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I. The Middle-Class Mirage Every few election cycles, the American middle class is asked to choose between its ideals and its interests. Too often, it chooses the wrong one. It rallies against unions that once secured its weekends, votes to cut unemployment benefits that could cushion its own job loss, and supports budget cuts that […]
Abstract Middle-class Americans maintain a structurally unequal relationship with the country’s largest banks. This asymmetry stems from persistent financial literacy gaps, the complexity of modern banking products, behavioral design that nudges consumers into costlier outcomes, and the scale advantages enjoyed by megabanks. Although regulators intervene episodically—most visibly in cases like Wells Fargo’s fake accounts scandal […]
Introduction Middle-class voters are the backbone of the American electorate. Their votes decide elections, and their voices shape national policy. In the 2020 presidential election, for example, middle-class suburban voters played a critical role in swinging key battleground states, underscoring their influence on electoral outcomes. Yet politicians often speak about the middle class in vague, […]
The lingering shadows of the Gilded Age stretch into the present, casting a long silhouette over America’s economic landscape. Families like the Waltons, the Mars clan, and the Cargill-MacMillans stand as pillars of enduring wealth, their fortunes built over decades and, in some cases, centuries. These dynasties have accumulated vast resources and mastered the art […]
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to make big moves with your finances, this is it. The Federal Reserve just made its first interest rate cut since 2020, slashing the federal funds rate by a full half percentage point. This is no small step—it’s a loud and clear signal that the era of “cheap […]
You’ve got a will for the house and the car. Good. But what about the stuff that actually runs your life—email, bank logins, bill-pay portals, cloud photo albums, a PayPal balance, your Shopify store, your phone’s password, that dusty Coinbase...
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You can feed a full house without making your card issuer fat and happy. The trick isn’t starving the table—it’s starving the waste. Why the Table Feels Pricier Every Year (Thanksgiving & Christmas) Let’s say the quiet part out loud:...
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Travel is where good budgets go to die. Prices spike, emotions run hot, and suddenly you’re financing nostalgia at 24% APR. This plan keeps the trip—and your balance—under control. Decide First: Fly, Drive, or Don’t Fly if time saved beats...
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You already know the punchline: they cost more than we planned—financially and emotionally. Between Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and everything in between, too many middle-class families overspend, carry a balance, and walk into January tired and in debt. Let’s put real...
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Too many middle-class Americans are taking care of two generations at once. You’ve got a kid in college, or one boomeranging back home, and at the...
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Too many of you are cooking for 25 when 12 RSVPed. That’s why hosting feels expensive. Not because people don’t want to bring anything — but...
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“Setting a One-Gift Rule to protect the family budget” — Financial Middle Class Too many of us are blowing past our December budget because nobody wants...
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December is sneaky. It’s the one month where three different money cultures collide: the office wants to do “something fun,” your building staff suddenly has an...
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Too many of you are stressed about money and think it’s because you “just need to budget better.” That’s not the full story. You’re living through...
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Reality Check If you’re the first in your family to go to college, you don’t just pick a major—you pick a financing model. And that choice...
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Reality Check You shouldn’t need a translator to pay for college. Yet for too many middle-class families, the FAFSA feels like a maze with moving walls—new...
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Reality Check You’re looking at your budget and your chest gets tight. Rent, groceries that cost more than last year, childcare, car insurance. And now those...
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Reality Check Your paycheck stops; your life doesn’t. It’s Day 31 of the shutdown. Rent is due today, the daycare draft hits tomorrow, and you’re staring...
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The Plain‑English Take There was a time when a steady paycheck, a pension, and a gold watch weren’t a fantasy. They were the deal. If you...
By FMC Editorial Team
Too many middle-class Americans are taking care of two generations at once. You’ve got a...
Too many of you are cooking for 25 when 12 RSVPed. That’s why hosting feels...
“Setting a One-Gift Rule to protect the family budget” — Financial Middle Class Too many...