I’m working on a series of reader profiles and interviews. My hope is that as these interviews go on you will learn a little, recognize someone in a similar situation to yourself, and also realize that even people who are very different can still have similar financial issues and goals. If you are interested in participating, please email me at notrustfund <at> gmail <dot> com If you have any comments for DreamChaser 57, leave them below.
I am a married woman living in the Midwest, we currently rent. We do not have children as of yet. My husband, whose originally from the Southeast, has been in law enforcement for over fifteen years. I recently accomplished a lifelong dream, completing graduate school last year. In order to be professionally licensed, I had to prepare for and pass an ardous test. That process took approximately two months. It took another two months to await the results. I was elated because I passed on the initial try. That elation was short-lived because I am having an incredibly difficult time finding a job in my field. Actually, I am having a hard time finding employment right now period. Our household is usually dual income. I worked while attending school on a part-time basis in the evening in years past. I was laid off at the height of the recession, June 2009. After being laid off, I threw myself completely into my studies. Pouring that energy into my studies, shielded me from the gravity of the lay-off. Severance and unemployment definitely cushioned what would have otherwise been a devastating blow. Now that I’ve exhausted unemployment and the severance package is long since gone the fragility of our finances has been laid bear, most notably and significantly no emergency fund. Our budget is quite lean now since we are depending on one check.
What are your biggest financial challenges and goals right now?
What is the best piece of financial advice you have ever received?
I truly value post-secondary education. Pursuing one can facilitate intellectual growth in untold and unimaginable ways, especially when it comes to critical thinking skills. However, I would caution anyone to remember the job market does not always respond to how much you spent for school or your efforts. Degrees not make careers, tenancity, skills, and effort does. When I initially chosen my graduate school, I examined a lot of different factors including tuition. I just sort of passively accepted that for the field I wanted to go into that going into, high six figures of school loan debt was par for the course. Now in hindsight, I would have diligently searched for the cheapest accredited institution even if that involved moving.
What is your biggest financial extravagance and in what areas are you most frugal?
We do not have a lot of big financial extravagances right now. For the most part, over the course of our relationship, we take the time to invest in date time. We are most frugal with clothes/shoes - neither or us are big shoppers.
What would you do if money were no object?
