A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Just curious, how many of you would make

Posted: Oct 1, 2013

such as cutting living expenses, groceries, quality of life maybe just to work less and enjoy life more. I have been an MT for 18 years and feel like I am wasting precious life and things I really want to do by sitting in this chair from sun up to sun down. I personally think by re-budgeting things and working less would be so worth it in the long run. Right now, I have plenty of work and supplement my husband's income and can make all my bills, eat out, buy clothes, shop, etc, but is it all worth it when life is just passing me by as I sit here and type away. At my company, I can go part-time, but that is too little income and we can't make it and full-time is too much, so not really a balance there. Looking for one, but as you know balance in this type of work is nothing short of a miracle!

I am in my 50s and have grown children, but oh how I love to cook from scratch, decorate my house, garage sales, just live a little and maybe even go out for walks and have some friends, bible studies, etc. How many of you have made such sacrifices and are enjoying the benefits, or how many would like to and how far would you go to make ends meet just to get a new life and get out of this chair!! There is more to life than typing, seriously.

Thanks for your replies :-)

;

We made tiny sacrifices for a better - quality of life.

[ In Reply To ..]
My husband only works 4 days a week, so he can have a long weekend to write and since I'm home when I work, we can be together more.

We don't have any cable, which I know can easily cost over $100 a month, or a cell phone (also maybe $100?), and we live in a little 1-bedroom apartment. But our life is simple and we like it this way. There are some other things we've cut out to save a nickle or two, but we make up for it. We have a tiny "garden" on our balcony and we rent movies through Netflix. Our life moves slowly and if we could make it go slower, we would (wouldn't we all?).

So we've sacrificed a few small things to pay for the time we don't spend working, but I feel we're richer for it. I look around sometimes at how anxious and loud people can be, and I know we're doing the right thing.

Thank you for your reply. So true, you are - the better for it and I don't

[ In Reply To ..]
doubt feeling richer. It's the things money can't buy that matters. What a sweet life you have...a true blessing!!

Think of what you're sacrificing sitting in that chair as an MT - wheres_my_job

[ In Reply To ..]
Health (physical and mental), your LIFE (you could be doing more enjoyable things, things that even make you money!) etc.

It's exactly the other way around. Life is short. Free yourself from MT misery as much as you can.

I completely agree! I am looking and will - not stop until I get a real balance.

[ In Reply To ..]
Thanks for your reply! I have sacrificed way too much in this chair. I almost don't know how to function out of it.

cutting back - Effie

[ In Reply To ..]
If I could survive without working I would NOT be wasting my time at this keyboard. Having said that, as a widow raising some of her grandchildren, I don't have that luxury.

I am on my way there--sm - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I hope to quit by this time next year or by Thanksgiving of next year. We have not had cable for over 15 years now. The only time we miss it is during football season. We have prepaid cell phones ($20 every 3 months). We at out little, DH takes the bus to work (saving $160 a month). To us the biggest hindrance is debt that we are paying off. I look at our lives right now and realize things will fall apart if I do not start freeing up the time to deal with it so that is the plan. On our property I have the space to garden in season and out of season the library has free books for me and free movies. The demoralizing nature of the MT field now leaves little left for my family and I am ready to be done with it.

Yes, have already done that, got rid of cable TV, land line, garden, sew, SM - IndyMT

[ In Reply To ..]
don't eat out, have a 17 YO car....

I've been an MT for over 25 years. I feel like I wasted some of my life.

I am right there with you--over 25 years as - hard living

[ In Reply To ..]
an MT, no cable, no land line, don't eat out, no new clothes, old car that needs help, no extra treats anymore such as chocolate or even strawberries. I am looking for extra work though and do not want to stay like this. The MTSOs are getting rich off of our hard work. How dare they offer 4.5, 4 cpl and even less than that now. No one can survive on VR and 4.5 cpl or less. It is degrading.

I've learned to be happy with less... - AMT

[ In Reply To ..]
I used to be all about shopping, going out, never missing a concert or county fair or some at-home party where I bought alot of candles or makeup, etc.

Now with making less money than I used to, I've learned to budget and save. It sucked in the beginning and I'm still of the mindset sometimes that we are all gonna die one day and we can't take our money with us so we may as well spend it. That is true, however I need to be smart about while I'm still here and I have 25+ years until retirement (ugh).

Anyway, I have made sacrifices insofar as budgeting, saving, couponing, learning to love generic brands and second hand. My only "splurge" on myself is my hair. I work FT as does hubby and we take care of our bills on time and never fall behind so we both deserve a break every once in awhile. I get my haircut regularly, every 8 weeks, and every other cut I get it colored. That comes out to only 3-4 times a year that I get highlights, which are very reasonable where I go and it is a friend so I get a good deal on it, plus I have a side cleaning job for cash and I save that up and use that money.

I think I did sacrifice alot in my life already with my life not going "as planned" as far as other aspects go so I think I getting my hair done is not a bad thing. Some of our friends will make comments from time to time about how we "never go out" or buy this or buy that, yet they get their lights turned off. Yeah I have "no life" because I pay all my bills on time every month plus save some plus after gas and groceries and dog food, there is a little left and I would rather spend that on a spa day to make myself feel better than to blow $100 (for example) on going to the fair!

I will look back on my life and be happy knowing I spent it with my dog, my husband, and my family and enjoying each other than getting wasted every weekend.

Does happy equate not getting wasted? - Not sure about this

[ In Reply To ..]
Seems like you have only two choices, spent with husband, dog, family or get wasted?

Umm?? - AMT

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm not sure what you meant by your post, but what I meant was that I would rather sacrifice money than free time. I am happier spending time with hubby and/or doggie and/or family not spending a dime, just being together making memories versus missing out on that b/c I sacrified something else just to have a few bucks in my pocket to spend it on a night out (example, being at the bar/club or whatever). I'm not sure what you're confused about.

Confused when you said would rather spend - time with family, dog, etc

[ In Reply To ..]
than getting wasted every weekend. To me it sounds like if not with family then you would be wasted on the weekend. Free time to me does not equate being wasted. Free time also to me does not mean a night at the bar or whatever like in this posting above.

No I wouldn't be out drinking all the time if I had free time... - AMT

[ In Reply To ..]
I am not a raging alcoholic. In fact, the last time I drank one beer I got very sleepy after that. My OP was meant to say that the best things in life are free and not just going out all the time and spending money on whatever (an example would be like a bar or club, but it could also be getting your nails done or the casino or a trip or new clothes or anything not considered a necessity). Don't read too much into it. I'm not saying that I have to choose one over the other. I simply meant that my generation is all about what's happening now and who's there and I don't want to be a part of it anymore.

Yes, I feel I have sacrificed alot for this job like missing out on weekends, holidays, time off with family but when I do have off now I am much happier doing something that is free or little cost versus just getting all wild and crazy b/c I'm stuck at home all the time.

It's really not that hard to grasp.

In the Same Boat - Poor Too

[ In Reply To ..]
I swear, it is a big treat for me when I think I can part with enough to buy some dog treats at the dollar store. i so enjoy seeing my dogs happy. I color my own hair sitting in the bathtub and buy the cheapest brand I can find. New clothes consist of a pair of capris marked down to 3 bucks at clearance in Wal-Mart once in a blue moon. And to think that it was not that many years ago that I would just automatically give a 500-dollar gift card from JCPenney to whichever niece or nephew was getting married. Times have changed...

I think we need a preppers board. nm - IndyMT

[ In Reply To ..]
xxxx

If I were to look back on my life... - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
I raised my children doing this job, that's why I got into this type of work,to raise my children and be home with them. Four children later, I achieved that. Now they are grown but I am stuck in this line of work and the purpose of it has changed now that I am getting older.

I don't want the last half of my life to be wasted sitting at this computer. I think as we get older, we start reflecting more on what matters and what we need to do that is important because life is too short and it goes really really fast as we get older. I will not stop until I find a balance between work and living. All I know is this is not it! I will not sit in this chair until I am 70 years of age and then have very little time to enjoy life after that. It will be too late then. The time to start is now!!

Thinking on this more, I could definitely sacrifice the stress--sm - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I put some thoughts above but I definitely can sacrifice the stress to do without MT. There was a time when the job was a good fit for me. When the pay was good, I could exchange some of those hours working for something fun (I have not been to a movie in ages). The job flexibility worked for my family. The work was fun for me. Now, VR does not work with my personality. I hate editing, I need more of my senses engaged at once like with typing. I was also a fast typist so that helped me make the $$$. VR has taken away some of that advantage I once had. My oldest is 15 and my youngest 7 and I need to be more available for the kids. That is very hard right now because the biggest schedule need seems to be around the time they get off from school, right through the dinner hour. MT is less and less of a fit for my life and even with it, I have to work many hours at making the budget stretch too and some of that I enjoy more than MT (like cooking from scratch which is hard to do when you have to sign on by 6).

My sacrifices and what I want for my life - It's a tough one

[ In Reply To ..]
If I could go part time I would. Unfortunately we need more income just for the basics and no amount of cutting back would be enough for me to be able to go part time. Over the past year we have made some changes though which have helped.

No TV. Can't afford it. Can't even afford Netflix.

Got rid of the 2 cell phones even though they were pay as you go. Since we are both home there was no need.

Make big meals so there is leftovers. A pot of chicken soup cost us about $12 and last 4 days, 1 ham cost us about 15 and we get 4 nights/days meals and then I boil the bone with either beans or split peas and we get another 4 days. PB&J, I make homemade pumpkin muffins for bfast and I make homemade choc chip cookies and no store bought. No sodas/juice, prepacked food. Have not had a steak I think in about 2 years. I don't know what I could cut back. I have not bought anything to wear since 2005. We don't go anywhere or buy luxury items to eat, an occasional movie, but then we will watch the movie hundreds of times. Our fun is watching our cats play and the internet.

still need to learn how to do couponing, but if I can find a way to have a more simple life I would do whatever it takes to enjoy life.

Reading the above, I would hate to live my - life by settling and that is

[ In Reply To ..]
what most have done. I do not coupon, I do not make do, I enjoy eating out, I have things I want, I do not do without, I go to movies when I desire, have the food I want and if I want to have a steak I will. I buy clothing frequently. Whether I work at home or not I tire of the same clothing month after month.

I cannot believe that others are just making do and apparently most do not care one way or the other. I do not fit in this scenerio at all.

So what are you saying? We should just keep charging up - Its a tough one

[ In Reply To ..]
our credit cards so we don't have to do without. Keep spending money we don't have? That's great you can steak all the time and eat out and buy clothes all the time. Most of us cannot not. I used to live like you did when I had an hourly job and made $16/hour. Now I find most of my days are filled with VR work at 4 cents a line and at the end of the day I learn that I just got paid $4.75 an hour or $3.50 an hour because all my reports were very messed up and I had to do a lot of cutting/pasting, researching, etc.

Your last sentence is off. We are making due because it's all we can do. You can't go to your MTSO and just demand they pay you more, and believe me we do care.

If you do not fit this scenario then why did you post? To brag? Like I said that's great you don't have to sacrifice. I and others are the sole income makers and this is the situation we are facing. Believe it or not a couple years ago I was in your boots. I came on here and would tell MTs that I'm sick of their whining and only they can make things better. Well I guess Karma bit me because I'm now in that boat. My paycheck does not pay all the bills. Thank goodness I have some money saved up to cover what is not always covered by my paycheck. Can't speak for others but I'm sure there re others in the same boat.

So, good for you that you don't have to make sacrifices. There are those that do.

If you like your choices in life, then just - settle. I also make 4 cents

[ In Reply To ..]
a line on VR and working on Escription can average at least $150.00 per day. That is not what I made in the past but it is more than minimum wage and understand, if not enough to pay my bills I will not sit and wait for something to come along and definitely have never settled. I have been down but definitely not out. I have never I would say struggled to put food on the table because I always found enough work to do to pay for food and necessities and have more than just surviving. I have had to watch what I spent at the grocery store but this was years ago and not now. I can make a meal out of potatoes, beans and bread if I have to. That is not a huge amount to spend and you can get full. It is so hard for me to believe the above poster who says she and her husband cannot buy food and they both are working.

It is believable - because it depends on what part - of the country you live in

[ In Reply To ..]
We used to live in an area of the country where rents were extreme. 1 bedroom apartment without washer and dryer for $1200. With food prices going up, gas, electric everything. You've got your basic bills. If you have a car payment or a loan or outstanding debt, and then the taxes and if you have to pay for any health care those are all costs that add up. My husband and I used to get paid $12 and $10 an hour. We had 1 vehicle, but a $300 payment, glasses, dentists, buy some clothes for work. We struggled. There were times we couldn't afford food. Thank goodness for my in-laws who made huge Sunday dinners and sent us home with leftovers. It was a living hell there never able to get ahead. We no longer live there, so yes it is easy for me to believe that poster.

I make plenty of sacrifices - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I am a single mom. I started couponing about 2 years ago. I get free stuff or make money on purchases all the time. I also give a lot away to family or friends that are struggling a bit. You should never buy toothpaste, shavers or shampoo. With a little research online, you can find ways to get these items and many others for free by just waiting for sales.

I also yard sale. I find nice brand-name clothes, household items and many others that are nicer than I would find at Target or discount stores (let's face it, that's where I am shopping) and for much, much less.

However, I do like treats. They are on a smaller level at this point. Share a Starbucks with my daughter, a smoothie (ask for 2 cups), but we do the movies we want to see, Chipotle, pizza and salad. I freeze a lot of veggies and fruits when they are on sale.

I make sacrifices for myself, but make sure my daughter has what she needs. She also sees the value of couponing and I'll go in and buy toothpaste, shaver and her lunch items she needs and come out paying $1.64 plus getting $9 Extra Cash bucks for next time (CVS).

This is how I'm surviving right now. It takes a little work, but it's what I'm doing while I'm going to school. It's become more important as I got laid off in August.

Anyone interested in couponing, just google. Start getting newspapers as you need past weeks for future sales. It's fun too to see what deals you can find.

Is it ideal? No. But after this long, I hate paying full price and when I'm done with school, there will be some couponing I still do. :) Why not...

Love this post... - AMT

[ In Reply To ..]
I started couponing last year. I work FT, have a hubby who works FT, and have enough to pay bills and save a little each month, BUT something always comes up. The car needs fixing or the house needs something or the dog gets sick. After that happening all in the same month I had to figure out where to cut costs and after watching episode after episode of Extreme Couponing (which I know is hyped up for TV), it really got me thinking. I only coupon PT and still budget a certain amount each month for groceries (only 2 people) so I get more for my money. I signed up for all my local store points cards and free online coupon sites and just click, print, cut out, and save at the register. I've gotten 48 rolls of TP for free after coupons and saving the difference. That lasted 6 months in my house! Last week at my local grocery store I had enough card points to get 2 cans of soup and a loaf of bread free. It may be a little bit but it was free. Saved $3. That's enough for a gallon of milk at Kwik Trip since they are on sale this month yet! Use those punch cards too. It's not hard to coupon at all, it's kinda fun and once you start it's addicting.

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