Do you make 'enough' money?
Given the choice, would you make more, less, or stay at your current level of income as it relates to the cost of living.
be honest.
Yea, It's back to being a pauper for me. Mmmm....Ramen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Awesome.
I just got comfy with the weekly Sushi dinner I was having...well there's just something about that, that must really piss god off.
MORE MONEY!
I have an associate and two jobs. bleh. Last year an employer after seeing my transcripts told me I was really close to a BA and 'go get it'.
In a short amount of time I can tripple my income. If I could just get off my butt.!
I'm happy with my money; it's having to work for it that's the problem.
Yea, It's back to being a pauper for me. Mmmm....Ramen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Awesome.
I just got comfy with the weekly Sushi dinner I was having...well there's just something about that, that must really piss god off.
I don't eat ramen anymore but there was a time I did and I tell you what.
A little bit of ketchup and butter and wha-la yum-0 :yum:
It's no secret that I say I am way underpaid, for what I do.
But, everyone says "you make more you'll just spend more (and still have debt.)" I contend that, though that is true, I'd rather worry about the Lexus payment than what I'm going to do when the tires all fall off my existing car.
(Had a flat this morning...not even the tire that has had a slow leak, it was one of my "newer" ones. It's always something.)
I choose 'more,' as my current level of income is 0. :yeldead: Hopefully I'll be choosing 'stay' in the very near future.
I'm happy with my money; it's having to work for it that's the problem.
Yup.
I voted for more.
I make enough to get by just fine right now, although we live pretty frugally. I also have enough extra to fund my 401K so I can retire someday. What I don't have, is enough left over after both of those to save for college for two kids. So yeah, I want more fucking money.
I voted that I want more. :) I think I get paid fairly for the work I do, but I'm currently part-time and would be much more comfortable with full-time work. We're surviving just fine, but I would like to have more in the way of savings before having children, which my husband and I both want very much.
HM and Limey....you're both single and live alone, right?
enough money for my current day to day needs; yes.
enough money to retire on, probably not.
It would be easy to vote in all three choices.
Money represents stored choices.
To a large degree, having more choices is a good thing. But there's a point of diminishing returns. I make enough money to buy a can of peas for $5. In fact, I'm positively certain I have a lot of company here on this board in this respect. When I go out to eat, say a pizza, the cost of the ingredients is on par with a $5 can of peas, but I don't balk when I pay it. Lots of you buy it too.
Choice one: I wish I made more money. Ok, easy to say yes here. Certainly I could find more to do with more money. I could try the $10 peas.
Choice two: I am content with my income. Contentedness and income aren't directly correlated, once a certain minimum level of income. I believe your poll choice is incomplete. Contendness, income they're present. But what about xoB? He's got an invalid mother, ex wives, bounty hunters and college edjumakashins to pay for. I believe that a more precise, a more complete picture includes contentness and it's relation to the balance between income and obligations. If you make more than you owe, and you're having your minimum needs met, contentness has little to do with income. If your cash flow is negative, if you're upside down on your mortgage... if you make a million a week but spend two million you're likely not going to be content. If you're just a little short, 50 cents, but that 50 cents represents not being able to have something hot to eat or cool to drink, you're probably not content.
Choice three: I actually think I make too much and should give some away. I say yes to this too. I give away money all the time. Sometime cash. Sometimes $100 bills. Sometimes to strangers. Sometimes pocket change or petty cash. Sometimes I give it away in service. I do the work for free. Often for my employer, where I work on salary, but where last night, I was working until 2am, for example. Sometimes for family, as the family computer guy. Sometimes I give my vacation time away, to strangers or to friends. I do feel I should give some away. Charity is a virtue I believe in.
It's a good poll for having discussions, but the choices are hardly mutually exclusive. There's no one here that hasn't believed each of those choices at one time or another.
I'm content with my income in that it pays my bills and allows me to do many of the fun things i want.
I want more so that I can achieve my long term financial goals, maybe even ahead of schedule. I want more so that I can increase my amount of giving (I can make more money more easily than many others so it makes sense to do this, IMO) I want more so that I can give more children the opportunity to play soccer regardless of parental income. I want more so that my son will have to work harder in a volunteer position throughout college to receive my payments rather than piss his time away delivering pizza's for beer money. I want more so that I can work less in the future. I want more so that in the future I can take on clients that I can't afford to take on at this point in time.
I have a feeling that no matter how much I make, the above statements will hold true.
Of course I want more money. Who doesn't?? What I wish is that I was better able to resist the things I don't really need. Then I'm sure I'd find I have more than enough.
I said I have enough, but I could spend more. The main things men want money for are toys, food and drink, and girls. Since I'm married, have some toys, and eat and drink well (too well) what else could I say? But there are still a lot of hot girls out there.
I said I have enough, but I could spend more. The main things men want money for are toys, food and drink, and girls. Since I'm married, have some toys, and eat and drink well (too well) what else could I say? But there are still a lot of hot girls out there.
Wow, you can buy hot girls?
Nope, not enough money here...but then...this is my first job, and my first raise was over $1...(though I think they just wanted to bump me over the new minimum wage enough to keep me.) It's plenty of money for my current lifestyle (living with my dad) but it wouldn't be near enough to support me in the "real" world.
I make enough money to pay my bills and do a few extra things. I make far below my earning potential though, which is mainly due to my own doing. After our honeymoon, I intend to start looking for a real job again. The only way is up at this point.
yes, sufficient -- although it took me ~15 yrs to catch up with what I was making in LA but, then house prices are much less here in KS. I guess the real estate bubble bursting will help to normalize things, somewhat.
According to all of the retirement 'calculators' I can retire now and live on ~90% of my income 'til I'm 95 (with a 4% inflation rate and NO Social Security income) -- I'm strongly thinking about it...
Well. I certainly don't earn enough to meet my needs currently, and would not wish to remain on this income level for good. That said, I am content to remain at this level for now, as an increase in income would require me to give up my studies. It is worth it to me to stay at university, surviving on my student loan + bursary along with my Council allowance. Overall my income amounts to a little under £14k before tax. Given that my rent alone is £375 a month, you can see that I am not exactly in Clover :P
I think in terms of what income level would make me 'content' for the long term, I'd say anything between £20k and £25k per annum.
By that I mean, below £20k I may be tempted not to take a job even though I would enjoy it. Above £25k I don't think I could be tempted into a job that wasn't something I really wanted to do just because of the wage it offered.
I voted content, mostly because technically, I do make enough for the lifestyle that I have. Early in my marriage, it was rough financially. However, things have changed - I have had this job since 1989. I'm a staple:) - That being said, in the beginning, it was low paying, however I am on salary, which is definitely great, cause I'm not here 40 hrs a week (everyone knows it). They pay all my health & dental insurance, I pay for AFLAC. They pay into my retirement account which is in "profit sharing", so it's good. The spouse makes decent money too. It's just stupid decisions that are made, that gets us into "binds". Oh well, such is life.
It's not about the money.
It's about the stuff.
And that's a good point, Jesus. What kind of "stuff" is sufficient for each person? Going back to the car reference, I really would like for one that is more reliable...but then I really do love sports cars and saw a beautiful BMW Z4 that was the prettiest shade of blue I've ever seen and I thought "I WANT that!" Would that, then, be enough?
HM and Limey....you're both single and live alone, right?
Nope. I married in April of this year. I am referring to our joint income. We don't have (or intend to have) kids.
And that's a good point, Jesus. What kind of "stuff" is sufficient for each person? Going back to the car reference, I really would like for one that is more reliable...but then I really do love sports cars and saw a beautiful BMW Z4 that was the prettiest shade of blue I've ever seen and I thought "I WANT that!" Would that, then, be enough?
Naw, you deserve a
Bentley Azure.
Wow, you can buy hot girls?
Yes, but the hot ones (and more likely to be disease free) are expensive!
And that's a good point, Jesus. What kind of "stuff" is sufficient for each person? Going back to the car reference, I really would like for one that is more reliable...but then I really do love sports cars and saw a beautiful BMW Z4 that was the prettiest shade of blue I've ever seen and I thought "I WANT that!" Would that, then, be enough?
It's funny, but just yesterday morning I was having this discussion with myself.
------------------------------
[COLOR=RoyalBlue]
I have too much stuff.
That's great. You have enough stuff.
No, not enough stuff, too much stuff.
Too much means I have to get rid of stuff. This is true.
Enough means I don't need any more, which is not true. I need to get rid of stuff, but then I need more stuff.
[/COLOR]
--------------------------------
And that's the way it went, all morning.
--------------------------------
[COLOR=RoyalBlue]
If you don't need to spend money on stuff, then you don't need to make as much money, which means you can work less. If you cut back to 32 hours per week, your net pay will probably only decrease by about 10%, after taxes. Your expenses will decrease and you'll have more time for things you enjoy.
You're right - but then I'd need more stuff.
[/COLOR]--------------------------------
yes, sufficient -- although it took me ~15 yrs to catch up with what I was making in LA but, then house prices are much less here in KS. I guess the real estate bubble bursting will help to normalize things, somewhat.
According to all of the retirement 'calculators' I can retire now and live on ~90% of my income 'til I'm 95 (with a 4% inflation rate and NO Social Security income) -- I'm strongly thinking about it...
Wow, I am very impressed.
If I was in that position, I would be very very tempted to stop the for pay work, likve on teh 90% and spend my time doing what I wanted....
You've reached the finish line! Congratulations!
You've reached the finish line! Congratulations!
Heh... yeah, I think that's exactly what the
Nationwide retirement calculator said :sniff:
no. look at it another way. You've crossed the line into "voluntary land". everything you do beyond this point is something you want to do, or you won't do it. You have entered the realm of "eff you" money. Boss tells you to work late and do more with less and you don't want to? "eff you, i'm going home." here's the great part, very little will push you to that point of frustration now because you are doing things you want to do, not things you have to do just to buy groceries.
that discovery is why so many financially secure baby boomers are continuing to work rather than spend the rest of their lives on the golf course.
forget the finish line, you just crossed the beautiful starting line.
no. look at it another way. You've crossed the line into "voluntary land". everything you do beyond this point is something you want to do, or you won't do it. You have entered the realm of "eff you" money. Boss tells you to work late and do more with less and you don't want to? "eff you, i'm going home." here's the great part, very little will push you to that point of frustration now because you are doing things you want to do, not things you have to do just to buy groceries.
....
Are you saying he has enough? And you don't have a specific number of what that amount might be? By jove, I think you've got it! :D
you're a fucking moron.
[SIZE="1"]yes that is an example of name calling.[/SIZE]
you're a fucking moron.
[SIZE="1"]yes that is an example of name calling.[/SIZE]
ROFLMAO!:rotflol:
At present I am not making money.
I look forward to the day when I finish a long hard day and feel I have achieved something.
I look forward to aching feet, aching back, a fund of stories about bad tippers or drunk arseholes or stupid customers.
I couldn't post in the thread that became pros & cons of the welfare state because it was too personal for me. But for the record I'd rather have a job I love for a minor wage, and one that is simply hard, or dull, or menial to make it up than have none at all.
I'll get there. And drag you with me, screaming, one detailed post at a time :)
Nope. I married in April of this year. I am referring to our joint income. We don't have (or intend to have) kids.
congrats!
and sorry if i missed that announcement if it was made!
i hope you are getting it regularly.
Tough call.
I make $0, but I work long and hard, and the work I do is very important to me. I'd like to earn money, but I can't earn money doing what I do and I can't do what I do and do a paying job.
What do I do?
1) I am the scrip fundraiser for my kids' school. I put maybe 10 hours a week into it in school time...and raised $20,000 for the school last year. Those ten hours are split into a few hours here, 10 minutes there, 30 minutes there, 5 minutes there etc. This year I'm going for $25,000 The year before last (before I took over), they made about $11,000. I was treasurer then. The person who did scrip also worked for $ and could not do what I am able to do.
2) I help out in the school. I'm a room parent, I run special classes, I help with remedial math, I help with reading, I chaperone field trips, I shelve books in the library, I sort the lost and found.... this takes maybe 8 hours a week on average Plus commute.
3) I am treasurer and head marshall for my kids' swim team. This takes maybe 4 hours a week on average
4) I am the membership thingy for the pool we use in the summer, and head marshall for the swim team etc etc etc This takes about an hour a week average because it's summer-heavy.
5) I am the director of a non-profit publishing company dedicated to publishing quality literary fiction which "falls through the cracks" because it cannot be pigeonholed into a standard marketing genre. This takes any time I have left (after all the other things and houewiffery thingy) because I am the main "joe-on-the-street" reader.
I love all these jobs. I love to be busy. I put in a great deal of effort and time and get great results. I'd love to be paid for it, but that is impossible -they are all minimal budget non-profits. At some point, I need to get a paying job to ket my kids through college. But I love what I do.
So no, I don't make enough money right now and yet, yes I do. :D
I live in the hope that when the time comes that I need to earn $$ to pay for college, all the skills I have acquired as a volunteer will help me earn top dollar.
I don't need more money. I have a husband that earns enough for me to spend, and pay all the bills and put a bit aside as well as contribute to various charities on a regular basis.
No, we don't need more. If we had more we'd just spend it on frivolous shit and then wonder where it went. We're pretty lucky to be in the position we're in and I know I for one am quite content.
One can say they make enough money when they can see the future and say, for a fact, that they, or their loved ones, will not get sick, hurt or any other needy situation and their spouse's work situation absolutely will not change no matter what.
Remember, I am disabled and FL insurance law, my wife's job, recently changed.
There was a time when it was all sunshine and roses, the future sure was certain.
Until you have enough to pay for a life of medical care for yourself and your family, factoring in serious possible inflation, that is COMPLETELY separate from any market fluctuations and current income, you do NOT have enough.
I think you can plan for most outcomes by having suitable life insurance and income protection, coupled with investments in more than one area in order to cover any fluctuations.
No one can predict the future.
Right, so to have "enough" you must plan as best you can for the worst case scenario.
Trust me, I know.
Insurance does not always pay out like you want it to.
That you cannot predict the future is WHY you plan for it.
"What if something happens tomorrow and I/you/we can't work, where will we be in ten years?"
If you don't like the answer, do something about it.
Or gamble.
Up to you.
Well, like I said, we have planned for pretty much every eventuality and it's unlikely that there wouldn't be enough to cover any expenses.
That's why I said, we have enough.
I was not talking about you specifically. Now looking I can see how it could seem that way, sorry bout' that.
believe it or not, newer long term care policies would actually help someone in your situation rob. obviously that doesn't help you now, i'm just saying that for those that are currently in good health, protection is available.
I had one, they are fighting me and they will fight.
depends on the company and the condition obviously. i sell and service the product and i've never had any issues. YMMV.
I ticked enough.
I have more than enough stuff and the kids want for nothing, although I am trying to teach them that I am NOT made of money and they dont NEED everything that they want.
People....Glass....Houses
I make enough money, I just need a time machine, to visit 1970, to do my weekly shopping.
Until you have enough to pay for a life of medical care for yourself and your family, factoring in serious possible inflation, that is COMPLETELY separate from any market fluctuations and current income, you do NOT have enough.
That's one of the big benefits of socialised medicine. You don't really have to take that into account as much.
i have to admit that i'm astounded by the % of content people.
i have to admit that i'm astounded by the % of content people.
So am I.
i have to admit that i'm astounded by the % of content people.
So was I. But then I got to thinking: given the large, and growing, technology gap that exists in most countries between the eonomic classes, it probably isn't so surprising that an internet community like this wouldn't have as many people who are unhappy with their income than you may find in a more random sampling of people.
That's one of the big benefits of socialised medicine. You don't really have to take that into account as much.
Yeah, but Dana, then we'll have to WAIT longer. And socialized medicine doesn't work because communism-human-nature-USSR-laziness-more taxes-etc.
You know?
The people in this country who rely on the socialized medicine we already have don't seem too happy with it. It (their health care) doesn't seem to be something they don't have to worry too much about - well getting it anyway, paying for it isn't a worry I guess...
i have to admit that i'm astounded by the % of content people.
I firmly believe if I had unlimited funds, I would of been dead a long time ago. A couple of times a year I buy a lottery ticket, then I can be thankful when I loose. I don't live my life in fear that some one is going to break into my house, to steal all my really expensive stuff, or kidnap my children, to score big on the ransom.
The people in this country who rely on the socialized medicine we already have don't seem too happy with it. It (their health care) doesn't seem to be something they don't have to worry too much about - well getting it anyway, paying for it isn't a worry I guess...
Well, actually, paying for it IS a problem. Low income elderly on fixed incomes usually qualify for Medicare only, and Medicare doesn't cover stuff like costly prescriptions or medical procedures. They have to pay out of pocket for these things, and many elderly on fixed incomes find themselves getting substandard medical care as a result.
Those who qualify for Medicaid in addition to Medicare are somewhat better off. At least their prescriptions and much of their other medical costs are covered. Trouble is that more and more doctors are refusing Medicare/Medicaid patients, because Uncle Sugar ain't paying the Doc's the high fees they've come to demand. So, maybe its MD's who are unhappy with their incomes. ;)
maybe it's MD's who have weighed the risk/reward and have said - nope, not gonna do that. As is their right.
My dentist only charges half his established prices for anyone who doesn't use their dental insurance, because the paperwork and bureaucracy is such a damn pain. He says his cashflow is lower, but his profit is higher.
Uncle Sugar ain't paying the Doc's the high fees they've come to demand.
Do you personally know any doctors? Between malpractice insurance, and paying for medical school, plus the huge headache of paperwork just to get whatever the government/insurance companies have said they're going to pay today... they're not living nearly as nicely as you'd like to imagine. My OB-GYN has recently had to start offering laser hair removal and other cosmetic shit in his office, because the regular practice isn't paying for itself.
My OB-GYN has recently had to start offering laser hair removal and other cosmetic shit in his office
"Hey Doc, as long as you're down there...!"
congrats!
and sorry if i missed that announcement if it was made!
i hope you are getting it regularly.
Thank you.
That was the announcement right there.
Yes, thanks.
"Hey Doc, as long as you're down there...!"
That's a pretty good idea. At least the reward after the uncomfortable exam would be a shiny clean nether region.
I am sure someone already posted this, but I am not reading five pages just to find out.
I want more, but I am also content for today. I make enough to pay the bills, fund retirement, and have some toys, but I want more so I can pay off the bills faster, retire sooner, and have more toys. I also want to have enough to pay for my kids college (actually, I want them to get scholarships) so they don't have to work during school. I could say more here, but, alas, I am too lazy during my lunch hangover to continue typing.
Do you personally know any doctors? Between malpractice insurance, and paying for medical school, plus the huge headache of paperwork just to get whatever the government/insurance companies have said they're going to pay today... they're not living nearly as nicely as you'd like to imagine. My OB-GYN has recently had to start offering laser hair removal and other cosmetic shit in his office, because the regular practice isn't paying for itself.
As a matter of fact, my ex step father is a retired doctor. He took early retirement rather than continue to deal with the whole malpractice nightmare. However, he got his medical training paid for by the Air Force in exchange for him agreeing to work for them as a flight surgeon for x number of years. Don't know if the military still has such programs, but I certainly realize that the normal cost of a medical education is very high. My step father had to go to all these on-going education things to keep his licence current, too.
I'm in agreement that Doc's should have the right to choose whom they are going to treat and what insurance they will accept. IMO, the entire malpractice thing plus the insurance companies and their ever increasing demands for more paperwork, more fussy rules and regulations are responsible as anything else for the escalating cost of medical care.
So maybe its the stockholders of insurance companies who are unhappy with their income.
it isn't an issue of one group wanting more money. too many conflicting interests and too much bureaucratic BS.
A lot of folks in my area head south of the border for medical care. They are treated by american trained (and often american) medical staff, using the latest techniques and best practices. They pay a fraction of the cost and don't have to mess around with referrals, insurance companies, copays, etc.
If they want X treatment, then they need to pay Y (which happens to be a fraction of the cost within the US) If you can't pay, you don't get treated.
If they want X treatment, then they need to pay Y (which happens to be a fraction of the cost within the US) If you can't pay, you don't get treated.
Well, I guess it depends upon what sort of society you prefer to live in. I've visited extremely poor areas of South America and once came across a dead man lying on the sidewalk in front of me. Less dramatic, but still distressing were the number of people suffering from diseases which could have been cured if only they'd had the money to get medical care.
One reason medical care in Mexico and other third world countries is less expensive is that the standard of living is so much lower. I don't think the doctors have to worry about malpractice to the extent they do in a first world country, either.
BTW, if you want an idea of the horrible standards of living that US OB-GYN's have to endure, you might Google some of the recruiting websites for that speciality. The one I looked at was full of offers to help prospective new doctors pay off student loans, cover malpractice insurance and more. When salaries were mentioned, they were in the 150K to 200K range - not bad for a new entrant to a profession.
i know what it's like to go hungry, so now i can never be full.
One reason medical care in Mexico and other third world countries is less expensive is that the standard of living is so much lower. I don't think the doctors have to worry about malpractice to the extent they do in a first world country, either.
That is kind of the point, these are American doctors who live in America, paying American living expenses. They drive across the border daily to go to work. They charge significantly less than they would have to if they were just north of the border because they don't have to pay exorbitant malpractice coverage and they work on a direct payment method.
As far as what they are paid, let me ask you: would you rather go to a doctor who is paid well, or one who is just squeaking by?
$150-200K/year isn't that much money when you consider the supply demand issue. You also might want to factor in the cost of servicing their student loans, too. The new guy at the dentist's office is currently sitting on $225,000 in student loans. Someone who takes on that debt isn't going to step out into a $50-60K job.
$150K seems like big money(and it's not peanuts), but consider this, car sales and mortgage sales make that. It's not that big a number any more.
All of that makes really good sense. But, at least in my town, you don't see very many doctors who don't live in the biggest mansions, drive the nicest cars, belong to the Country Club, attend the nicest charity balls, etc. I guess I've always assumed once they got past all they had to shell out to get where they are, things were pretty good. I don't think about factoring in all that overhead.
Anyway, most of them have my utmost respect!
Some can afford that. However, I know two doctors who live WAY beyond their means. I think it is living up to the assumption that all docs are rich.
most of the docs i know are living on the edge. they are living in a manner consistent with what everyone else thinks is normal for a doctor. there is usually a lot of debt backing up that pretty stuff. the cash flow can be immense, but so can be the cost of doing business.
there are exceptions obviously.
there is usually a lot of debt backing up that pretty stuff. the cash flow can be immense, but so can be the cost of doing business.
Something I have difficulty getting my head around is the idea of medicine as business. I know that it is. I just have difficulty with the idea of Doctors also being business people.
[eta] that doesn't apply to cosmetic procedures, I'm just talking necessary medicine here.
[flint] something else you might want to get your head around: my wang! [/flint]
i should have just posted that as Flunt. damn
lol I just laughed and scared the dog who was asleep at my feet :P
Yeah, but Dana, then we'll have to WAIT longer. And socialized medicine doesn't work because communism-human-nature-USSR-laziness-more taxes-etc.
You know?
I know...I know....damn that human nature. And waiting...damn waiting...I heard this one guy had to wait 150 years and then they amputated the wrong leg....and he was left on a gurney in the corridor to recover. I heard that.
oh hell, they do that here. not too long ago a guy went to the VA hospital where they were supposed to remove a testicle (cancer, i think). He woke up to find out they'd removed the wrong one.
yep, now he's completely nutless.
that is why medical care is not something to try to save money on. pay for the good stuff.
Most docs are not good business people.
Our medical system over here is not too bad. I think it's way better than that in the US, but it's not perfect.
A lot more people are heading towards private health these days, mostly thanks to the conservative government we've had for the last 12yrs. I'll be interested to see what changes are made to both the private and public health sectors over the next couple of years if they give Johnny the big A.
BTW, if you want an idea of the horrible standards of living that US OB-GYN's have to endure, you might Google some of the recruiting websites for that speciality. The one I looked at was full of offers to help prospective new doctors pay off student loans, cover malpractice insurance and more. When salaries were mentioned, they were in the 150K to 200K range - not bad for a new entrant to a profession.
I wonder why they're having to recruit them, then?
An ob-gyn in Long Island will pay
$143,148 a year for malpractice insurance. (This is compared to $85,772/year for a general surgeon in the same area.)
In Illinois, an OB could pay as much as
$170,000 a year (compared to about $75,000 for a general surgeon.) It's not as high in every state, but I'm pretty sure traveling to a neighboring state is not an option for most residents.
Hi SamIam! Good to see one of your random visits!!
To the Haters.
Would it really bother you that much to let me have some proper healthcare for my husband before he kicks the bucket and leaves me on this ridiculous piece of insanity called earth, broke and crazy?
Should I really have saved 6 digits just in case my young husband had terminal cancer? Really?
This is a pretty sore spot for me right now. I'm in danger of cussing at people again. Universal Healthcare would enhance my life right now is all I'm going to say. And don't call me lazy or a welfare slut. My husband and myself are very hard-working people. (Unless I'm dicking around with you guys on the cellar)
Just nevermind. Really. Fuck it. It's like banging my head against a wall.
When I go to the doctors for a checkup, (every 15 or 20 years, whether I need it or not) and she runs the routine battery of blood tests, I feel better when she tells me everything is OK.
At least until I get the receipt from the insurance company that says for almost $700 in tests, they paid $36.... and the lab accepted it. I wonder how good a job they did on checking for problems?
Hi SamIam! Good to see one of your random visits!!
To the Haters.
Would it really bother you that much to let me have some proper healthcare for my husband before he kicks the bucket and leaves me on this ridiculous piece of insanity called earth, broke and crazy?
Should I really have saved 6 digits just in case my young husband had terminal cancer? Really?
This is a pretty sore spot for me right now. I'm in danger of cussing at people again. Universal Healthcare would enhance my life right now is all I'm going to say. And don't call me lazy or a welfare slut. My husband and myself are very hard-working people. (Unless I'm dicking around with you guys on the cellar)
Just nevermind. Really. Fuck it. It's like banging my head against a wall.
Yo Cic, just let rip, don't hold back. please. you may not feel better, but you might, and you won't feel worse.
The reality is, though, that there is no perfect healthcare system, no perfect insurance system. You'd be just as fucked in the UK. Life just sucks, sometimes. With Universal healthcare comes universal awareness that wasting the doctor's time is a bad thing. So diagnoses often come too late...
Cancer is just a bummer, no matter what insurance and cover you have. Sorry it happens to be your bummer right now. I have you down as rthe type of person who doesn't give up, though, so good luck, you will get there.
Hmmmm... I make enough. I should work less. That is what my family says. But seriously, I want to work really hard to make a better life for my kids and be sure my wife is set up if I kick it early, and or save for when we/she gets older. I know that few of you will believe this but after I retired from the military I more than trippled my salary and work twice + the hours. My average work week is 50 to 110 hours a week, every week. I will have a period of 3 or 4 days off in a row everyother month and one 2 week period a year where I am off from my regular job, but often I just work somewhere else. I currently have one job as an employee, 4 as an independent contractor, and one where I don't have to do shit as I draw retirement pay from the military. I feel driven to make more, work harder, for as long as I can until I am dead. Life goes on.
Old man goes to dr. Gets a shot and a scrip. Dr tells him if not better tomorrow comeback.
Old man, why, going to give me my money back? :bolt:
... At least until I get the receipt from the insurance company that says for almost $700 in tests, they paid $36.... and the lab accepted it. I wonder how good a job they did on checking for problems?
Yeah, the "real" price should be somewhere between the two. My Doc charges $120 for an exam, which is what a "self-paying" patient pays. Medicare pays 80% of their $110 allowable, but most of the private insurance companies pay $32 to $50. I think that if you accept Medicare, it's illegal to charge someone a discounted price, if they're a "self-pay".
Yeah, the "real" price should be somewhere between the two. My Doc charges $120 for an exam, which is what a "self-paying" patient pays. Medicare pays 80% of their $110 allowable, but most of the private insurance companies pay $32 to $50. I think that if you accept Medicare, it's illegal to charge someone a discounted price, if they're a "self-pay".
Technically you are correct. A few places I work do it. Why? to help the patient, not because they are getting rich off of this group of patients.
Yo Cic, just let rip, don't hold back. please. you may not feel better, but you might, and you won't feel worse.
The reality is, though, that there is no perfect healthcare system, no perfect insurance system. You'd be just as fucked in the UK. Life just sucks, sometimes. With Universal healthcare comes universal awareness that wasting the doctor's time is a bad thing. So diagnoses often come too late...
Cancer is just a bummer, no matter what insurance and cover you have. Sorry it happens to be your bummer right now. I have you down as rthe type of person who doesn't give up, though, so good luck, you will get there.
I know....I know. But since my little plans for insurance have been foiled, I now have more options. Like, my husband has to quit working at some point (when he's sick)so I can prove us indigent enough to be accepted for medicare or medicade. Until that time occurs we are paying out of our pockets. And when it gets really bad I can apply with the state of NM as a home healthcare worker and can take care of my husband at home. Of course we are not going to be able to afford the place we are in, and downsize to a studio. Or I'm going to ******* and run ......and let my husband die on a beach in Mexico with some fucking dignity....haven't decided yet. It could go either way.
Maybe I can pay a Canadian on this board to marry him for a short period? Any takers?
Well- pm me if you are interested. :D
I know...I know....damn that human nature. And waiting...damn waiting...I heard this one guy had to wait 150 years and then they amputated the wrong leg....and he was left on a gurney in the corridor to recover. I heard that.
I bet it was on the internet. That's where I do all my research. And TV.
Hi SamIam! Good to see one of your random visits!!
To the Haters.
Would it really bother you that much to let me have some proper healthcare for my husband before he kicks the bucket and leaves me on this ridiculous piece of insanity called earth, broke and crazy?
Should I really have saved 6 digits just in case my young husband had terminal cancer? Really?
This is a pretty sore spot for me right now. I'm in danger of cussing at people again. Universal Healthcare would enhance my life right now is all I'm going to say. And don't call me lazy or a welfare slut. My husband and myself are very hard-working people. (Unless I'm dicking around with you guys on the cellar)
Just nevermind. Really. Fuck it. It's like banging my head against a wall.
Hey, Cicero! Nice to "see" you again! Sorry as can be about your bad news. Damn, Damn, Damn, and Damn again. If you want, PM me with your phone number (I lost it), and maybe I can give you some advise re the SYSTEM :mad2:
To Clodfobble: Their are recruiting sites for EVERY profession. I bet they are even some for your line of work, whatever it is. Recruiting sites are not in themselves evidence of scarcity, although they can be an indicator of sorts. There's a big shortage of doctors of all kinds in the more rural areas, and I noticed many of the ads for OB-GYN's were for places like Bumfuck, Idaho (no offence to anyone here from Bumfuck).
To Lookout: I discovered an entire site on how doctors can disguise their assets - putting money in their children's names was only the most obvious of more devious plans that I didn't have the patience to read, not being a broker or a banker. And, anyhow, I don't have much sympathy for someone who whines about making a mere 150K/year. Sure, people in other professions can earn as much or more, so why didn't the folks who became Doc's just skip the entire Med School/Advanced Training treadmill, and go sell used cars, for example?
I would assume that at least some people are drawn to medicine for other reasons than money - reasons that cause them to suck it in and eke out an existance at a lowly 150K. And you never answered my question about what sort of society you prefer to live in. Is it one where Cicero's young husband dies of a deadly disease due to lack of medical care? If so, quite frankly, shame on you!
And you never answered my question about what sort of society you prefer to live in. Is it one where Cicero's young husband dies of a deadly disease due to lack of medical care? If so, quite frankly, shame on you!
well, there you go, why don't you just ask when I quit beating my wife?
Do I wish ill upon Cicero or her family? absolutely not, it is horribly sad. Do I want to live with universal, tax payer funded medical care? hell, no. I prefer to live in a place where the market (consumer) decides the value of all goods and services. Supply and demand and all that.
Now if you want to talk about legitimate ways of sheltering money, i can do that all day - but this probably isn't the right thread.
And, anyhow, I don't have much sympathy for someone who whines about making a mere 150K/year...
I would assume that at least some people are drawn to medicine for other reasons than money - reasons that cause them to suck it in and eke out an existance at a lowly 150K.
I guess you just completely skimmed over the part where a huge portion of that salary, often over $100,000 a year, goes directly to paying for malpractice insurance? Hint: subtraction is the key here.
...I don't have much sympathy for someone who whines about making a mere 150K/year....
I guess you just completely skimmed over the part where a huge portion of that salary, often over $100,000 a year, goes directly to paying for malpractice insurance? Hint: subtraction is the key here.
I think making refers to what he puts into his pocket AFTER expenses like insurance. But that's just a guess...
..........yea this is awesome.
I guess you just completely skimmed over the part where a huge portion of that salary, often over $100,000 a year, goes directly to paying for malpractice insurance? Hint: subtraction is the key here.
I am sure it works differently for different docs, but many times malpractice ins is paid by the practice.
I am sure it works differently for different docs, but many times malpractice ins is paid by the practice.
It still comes out of your bottom line to the practice as potential income. It is an expense that must be paid every year.
Very true, but it is not necessarily a direct 1-to-1 correlation to a doc's salary unless it is a single doc in the practice.
Don't misunderstand me here. I think they deserve the money made. Some even deserve more than what they get once told by the insurance carriers what they get to make.
Very true, but it is not necessarily a direct 1-to-1 correlation to a doc's salary unless it is a single doc in the practice.
Don't misunderstand me here. I think they deserve the money made. Some even deserve more than what they get once told by the insurance carriers what they get to make.
One practice I work for has 4 docs. They get all get a salary. Then they get a bonus based on the amount of work they do individually. It is a big busy practice and they all make a pretty good chunk of change. They all pay nearly 100k in malpractice each. The practice pays for it. The practice only gets income because of the docs. The docs are the only source of income, no docs, no income, no practice. If they did not have income to the business the business could not pay their malpractice, from their income. The higher the malpractice payment the less they have for other costs, including their own salary, and the salary of about 30 people who work for them.
That is what I am saying. I am not sure if you are agreeing with me or not.
Let's say the malpractice ins gets cut in half so they now have, just to simply things, an extra $200,000 in profit for the group. That doesn't mean that they will each get an extra $50,000. They probably would like to spend that money on extra support staff or new equipment or more current magazines in the waiting room. In my business, an extra $3,000,000 to our bottom line does not immediately get divided up among the managers and partners. It does increase our bonuses, but not by a total of $3,000,000.
I am not saying that it would absolutely not change how much money the doc takes home. It might. It might not. I was simply refuting Clod's claim that a large portion of a doc's 100K salary goes to pay for malpractice insurance.
That is what I am saying. I am not sure if you are agreeing with me or not.
Let's say the malpractice ins gets cut in half so they now have, just to simply things, an extra $200,000 in profit for the group. That doesn't mean that they will each get an extra $50,000. They probably would like to spend that money on extra support staff or new equipment or more current magazines in the waiting room. In my business, an extra $3,000,000 to our bottom line does not immediately get divided up among the managers and partners. It does increase our bonuses, but not by a total of $3,000,000.
I am not saying that it would absolutely not change how much money the doc takes home. It might. It might not. I was simply refuting Clod's claim that a large portion of a doc's 100K salary goes to pay for malpractice insurance.
We are in agreement. But when people pay out such large sums the only way they see it is that it is robbery, which it is in many cases.
I was simply refuting Clod's claim that a large portion of a doc's 100K salary goes to pay for malpractice insurance.
...I was with you right up until the point where you said all your other points somehow refuted mine. :confused: Yes, malpractice can sometimes instead be a large portion of the
practice's income, which directly affects how much money is left for doctors' salaries... I don't really see why that is anything other than a semantic difference. I agree with everything you have said.
48% of all counties in the US have no OB-GYNs at all, because either the hospitals or the doctors or both cannot afford to practice in those areas.
For the record, I did not make enough money this week. I'm not going to be thrown out of my apartment or anything, but business has been so bad recently at the shops. Of course, my boss recently bought a new minivan for his family, so he must be doing well.