Financial Surveys & Statistics
Here are some random, but relevant statistics that I’ve collected the past week.
1% – The percentage decrease in holiday spending expected this season. (Source: National Retail Federation)
39% – The percentage of survey respondents who consider holiday shopping unpleasant. Forty-three percent think it’s fun, while the rest consider it somewhere in between. (Source: Rasmussen Reports)
67% – Sixty-seven percent of adults think the unemployment rate will be the same or higher a year from today. That includes 29% who believe the unemployment rate will be higher than it is now and 38% who expect it to stay about the same. (Source: Rasmussen Reports)
$82 – Americans spent an average of $82 per day during the six-day period since Thanksgiving — spanning the Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday. This is down 15% from $96 for the same six-day period during 2008. (Source: Gallup)
35% – Over the next year, 35% of Americans believe the job market will get better, 36% say it will stay the same, and 28% expect it will get worse. (Source: Gallup)
77% – The percentage of surveyed consumers who would pay down their existing debt if they had an extra $500. Fourteen percent would put the extra cash in savings, 7% would use it toward holiday shopping, and 2% would spend it on themselves. (Source: National Foundation for Credit Counseling)
5 comments
Hey BrokeWallStreeter, this is not quite on topic, but reading your “about me” section made me curious about how you got to where you are now (background, education, career, ect). Do you have a more in depth introductory post somewhere on your site? I found you through FMF
Thanks for visiting J in FL, but I’d like to keep my anonymity, especially after leaving that prostiution comment on FMF. If I give out any more information, it would be easier to discover my true identity. I originally worked in the medical field before entering the financial arena if that helps.
http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2009/12/update-on-jim-nantz.html
Haha… totally understand. That’s fine, I was just curious about your path to wall street. I’ve just graduated from college and I am always asking people how they got started in what they do. I’m still figuring tihngs out myself. Anyway, I’ll be checking by… interesting stats on your blog.
Right now it’s all about networking and who you know. New grads better be from the top programs, unless you know someone who can get you an internship. HR will look internally to fill spots, then use referrals from current employees. The good news is that once you’re in, you’re in. And that goes for front or back office. I’ve worked in a few financial firms, but could never get into the big investment banks or exchanges until I had a current employee vouch for me. Now that I’m in, I’ve have recruiters calling me for jobs at major banks and other exchanges. Good luck in the job hunt J.
Thanks!
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