Posted on January - 23 - 2012

Reader Profile: TB

The following is the latest post in my “Reader Profiles” series. Each post in this series details the financial situation and challenges of an FMF reader. The purpose of this series is to help us all identify with people like us (in similar situations — not all will be, of course, but eventually Im sure you will find someone like you here), get to know the frequent commenters on the site, and hear some financial wisdom/challenges from people other than me.

If youre interested in contributing to this series, then drop me an email. The series seems to be very popular with readers and I need a steady stream of new ones to keep it going.

Next in the series is FMF reader TB. She answered my questions (in red below) as follows:

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a 27 year old mother of two (10 and 7), married to a police officer for 8 years.

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Posted on January - 15 - 2012

Unemployment Falls to 8.5 Percent but that May Be as Good as It Gets!

College Park, MD – The economy added 200,000 jobs in December, and the unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent. Going forward unemployment is not likely to fall much further and may rise again.

Fourth quarter growth was exceptionally strong as the global economy recovered from first half disruptions such as the earthquake in Japan, but going forward economists expect growth to slow to about 2 percent.

Job growth in the range of 130,000 should be expected to accommodate labor force growth but not much lower the unemployment rate. That is hardly a pace that will restore economic health, or validate President Obama’s heavy intervention in the economy and industrial policies in the upcoming Presidential campaign.

The unemployment rate would be higher but for the fact that many unemployed professionals have established home-based businesses that really don’t provide full time employment but do take workers off the unemployment rolls. 

Also, many adults have quit looking for work altogether, and the adult labor force participation rate remains depressed. In D

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Posted on January - 08 - 2012

Hedge Fund Hiring, Asia and Financial Adviser Jobs

It’s going to be a good year for some hedge funders. Employees are expected to bring home 15% to 20% more in total pay than last year. What’s more, hedge funds with up to $2 billion in assets are planning to hire more investor relations and marketers with five to 10 years of experience in the coming year. Another position you may want to consider is a “product manager” or “product specialist.” These people deal with existing clients and have experience in investor relations and project management.

The Perfect Hedge Fund Resume

Career Books to Watch Out for in 2012

How to Jumpstart Your Hedgie Career

Chief financial officers think U.S. employment will increase by 1.5% over the coming year, up from 0.9% they predicted last quarter.

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Posted on January - 03 - 2012

Queensland Country Credit Union Visa Credit Card

The Queensland Country Credit Union Visa credit card is an excellent choice in credit cards. Because it is attached to the Queensland Country Credit Union, you will have access to excellent rates that are generally more competitive than other rates from traditional banks.

And, since it is a Visa, you will be in the company of over 1.5 billion card members from around the globe. There is no other card that has as many members.

Interest Rates, Fees Charges

Queensland Country Credit Union Visa Features

Every credit card is a little different so it is important that you find the card that is going to be best suited to your needs. Here are some highlights of what you will find with this card:

  • You choose your design Everyone has different tastes and aesthetics. That is why Queensland Country Credit Union lets YOU decide what kind of card you would like.

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Posted on December - 17 - 2011

The New Parents’ Guide to Managing Money

The following is a guest post from Elle at Couple Money.

My husband and I recently became parents for the first time this summer. We have a healthy baby girl and are absolutely loving it. When we first found out we were expecting, like many parents to be, we wanted to get an idea of what were getting into. One of the first things that struck me was how many people mentioned how expensive kids could be. The good news is that it probably wont cost you as much as the USDA estimates, but raising kids does affect your finances. If youre a first time parent it can be hard to know what you need to do to handle the changes. I wanted to share what has worked for us and what I wish we knew earlier.

Set Your Familys Financial Priorities

Many well meaning family, friends, and strangers will have plenty of advice to give you for your family.

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Posted on December - 09 - 2011

Reforms to Save Euro a Tall Order—Even for Germany

College Park, MD – Now that the euro has bankrupted Greece and pushed Italy and other Mediterranean states to the brink, Angela Merkel proposes tough, EU-administered disciplines on national deficits. Those would thrust the Mediterranean states into decade-long recessions without fixing flaws in the Eurozone architecture that caused all the borrowing and crushing debt in the first place.

At the end of 1998, wages, prices and government bonds were converted from national currencies into euro according to prevailing exchange rates. To the extent those rates reflected market prices, the euro adequately priced labor, exports and public debt across borders.

Unfortunately, among the 17 members of the currency union, labor market policies, social programs, and industrial policies are separately established and financed, and vary much more than among the 50 states in the dollar zone.

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