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Along with tracking my finances on Consumerism Commentary, I also mention when the situation at my day job changes. For example, two years ago I successfully posted for a higher-level vacancy in my department (as expected). Last year I mentioned when I received a lower annual bonus and raise than I would have liked.I’ve known the amount of this year’s raise and bonus for a few weeks, and I received the bonus this past Friday. Of course, I am thankful to have a job with good benefits during this period of near 10% unemployment, but I am still disappointed in the low level of compensation. I’m not letting this bother me; knowing that I have more control of my finance regardless of what happens in the office helps me not worry about what happens in the office.Are your employers still keeping raises and bonuses low, knowing that employees don’t have many options in this economic environment?In my photography class today, we worked on panoramas. Thanks to Adobe Photoshop for making the stitching so easy. This isn’t one of mine, but here’s a good example from Flickr.Here are some articles I’ve enjoyed recently and a reminder about the Plutus Awards.How U.S. Olympians pay the rent. Not every Olympic athlete, even gold medalists, get multimillion dollar sponsorships. The cost of training, competing, and traveling is tremendous, and not every athlete comes from a wealthy family.How to get your super-motivated boyfriend to marry you. Interesting article in which Sam, the author, describes five observations of men focused on careers or other goals and how the women who love them might need to adjust their expectations. Let me know what you think of this article. I think there’s an assumption here that the woman must adapt to the man, but in a perfect world the best course would involve some compromise.Do you have to give up convenience in order to save money? I believe there are several stages to becoming financially secure or independent. There may be a time where it makes sense to save every cent possible. I went through a phase like that several years ago. I had to survive without a car (relying on friends and public transportation), eliminate cable television, and share an apartment with three roommates. Now that I’m earning more than what I need for basic expenses and long-term saving and investing, I don’t have to be as tight. I willingly give up some income in order to buy myself more convenience.Vote for the 2009 Plutus Awards. Consumerism Commentary is up for a few Pluties. Be sure to vote for your favorite finance products (savings account, brokerage, etc.) and blogs before the ballot closes on March 16.Photo: Richard0The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!Raise, Bonus, and Weekend Reading