Financial Life Connection

It all started for Sandy Jean-Philippe in 2006 at Florida Agricultural Mechanical University (“FAMU”) in Tallahassee, Florida. The auditorium was dark but you could tell the stands were filled from the [sound of something]. What seemed like bursts of light from the rafters FAMU dancers exploded on stage to a loud applause and began to move in unison to the bass blaring from the speakers. But out of nowhere came Sandy, taking the stage as if she owned it and belonged there, hitting dance moves with precision as the crowd erupted into pandemonium. Everyone jumped out of their seats to show their amazement and admiration for the fluid moves of this Haitian born dancer, who many would refer to as a “Big Girl”. But that night, Sandy became more than a “Big Girl” with dancing skills, but rather a statement that spoke loudly saying… “The Evolution of Curves is coming!”

The curve evolution did not always look like dancing although Sandy always had a love for dance. She was slated to be a Lawyer. In pursuit of her Sandy decided to make a change and graduating with a degree in Public Administration, but it wouldn’t be long before the spark that was ignited after her jaw dropping college dance debut would start a fire within Sandy that led to her love of producing and entertaining. Moving West to Los Angeles to pursue her passion in the topsy turvy world of entertainment, one thing was consistent. Sandy was unable to find stylish clothes to fit her curves. Looking past the “Mumu” as she calls it of old, Sandy was looking to make a fashion statement. Unable to find the items that spoke to her style she decided to create it.

Majestic Couture Sandy’s clothing line was birthed out of necessity. To highlight her line as well as other designer for full figured women (the average size for a woman in the U.S. is a size 14). Sandy called on some help from her friends, as well as some new friends from auditions held in L.A. to find the 15 gorgeous full-figured plus size models. the show is currently touring along with her team of models/dancers who continue to dazzle crowds with an explosive high energy fashion exhibit and performance! Forever 21 recently joined the tour as the title sponsor introducing their new “Faith 21 Extended Size” collection. Hip Hop Weekly Magazine also came on board as media sponsor. Other lines that have been featured in the show are Arturo Rios Couture Hats, My Hunny by Sheena Turner and Fashion Bug. The show has gone from Beverly Hills, to Miami to Las Vegas and now by popular demand has detoured and will make a trip back to Los Angeles before heading out to do the Atlanta and New York show. Although she is considered a plus size model, Sandy wants everyone to know that she doesn’t promote obesity but, she promotes beauty in whatever frame you are in. “The desire is to show girls and women of all sizes that you may like to eat potatoes, but that doesn’t mean you’re a couch potato” said Sandy. She wants to encourage ladies that you can start today living a healthier lifestyle and be beautiful from the inside out.

Speaking with Sandy opened my eyes to many things, but before we ended our conversation, she wanted to make sure we remembered Haiti. Her message was simple, don’t forget people are still affected and living in tents. Her goal is ambitious, to build a house for a family by Thanksgiving. This goal can be realized with our help. Sandy’s organization C.A.T.C.H. (Changing Attitudes To Change Humanity) has partnered with the Haiti Cherie Heritage Foundation Find out how your efforts can make a difference.

Experiencing “The Evolution of Curves” on September 23, 2010 when the lovely ladies bless Atlanta with their presence. Serving as the Kick Off to the Atlanta Football Classic, with other guest such as Ciara and Keri “Ms. Keri Baby” Hilson.

Also check out Sandy’s One Chance Entertainment to find her and other full figured models.

Click here to witness the “Evolution of Curves” in motion!

Check for tour dates here.

DeKalb County Commissioner Lee May & Friends Give Back to the Community!

Clyde Anderson — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:20:42 +0000

Are you Addicted to Spending?

Clyde Anderson — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 01:22:21 +0000

A recent study found that 1 out of every 20 is a compulsive spender. While women are often thought of as having this problem more than men, it appears that men and women may be equally affected. It is estimated that there are 15,000,000 Shopaholics in the U.S. and that the U.S. credit card debt is greater than six hundred billion dollars.

Compulsive shoppers-An obsession with shopping that significantly interferes with the functioning of the individual.

Trophy shoppers-Looking for that perfect buy to put on a mantel

Image shoppers-Shop to have a certain look. It’s not about needs, but rather how others view you based on your purchases.

Bargain shoppers-Always looking for a bargain. Become so consumed with finding the deal that they don’t track spending.

Codependent shoppers-Encouraging your shopping partner and they encourage you to buy, buy, buy.

Bulimic shoppers-Makes purchases, takes them home only to return them

Collector shoppers-Have to have all the pieces to the set. They often spend uncontrollably in order to get that missing item they desire for their collection

WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD PEOPLE BE ASKING THEMSELVES?

Do you use shopping as a quick fix for the blues?

Do you spend more than you can afford?

Are some of your purchases unused or hidden?

Do you spend money to cheer yourself up when feeling anxious, depressed or bored?

Do you celebrate by rewarding yourself with a spending or gambling spree?

THERE’S AN “OPPORTUNITY COST” OF SHOPPING, EXPLAIN THAT

“opportunity cost” a term we all learned in economics class. for everything that you do, it costs you the opportunity to do something else. the value of something that must be given up to acquire something else. The cost of passing up the next best choice when making a decision.

Every dollar we spend on one purchase is a dollar that we can’t spend on another purchase. Economists would say that each purchase has an opportunity cost. Once we have made that purchase, that money cannot be spent on something else in the future. To what extent do these opportunity costs affect the purchases we make?

So it costs time and money to shop…even if you don’t spend a dime.

So the opportunity cost of shopping. if you don’t know your hourly wage you can calculate your hourly wage by dividing the number of hours worked by annual gross salary. once you know your hourly wage you can determine if its worth your time to shop.

example:

hourly wage $50

$50 x 3 hours to find a shirt = $150

shirt cost $20

$170 shirt purchase

HOW TO PREVENT SHOPPING BINGES?

Pay for purchases by cash, check, debit card.

Make a shopping list and only buy what is on the list.

Destroy all credit cards except one to be used for emergency only.

Avoid discount warehouses.

“Window shop” only after stores have closed.

Avoid phoning in catalog orders and don’t watch TV shopping channels.

WHERE TO FIND HELP?

Recovery Connection 1-800-993-3869.

Debtors Anonymous chapter near you

Coupon 2.0: Saving Big Using Technology

Clyde Anderson — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 04:03:27 +0000

The coupon section in the Sunday Paper has shrunken as the deals have shifted to cyber space. Companies are going green and realizing it’s more effective to put these deals on line. There are a plethora of websites, workshops and other tools popping up everywhere to educate consumers on how to stretch their dollars by using coupons. Even social media sites like facebook have jumped on the bandwagon to offer discounts to people who friend or follow them.

Why do you need a class to save money?

There are a plethora of websites, workshops and other tools popping up everywhere to educate consumers on how to stretch their dollars by using coupons. Even social media sites like facebook have jumped on the bandwagon to offer discounts to people who friend or follow them. These classes are popping up everywhere. Cost range from free to about $25 bucks.

Example website that offer classes:

www.time2saveworkshops.com

www.couponclasses.com

www.clippingandsaving.com

www.southernsavers.com (list of the classes in the South East states)

What do they teach?

Couponing:

Where can I find coupons? / How to find sales?

The art of matching coupons to store sales

A list of all the top couponing website.

How to effectively use coupons

Budgeting:

Envelope System

Can I really feed my family of 4, 5, or even 6 on $50 a week?

Organize and store your coupons. (There is an art to this)

a storage box

The binder method

Coupon Lingo:

B1G1 or BOGO — Buy one get one free.

CAT or Catalina — Coupon that prints at the register after your purchase is complete.

MIR — Mail-in rebate

Peelie — Coupon sticker on a product; must be peeled off to redeem

What are some of the best places to go to find online coupons?

(remember the classes will give you tips on finding the best sites, but here are a few popular ones)

-You can print coupons online. www.Target.com <http://www.Target.com> has online coupons and the web site www.afullcup.com <http://www.afullcup.com/> has the Target Coupon Generator Tools

Coupon Generator-Using the generator, you can type in the number of coupons you need. Another place to find manufacturer’s coupons online is www.smartsource.com <http://www.smartsource.com/> .

-You can get coupons at the register with your receipt when you check out at a store. These coupons are known as Catalina coupons.

-Restaurants.com through CouponMom.com and save an added 40% on any restaurant gift certificate order. (Shoppers pay $6 for a $25 gift certificate, instead of the regular – already discounted – rate of $10.) Ongoing deal.

Say Hello to Good Buys!

Clyde Anderson — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 03:27:34 +0000

Some off us make purchases throughout the year, without realizing that there are certain times when it’s more advantageous to by things. By advantageous I mean, it could save you money. In these challenging economic times it’s important to save as much money as possible. A great way to insure that you are saving funds and getting the biggest bank to make that dollar stretch is to know the best times to buy. I’ve compiled a list of a few items and the best time to make purchases.

Gas

Best Time to Buy: Early morning or late evening on a weekday.

Reason: Time your trip based on whether prices are rising or falling. Gas stations tend to change their prices between 10 a.m. and noon, so hit the pump in the early morning if gas prices are on the rise. Go later in the day if prices are falling. Try not to buy gas on the weekends. Gas prices are often slightly elevated, as stations try to profit from leisure travelers.

Groceries

Best Time to Buy: Sunday evenings.

Reason: Store sales tend to run Wednesday through Tuesday. On Sunday, you’ll also have the latest round of manufacturer’s coupons from your morning paper. You can maximize your coupons available for that shopping week. Heading to the store close to closing time means you’ll have access to sales on fresh items that must be sold by the end of the day, such as meats and baked goods.

Appliances

Best Time to Buy: During a holiday weekend.

Reason: You’ll find sales on select models all year long, but retailers bring out the big guns for holiday weekends. Smaller holidays like Columbus Day and President’s Day have their share of sales, too.

Computers and Electronics

Best Time to Buy: Just after a new model is launched.

Reason: When the latest and greatest of a product is released, you’ll often see prices drop on what had previously been the best thing out there.

Airplane Tickets

Best Time to Buy: On a Wednesday, 21 days (or a couple of days earlier) before your flight.

Reason: Airlines make major pricing changes (and run fare sales) every week, typically on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings. About 21 days out from your flight, you’ll see plenty of deals out there as airlines try to fill seats. Don’t wait much longer, she cautions; prices jump significantly from 14 to seven days ahead of departure.

You’re More Than A Number: Loan Modification Event Adds A Twist

Clyde Anderson — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 03:31:28 +0000

Metro Atlanta Loan Modification Assistance Event Sets New Bar and Gives Face Value to Foreclosure Solutions

NID Housing Counseling Agency/Atlanta Metro in conjunction with NAREB invites the Atlanta community to experience ‘You’re More Than A Number Loan Modification Assistance Event’ with a personal flair.

Atlanta, GA — August 2, 2010 – On Saturday, August 21, 2010 the NID Housing Counseling Agency/Atlanta Metro in conjunction with NAREB will host a unique foreclosure counseling event unlike any other. The appropriately tagged, ‘You’re More Than A Number Loan Modification Assistance Event’ sponsored by Bank of America, Chase and Wells Fargo/Wachovia, is a free event that will rally the whole community to come out and get personal attention from knowledgeable housing counselors on-site.

You’re More Than A Number Loan Modification Assistance Event is scheduled for Saturday August 21, 2010, from 8:00AM-3:00PM at the Wyndam Garden Atlanta South Hotel in Atlanta, GA on Old National Highway. This event promises to bring a personal touch to all who participate as housing agents from Bank of America, Chase and Wells Fargo/Wachovia will be available to provide face-to-face counseling along with HUD to discuss how going green can save participants money. Unlike other loan modification events, ‘You’re More Than A Number Loan Modification Assistance Event’ represents the human approach to loan modification giving added face value to each situation and ongoing support.

“I’ve been in the business for twelve years and I’ve seen a lot of events like this, but it’s refreshing to see an organization finally get what people really need”, said Personal Finance Expert and CNN Contributor Clyde Anderson, who is also the events Special Guest. “Compassion is missing…, but if we take the time to educate and walk people through the modification process, I believe you would see a lot less stress and negative attitudes, so we can get down to offering resources people really need to make it”.

Tired of feeling like just a number? Visit www.nidatlantametro.org to register and reserve a space to speak face-to-face with housing counselors ready to give personal foreclosure solutions. For more information call 1-866-251-1027. Listen to Praise 102.5FM for announcements. Register today for a chance to win free gas gift-cards!

About NID Housing Counseling Agency:

NID-HCA is a non-profit, HUD-approved Housing Counseling Intermediary agency founded to address the huge void of access to non-predatory and culturally-relevant housing information, resources and services to historically undeserved urban, suburban

Can Effective Social Media Increase Your Business?

Clyde Anderson — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 04:28:40 +0000

Recently Old Spice took a leap of faith and dived off into the world of social media by taking their Isaiah Mustafa character to the web. Old Spice recently crafted a series of live spots personalized to the audience and better yet the individual.

The campaign, which stars The Most Interesting Man in the World 2.0 Isaiah Mustafa, launched in February centered around the theme “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.” Mustafa was on deck for a day of filming to personally answer cunsomers questions in real time via facebook, Yahoo and twitter. The series of random questions ranged from questions from Ellen DeGeneres to Mustafa proposing to his girlfriend. These videos collectively have been viewed a total of 75 million times and growing.

The campaign was a social media success because it spioke directy to the viewers. The question that everyone wants to know is will this social media history making event equate to dollars? Well Proctor & Gamble the company that owns Old Spice aong with Weiden+Kennedy who were comissioned to develop this work are riding high while the numbers begin to pour in. It appears as though they have already experienced a —- increase in the last quarter of businesss.

I recently found a few businesses that have found theit social media voice and have leveraged it to social media success.

Money Made & Maintained

Clyde Anderson — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:50:56 +0000