first hand knowledge on Debt Reconciliation then someone who has survived and conquered Credit Crunch! Depending on the amount of debt for each individual the time plans for Debt Reconciliation could vary from 12mos. 24mos. to 36 mos. My overall goal is to reduce as much of my debt in 2009. I know that I might not be able to eradicate all of my debt; however,  I made decision to not procrastinate to get a plan that will fit and reduce my current debt within the least amount time without taking a bite out of my budget plus working to find an alternative to transferring small amounts of debt to one credit card. :

Allstate Car Insurance:   Bal Owed:$77.00

Gevalia Coffee Delivery: Bal Owed:$66.00

Allied Interstate(Debt Collectors)

Black Expression Book Club:$103.00

Science Fiction Club:$115.00

Columbia House DVDS:$145.10/

Individual Creditors

Free checking Account (Bank Of Wachovia)

10102794334036  Credit Limit:   Bal:$287.00

 Verizon (Residential Line)

00084648236275Y Credit Limit: 

Bal: To restore services $45/$55.00 ($400.00)

First Premier Bank (Closed Account)

5178007736201039 Credit Limit:$300.00 Bal:$513

First Premier Bank (Closed Account)

5178007613326610 Credit Limit:$250     Bal:380.00

Tribute (Cardmember Services)

5259830034100310 Credit Limit:$300.00  Bal:$397.00

New Millennium Bank (Active Account)

4767 0750 102502044  Credit Limit: $350.00

Emblem(Jefferson Capital)/(Active Account)

5184 0800 0031 9896 Credit Limit:$636.00

Aspire (Cardmember Services)/(Closed Account)

15043468081000095 Credit Limit: 1,500/intervals of $200.00 w/o notification Bal:1785.00

Alltel Communications

Early Termination Fee $200.00/ Bal:$365.00

Blair (Active Account)

Credit Limit:$360.00 Bal:$418.00

Fingerhut

6276-4560-2243-9259 Credit Limit:$300.00 Bal: $0.00

CorTrust(closed account)

Credit Limit:$400.00 Bal: charged off as bad debt

US Dept Of Education

Loan Amt: $29,442.72

Total Credit Limit:$986.00   

Balanced Owed:34,993.73(one year teachers salary with MA)

Chapter7  (Bankruptcy: remains up to Ten years on credit report)

Chapter 11(Bankruptcy:Businesses&Corporations)

Chapter 13

(Reorganization of Debts)

For more information about Credit Relief and Debt Solutions check your local yellow pages,visit web sites,& call Debt Counselor for free Consultation.

INCHARGE DEBT SOLUTIONS

1-888-505-2105

www.incharge.org

1-888-679-00022

www.clearpointfs.org

MVP: All Around Shopper

After college, I had no specific detail plans about how I would support my lifestyle. Graduating college did not stop my monthly expenses; I continued to have monthly expenses such as; groceries, laundry, toiletries, clothing, and personal hygiene (hair and nails.)With no steady income, after graduation, I had more money going out than I was bringing home. A few months after graduation, I returned home, found work and began to earn income. I noticed immediately when I began work that my money was going everywhere from my regular monthly expenses to the biweekly automatic deductions taken out by the government i.e. (FICA, Medicare…)

All Around Shopper: I was an All Around Shopper before I graduated from college. By looking and hearing the term All Around Shopper I am sure many ideas and thoughts enter your brain. An All Around Shopper by my definition (because you won’t find this complete term in whole in the dictionary) are not the people who look around for the best deals in stores or shop in every store there is in the city. In examining the term All Around Shopper in more detail I found (develop) an appropriate definition for an All Around Shopper.  With a closer examination of the term All Around Shopper, I realized that being an All Around Shopper was similar to being  a valedictorian of a graduating class. Valedictorians are the students that excel in all subjects i.e. (math, sciences, and languages) Unlike a valedictorian, an All Around Shopper excels in shopping for various products i.e. (food, clothing, household items, cosmetics….) Although, I wasn’t the Valedictorian or Salutatorian of my high school graduating class, I like many members of the approximate 301 graduating students of class ‘1990’, I was aware of the requirements to become a Valedictorian or Salutatorian. In fact, an All Around Shopper is similar to being a Valedictorian. The only difference between a Valedictorian and All Around Shopper are the requirements.

The requirements:  Valedictorians are usually the students with highest grade point average who at graduation delivers the graduation speech. First and foremost, in order to be a Valedictorian or Salutatorian a candidate must meet the requirements establish by their school. Many schools require a candidate to have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher,  have participated in various clubs, and organizations through the school year, as well as, have volunteered in the community. On the contrary, the requirements for an All Around Shopper are different but the idea remain the same. An All Around Shopper prepares  a list, clips coupons, check advertisements frequently does not over spend and most importantly shops in all categories. Although there are not any set or establish governing laws to being an All around Shopper, there is no getting around it an All Around Shopper are the shoppers who prepare a list, shop by category and the categories could range from perishables to apparel. As an All Around Shopper  fresh out of college with no set budget, I automatically shopped in categories i.e.(groceries, household items, hair care, nail care, cosmetics, shoes, apparel, and so forth…) In other words,to be an All Around Shopper you should have balance in all areas. A good place to start to become an All Around Shopper would be categorizing the items you buy regularly then prioritizing the categories by degree of importance. Today, many chain stores take the guess work out of where to shop by offering a variety of categories to choose from stores like Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Target, Rite Aid, and Kmart also some grocery stores have added additional categories to keep loyal customers from shopping elsewhere ,therefore, all the consumer has to do is bring their list.The Way Consumers Shop: To conclude, the way consumers shop; for instance, in comparison to the ideals and belief compromised by Abraham Maslow the founder Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.  Maslow discovered that there were five basic levels of   Humanistic needs. He was an American psychologist whom people considered to be the founder of a movement called humanistic psychology. In All Around Shopper, I deal with the first level of the pyramid  the physiological need of food, clothing, and shelter. Maslow believed  that we are driven to understand and fully accept ourselves; likewise , we need to fully understand our shopping habits thereby breaking cycles of bad habits; for example, not writing a list before leaving home, not  taking stock of the things we do have ,not checking advertisement regularly before running out he door. He also states that nobody ever reaches the top of the pyramid. Although, a consumer might not be a Valedictorian or Salutatorian as a consumer we can use the simple techniques and practices written in this article to becoming better shoppers.  Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs model was developed between 1943-1954, and was first widely published in Motivation and Personality in 1954. At this time the Hierarchy of Needs model comprised five needs, the original five layers version still remain for most people the definitive Hierarchy of needs. Furthermore,the movement develop as a revolt against behaviorism and psychoanalysis” After graduation, I continued to shop not for luxuries but for necessities."There are certain items I a consumer use daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly and by becoming an All Around Shopper it decrease my  urge for impulse buying, plus it help boost the economy.

Are you an All Around Shopper?

MVP: An All Around Shopper

Share with http://www.cacjohnson.com how you became an All Around Shopper

 What are your Categories?Recommend/Nominate someone in your community for MVP: All Around Shopper 

Email : johnsonjamala@yahoo.com

Mail all correspondence to the following address:

                     jamala@cacjohnson

P.o Box 5365

Newport News, Va 23605

MVP:Everything Frilly II

I Love Toyota, I love Frank Herbert's book Dune, I  love the sequel to Dune  :Hunters of Dune,I love Esther Friesner book Temping Fate, I love Jergens Cherry Almond lotion,I love Gucci sunglasses/shades,I love Coach handbags, I love silver, I love extra shine lipgloss,I love In Stlye Magazine, I love chocolate chip cookies, I love minature dogs, I love red grapes, I love green grapes, I love skintimate shaving gel in Tropical Scents,I love nectarines,I love trail mix with cashews, I love white cotton T-shirts, I love Apple Pectin Shampoo(TCB),I love green, orange, strawberry J-E-L-L-O, I love Haagen Daz ice cream(Cherry Garcia), I love Transformers the movie, I love Shakespeare's Macbeth, Hamlet,King Lear, & the Sonnets,I love...

MVP: Feminist Movement & Everything Frilly

“Graduating college did not stop my monthly expenses; I continued to have monthly expenses…After graduation, I continued to shop not for luxuries but for necessities.”

Feminist Movement: For decades women have sought for equality and  to be equal with their male counterparts, the Feminist movement was formed by women to establish equal pay. Women wanted to be able to work in fields that were  male dominated. As a result, the Feminist movement propelled women rights. The Feminist movement, “throughout the nineteenth and twentieth century primarily reflected white middle class…The goals of the middle class women centered on obtaining the opportunities available to the men of their own class, such as education…some women sought to improve the position of women through temperance, social reform and protective legislation for working women. After women won the right to vote the women’s movement waned. The women’s movement did not re-emerge until the 1960’s,” along with the Civil Rghts movement. Since the Feminist and Civil Rights movement, the role of women in society has changed significantly. In the United States women from all different nationalities have helped further the feminist movement in the private sector (business), all branches of government and military. In recent, years, I have not always agreed with the decisions or actions of feminist, for instance; the Feminist movement’s decision to place women in combat (war). Also, I do not agree with feminist who want to break barriers of traditional male forms of sports particularly in boxing, football, and pro wrestling such sports are synonymous for male and are known to be male dominated. Although, I am not an extreme feminist, I am a feminist to a degree, thus, when I hear the word feminist, I think of feminity as having “qualities, characteristics of or suitable to women; gentle, delicate…”but not to the point of being subservient, obsequious or passive and I definitely did not believe that in order to be feminist meant I had to wear pants. As a feminist, at the age of 37, I am still working to break the color barriers and preconceived ideas about darker complexion women. I was raised not to see color and that if you worked hard at something you could achieve your dreams. For example, Barbie became a symbol of the American dream I wanted to achieve. However, Barbie did not  dictate my idea of beauty even though she was a symbol of the American beauty. As a pre adolescent I loved Barbie, I had several Barbie dolls plus the Barbie doll dream house, and the town house.

Today, I still love Barbie. Although, I grew up with Barbie; I understood that Barbie was an American icon, a symbol and standard of   beauty for many women, that should not be imitated by all women.From the introduction of the first Barbie; throughout the decades the role of Barbie has change greatly. As society, pop cultures, sub cultures, fashion trends, and women’s role changed, Barbie remained resilient and became a symbol of these changes. As the adage states “you’re never too old to own a Barbie”,but way before Barbie there was Betty Boop and her dog Spike.

Everything Frilly:

I love Barbie dolls, I love pajama parties, I love pizza, I love racquet ball, I love tennis, I love to read sci-fi, I love to write non fiction, I love to bake chocolate fudge brownies, I love sci-fi movies, I love action movies, I love to watch the waves go in and out at the beach, I love the American flag, I love double espresso ,I love cream in my coffee, I love whip cream on top of my lattés, I love long distance drives, I love Neapolitan ice cream, I love to hot wax my legs, I love to arch my eye brows, I love to collect Hallmark cards, I love Betty Boop and her dog Spike, I love cotton pajamas, I love to watch black and white films after midnight ,I love anchovies, I love pedicures, I love manicures, I love to wear black boots, I love to wear sandals, I love silver glitter, I love  and prefer pink carination flowers, I love French and American manicures, I love boot cut jeans, I love dark denim, I love seafood (lobster,shrimp,and scallops) ,I love green and red peppers, I love peanut butter and chocolate mixed together , I love cashmere, I love inspirational music, I love commas and semicolons, I love transitional words and phrases;most importantly, I love to shop.

MVP:Designer names, Brand names, Store brand, & Generic

 Back-to-School:With the summer coming to a close, students from all walks of life are preparing for their return back-to-school. School shopping, it's that time of year again, a time of year that affects parents in their wallets, with an uncertain economy in 2008, and the recent mortgage crisis, school shopping might be the least of parents worries; however, for young adolescences to college students returning  back-to-school school shopping can be a momentous occasion or a total fiasco, especially, when pre-teens, high school students, and college students alike are searching for the perfect fit, the perfect pair, the perfect style, which could equate to just about anything from shoes, jeans, belts, jewelry, cell phones, cell phone accessories, computers, lap tops, lipgloss to lipstick, all to make a lasting impression on friends and teachers. Designer names, brand names, store brand, and generic brand affect million of Americans in their pockets, peer groups, and family life. In many instances,  American consumers equate quality with a designer name or brand name. Most often, consumers will overlook a store brand or generic brand for fear of inferior quality. Although, there are no perfect guys or girls; the existence of the right guy or girl ----and finding “Mr. or Ms. Right” becomes a matter of science or for some trial and error. With the summer coming to a close, returning back to school has become an important occasion for many students, and having the right fit ,right pair,  right style and the right school supplies helps to ease the transition of returning to classes after a long summer .

In preparing this article, I had to find the right magazines to read through, I chose several popular magazines that had been in publication for some years, for example, Seventeen, Redbook, Essence, Women’s Health, and Cosmo girl. Not withstanding the fact, I had to peruse through ton of magazines for this article, I searched for designer names, brand names, and store names that occurred frequently in each magazine. Also, I looked for magazines that specifically targeted men and women in age group between 17 to 45. Instead of trying to find the perfect way to jump start my career as Consumer Affairs Consultant, Sales and Service Manager, I asked myself what is the right way to boost my career ; I knew that I would have to do some introspection and go a little farther than write about my childhood experiences. A lot has changed from my school shopping days in middle school, high school, and college. For instance, minimum wage has increased, some popular designer names and brand names are not so popular, several retail chains have closed, while other retailers have merged;  the terminology, jargon, and slang pertaining to shopping, clothes, and teens have changed significantly. Yet, the question remains, are designer names and brand names of superior quality than store brand or generic brand? When should a consumer buy a store brand or generic brand? What are the differences between designer names, brand names, store brand, and generic?

School Days

From kindergarten to elementary my grandmother would take my aunt and me school shopping at the beginning  of each new school year, my aunt and I both would receive a hundred dollars each to go towards school supplies and  clothes. Today a hundred dollars would probably buy one good pair of jeans and a trendy top. As I grew older and began to start middle school my mother took over the responsibility of taking me school shopping, I remember my father would give her at least two hundred dollars to go towards school supplies and clothes. Obviously, I didn’t worry much about designer names or brand names because my grandmother or mother would make try on the clothes in the store, most often they chose what I would buy. The main reason for my accompanying them school shopping was to make sure the clothes were the right size. High school and college was about around the time I became more conscious of designer names, and brand names. Not surprisingly, certain designer names  and brand names were more popular than others, for instance, Gucci, Guess, Louis Vuitton,Liz Clairborne,Donna Karen,Dooney and Burke, and Calvin Klein, all whose name were known to appear on jeans, handbags, luggage, shades, and glasses....

Email: johnsonjamala@yahoo.com

Mail all correspondence to the following address:

                    jamala@cacjohnson 

                        P.O Box 5365

               Newport News Va, 23605

MVP: Jilted or Jaded

Many local chain stores (Walgreens Rite Aid, Kmart, CVS, Family Dollar, and Wal-Mart) offer brand names,store brand, and generic brand. In retail consumers are able to find both brand name and designer names(Kohl’s, Burlington Coat Factory,JcPenny, and Sears)What are designer names and brand names they are labels and names of a specific person or company that over the years have become widely known for quality. As a consumer, I have in past years purchased designer names, brand names, store brand, and generic. Many times the determination factor that I apply on whether to purchase designer name, brand name, store brand or generic primarily focuses on the kind of product I am looking to buy and how I plan to use the product. For example, I prefer designer names when it comes to buying jeans names like DKNY and Calvin Klein, however,if my funds are low I will purchase a brand name like (Gap or Express.)

When shopping for perishables to apparels, I have found that most often it doesn’t matter if a consumer buys a product or item on sale if the product is something they will never use. Often, I prefer quality in many of the items I purchase daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly;therefore,I have to make a list and review what products I am willing to buy store brand or generic. As you probably can image, it’s an arduous task.  As a consumer,there are many items I feel I must have the designer name or brand name , for instances, cosmetics, facial wash, shampoos, perfumes, and body wash. From my personal shopping experience, I have found that when I buy a designer name or brand name, I am more confident and sure of myself; I have a sense of euphoria that carries over to the checkout counter,especially, at the time of the point of sale. I like to feel and know that I not going to leave the store feeling Jilted or Jaded.

Share with cacjohnson if you have ever felt Jilted or Jaded after buying an expensive or inexpensive product in your local store, the mall, or even the grocery store. 

                                                                 Email: johnsonjamala@yahoo.com

Mail all correspondence to the following address:

                    jamala@cacjohnson 

                        P.O Box 536Newport News Va, 23605

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