Axespeed
OT Supporter
- Mar 9, 2005
- 3,907
500k is really not much these days if you live in a major city
Indeed, that should basically be minimum wage. If you're not making at LEAST $500K, what are you doing with your life?
That's because doctors are basically extremely well paid labor. Their income is forever tied to hours-worked. This is especially true of highly specialized fields like orthopedic surgeons, because they can't transition to private practice and leverage their brand by bringing in apprentices and taking a cut of their revenue. They're always stuck working for some big organization that is hamstrung by insurance reimbursement rates and such. Yes, they will make a lot of money, and if they're smart they'll invest it outside of the industry (like real estate or whatever) and set themselves up for financial independence or early retirement. But most don't do that, or if they do, they do it poorly, because they're too busy working their main job, and because the skillset that makes a good surgeon doesn't generally translate well to a good businessperson or investor. So, they're stuck working long hours and living in a state of emotional purgatory. They have all the fancy things that one associates with wealth, like a big house, expensive car, maybe a condo in Hawaii or Vail, but they don't get to enjoy them much until retirement. I know a bunch of really successful doctors. Most are not very interesting or engaging people until after they retire.
If you want to make big bucks and still live a fulfilling and enjoyable life, there are other fields that can provide that. The most wealthy and happy people I know run real estate brokerages, law offices, or financial services companies (investments, lending, insurance, etc...). They work hard, obviously, but get to set their own hours, be their own boss, and their skills are broad, which allows them to invest the income from their main business in ways that they are typically highly successful.
I think OT has a definite skew to the wealthy side. It's probably just a function of the demographics, which are driven by the time period when OT was in its growth era, and who was attracted to it at that time. But there's also a lot of true low-income folks here too. I'd wager those tend to be people who joined later, like after 2010-ish. I have absolutely nothing to back that up, though.
meatball
vorrei ma non posto
TS
TS
- Dec 30, 2004
- 69,681
DaninTexas
Well-Known Member
Honestly we moved out to the country from Dallas. In Dallas my $130k salary isn't shit raising a family of 4. Out here we literally are like the richest people in the area. No debt cept the house and that is only $2300 a month with escrow. I think the family would be 100% set once I get my income around $150k. Would be enough to replace our aged vehicles which is the only thing we want to do but won't do it incurring debt.
Will sit tight though where I am at job wise for another year and then getting that salary near $200k won't be an issue. Can get what ever vehicles we want then.
Course I work prob 30 hours a week on a bad week and have a great work life balance right now. So not 100% sold on chasing the cash.
Will sit tight though where I am at job wise for another year and then getting that salary near $200k won't be an issue. Can get what ever vehicles we want then.
Course I work prob 30 hours a week on a bad week and have a great work life balance right now. So not 100% sold on chasing the cash.
TS
TS
- Dec 30, 2004
- 69,681
Axespeed
OT Supporter
- Mar 9, 2005
- 3,907
What's there to do out in the country? What do you and your family do on weekends for fun? Do you drive into Dallas or is it too far? Genuinely curious.
To be fair, $150k in rural Texas is pretty much equal to $500k elsewhere.
meatball
vorrei ma non posto
what is there to do as a parent anywhere?
you take your kids to activities, go to the occasional ballgame, go to birthday parties
- May 2, 2002
- 130,363
DaninTexas
Well-Known Member
We are 25 min from Longview and Tyler. Both are fairly large in size and have all the big box shit you would want. They also have other places to go and shit for the kids. Dallas is only like 2 hours away. So I put on some tunes and drive out for concerts and the airport if I need too.
It really isn't bad IMO. Living in Houston and Dallas you would normally sit in traffic for 20+ min anyways to get somewhere outside of your neighborhood. Now my 25 min to go to the same thing is 75mph on tree lined roads instead.
DaninTexas
Well-Known Member
Outside of Gilmer. All the schools are new. I have fiber internet. Grocery is like 10 min out. Tyler and Longview are like 25 min away for any big box store. Dallas is only 2 hours away for big city shit.
Snake Pliskin
OT Supporter
I grew up in an upper middle class family. We had money to burn. Mom and dad fought regularly, and overall our family was miserable. I worked in the music and film business. All the managers and producers were wealthy. Most were unhappy and dumped drugs down their throats to numb their emotional pain. I've never had money, but for the most part I've been happy. I was almost always happier than the average wealthy person I knew.
Money buys comfort, and the ability to enjoy entertainment and vacations if that is taken advantage of. But I'm not sure these studies differentiate happiness (which can be temporary) from true emotional satisfaction.
Money buys comfort, and the ability to enjoy entertainment and vacations if that is taken advantage of. But I'm not sure these studies differentiate happiness (which can be temporary) from true emotional satisfaction.
- May 2, 2002
- 130,363
i moved from vegas back to rural ohio and yeah the traffic thing is huge
my 6 mile commute in vegas took 20 minutes in stop and go 8 lane surface streets and now i can get anywhere in town in 20 minutes and not feel like i could die at any moment
the only issue is getting stuck behind an old person
DaninTexas
Well-Known Member
We were worried moving out here as we only have lived in cities. But it took us a week to get used to it. When I look out my porch overlooking my land I don't miss living anywhere else. Neighbors literally are cows. Nearest actual neighbor is near a mile away
DaninTexas
Well-Known Member
- May 2, 2002
- 130,363
alternatively my family was poor as fuck early on and the stress of it drove my parents to divorce
yeah i dont think a poll is going to capture actual relevant data on happiness
Snake Pliskin
OT Supporter
Another thought I just had. I wonder how these stats would change if it were broken down by age? As I've gotten older I've realized the importance of emotional satisfaction verse the desire for financial wealth. As a young man I thought all I needed was to be wealthy. Now I realize how ignorant that was.