Good news!

[type b pharmD]

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I am going to try to pay off my 120K debt in 3 or 4 years...I will live in a apartment until all that is paid off. I think that is the best idea. Paying only 1K per month for interest only is the dumbest thing anyone can do.

Thanks for the post though it was very helpful. Its shows that a pharmacist have to marry well in order to live a good life. Just a pharmacist salary alone will bring a regular average American lifestyle. 🙄

oh no!! you'll have to live in an apartment for a few years??!?!?! what is the world coming to??!! personally i think that's a great idea, i hope to pay my 170k loans off in a few years as well by living in a ghetto studio and driving an old beater car, not spending any other money to go out or vacation, retirement, family, etc .. aka no expenses.

But seriously?? a pharmacist salary alone will bring a "regular average american lifestyle" ??? according to the 2006 census, pharmacists' incomes place them in the top 5% of personal incomes in the United States!! how this is just a regular average lifestyle is beyond me. i guess the average person is making in the top 5%. now granted.. until loans are paid off, the pharmacist is indeed not living very well. i personally will be living in near poverty until i get my loans paid off, but im fine with that. But please, by posting that pharmacists make only an "average" salary.. it probably could offend the average person in the us, who is making the median salary.. shc, did you know that half of us adults are making less than 25,000 per year?? Yes, that is the median personal income. Since pharmacists are making 3-5x that, i would expect them to have a higher standard of living than the average american.

What does it imply to people like my mother who fully supports herself with a great lifestyle, as well as some of her kids expenses on a $35k/year salary when you think 100k is not enough??

👎

 

[SHC1984]

oh no!! you'll have to live in an apartment for a few years??!?!?! what is the world coming to??!! personally i think that's a great idea, i hope to pay my 170k loans off in a few years as well by living in a ghetto studio and driving an old beater car, not spending any other money to go out or vacation, retirement, family, etc .. aka no expenses.

But seriously?? a pharmacist salary alone will bring a "regular average american lifestyle" ??? according to the 2006 census, pharmacists' incomes place them in the top 5% of personal incomes in the United States!! how this is just a regular average lifestyle is beyond me. i guess the average person is making in the top 5%. now granted.. until loans are paid off, the pharmacist is indeed not living very well. i personally will be living in near poverty until i get my loans paid off, but im fine with that. But please, by posting that pharmacists make only an "average" salary.. it probably could offend the average person in the us, who is making the median salary.. shc, did you know that half of us adults are making less than 25,000 per year?? Yes, that is the median personal income. Since pharmacists are making 3-5x that, i would expect them to have a higher standard of living than the average american.

What does it imply to people like my mother who fully supports herself with a great lifestyle, as well as some of her kids expenses on a $35k/year salary when you think 100k is not enough??

👎

B/c its not 100K after taxes its more like 60K..that in itself is middle class. Also as Anzfarmerboi stated "This is what we called the middle class crunch (upper middle class crunch in cheaper cost of living areas). Also guess how your salary will cost your kids when its time for them to go to college? " People that make lower wages gets all sort of governemnt help and they even get to pay less taxes and get money back from the governemnt. People that make 60K a year will be the ones that are suffering. Living in a apartment does suck. I will be 28 when I get out of pharmacy school and I will be in debt until I am 32/33. So I will to wait until I am in my mid thirties to have a good life.🙁 I guess that isn't really bad but that isn't great either. Its so so I guess. 🙄

 

[type b pharmD]

B/c its not 100K after taxes its more like 60K..that in itself is middle class. Also as Anzfarmerboi stated "This is what we called the middle class crunch (upper middle class crunch in cheaper cost of living areas). Also guess how your salary will cost your kids when its time for them to go to college? " People that make lower wages gets all sort of governemnt help and they even get to pay less taxes and get money back from the governemnt. People that make 60K a year will be the ones that are suffering. Living in a apartment does suck. I will be 28 when I get out of pharmacy school and I will be in debt until I am 32/33. So I will to wait until I am in my mid thirties to have a good life.🙁 I guess that isn't really bad but that isn't great either. Its so so I guess. 🙄

Well, just so you know, income distribution stats are usually generated using before tax incomes.

Im not sure what telling me about the crunch or middle class crunch has to do with anything. Yes people with lower incomes get aid, but people with high incomes do not need aid.

College doesnt have to be expensive either. My tech school tuition was $5000 a year, and my 4 year school's tuition was around $7500 If my kids lived at home and attended a state school (an easy enough plan to figure out), I could pay for an entire college education for both of my hypothetical kids with maybe a few years of saving. How much did you think it was going to cost to send your kids to school? 100k each??!!?

Living in an apartment is not as nice as living in your own place, i agree, but you shouldnt let your physical surroundings determine your level of happiness in life -- you can make an apartment your own, through decorations, cozy furniture, lights, etc.

You say you'll have to wait until you're in your mid 30s before you start living a "good life". Well I have some tidbits of advice for you since you seem to have a lot for everyone else on this thread -- Maybe you should start enjoying your life as it is right now instead of waiting. Because when you get to that age, you'll probably find out that you'll always be 'waiting' just a few more years (until you get the car paid off, or the house paid off, or your kids through college, or can afford the nicest vacations, remodeling, retirement, etc etc).

Obviously you come from a wealthy family, and Im not a person to judge someone for their background. Its natural therefore to be afraid of having less money than youve ever had up until this point. I just want to point out that the majority of people in this country get by on far less, and that life can be awesome regardless of whether you're in the top 5% or not. It's all about your outlook.. and right now some people on this board have an outlook about money that is troubling to say the least.

 

[SHC1984]

Well, just so you know, income distribution stats are usually generated using before tax incomes.

Im not sure what telling me about the crunch or middle class crunch has to do with anything. Yes people with lower incomes get aid, but people with high incomes do not need aid.

College doesnt have to be expensive either. My tech school tuition was $5000 a year, and my 4 year school's tuition was around $7500 If my kids lived at home and attended a state school (an easy enough plan to figure out), I could pay for an entire college education for both of my hypothetical kids with maybe a few years of saving. How much did you think it was going to cost to send your kids to school? 100k each??!!?

Living in an apartment is not as nice as living in your own place, i agree, but you shouldnt let your physical surroundings determine your level of happiness in life -- you can make an apartment your own, through decorations, cozy furniture, lights, etc.

You say you'll have to wait until you're in your mid 30s before you start living a "good life". Well I have some tidbits of advice for you since you seem to have a lot for everyone else on this thread -- Maybe you should start enjoying your life as it is right now instead of waiting. Because when you get to that age, you'll probably find out that you'll always be 'waiting' just a few more years (until you get the car paid off, or the house paid off, or your kids through college, or can afford the nicest vacations, remodeling, retirement, etc etc).

Obviously you come from a wealthy family, and Im not a person to judge someone for their background. Its natural therefore to be afraid of having less money than youve ever had up until this point. I just want to point out that the majority of people in this country get by on far less, and that life can be awesome regardless of whether you're in the top 5% or not. It's all about your outlook.. and right now some people on this board have an outlook about money that is troubling to say the least.

The middle class crunch is the class you fall into when you make too much to get any government help and you make too less to afford all your needs. Lower class people get aid from the government and tax deductions and rich people can afford everything. But Pharmacists fall in a group where they are just above receiving any government aid, but they are not rich so they can't afford everything either. Thats what middle class crunch is.

Your Bachelor degree only cost you $7500? $7500 for ALL FOUR years? Even public colleges cost at least $5000 a year for tuition only.

If your children want to attend a private college then it can easily cost 100K+ for just a Bachelors degree. And lower class people can get government aid for that, rich people can afford it, but people that fall in the middle class crunch (pharmacists) cannot.

My family is middle class thats why I know how the middle class crunch works. ( I wish we were wealthy, so I don't have to take out any loans for pharm school! ) I started working when I was 16 years old and I pay for pretty much everything I own. My parents only help me with the basics needs.

You are right about enjoying life right now and I am trying, but it just sucks that I will have to work this summer to save up $$$ for pharm school instead of going out and having fun/partying. 🙁 Its hard to enjoy life when you don't have a lot of money to go out and have fun. Working makes life less enjoyable.

 

[VancTheTank]

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[cjhrph]

I just want to point out that the majority of people in this country get by on far less, and that life can be awesome regardless of whether you're in the top 5% or not. It's all about your outlook.. and right now some people on this board have an outlook about money that is troubling to say the least.

I would agree with this statement.

 

[SHC1984]

SHC, out of curiosity how well do you relate to the technicians and interns that you work with? How about the pharmacists? I ask because the statements you make regarding income come across as very offensive. Your pov on what it means to make a good living seems completely out of touch with reality.

I realize this is the internet and much can be lost in translation...which is why I ask if you have these same sorts of conversations in real life. If so, how are your comments received?

For instance, as you stated in the other thread:



Do you realize how statements like this can be perceived?

The threshold for government assistance is remarkably lower than you seem to suggest. Pharmacists are far above this level. Anyone who can earn 100k working one full-time job does not need government assistance. End of story.

Type B is offering wonderful advice: Find ways to enjoy the present, you will be working in some capacity for much of your life.

Walgreens is very cheap so I don't get to work much with any techinicans. The only time I see a techinican is between the 2pm to 4pm overlap. I am always working alone with the pharmacist. I know three pharmacists. One is single and has no kids, graduated from UNC and is 34 years old. She told me she paid off her student debt in six months (her parents helped her some/she got a huge sign on bonus that helped). I was joking with her once and say" wow, you have been working for 10+ years as a pharmacist, you must be rich." Her reply was," are you kidding me? do you know how much Uncle Sam takes from me every year?"
The second pharmcist I know is 36 years old, graduated from UNC with a BS in pharmacy, she is married to a guy that deals with real estate and has 2 little girls. She tells me and I over hear her say ALL the time that her budget is very tight/she is tight with money etc. after the bills, mortage, car payment, TWO KIDS!, she isn't left with much, especially since the economy is bad and her husband for the first time is making LESS money than her!
The last pharmacist I know is 28 she graduated from UGA and came out with 65K in debt. She is still paying her loan back, she has NO kids but she has a husband that makes only like 30K a year. So she is paying most of the bills and she isn't rolling in dough by any means.

And they all like me. I am a good tech, good with insurance, and I type more scripts than most people in our district. (we are a slow store so I type alot for other stores) They all agree that a pharmacist isn't poor, but they will never be rich either. They all agree that MOST of their money goes to taxes and that they get ~60k to 70K a year...(athought most pre-pharms still think they get to keep all 110K. 🙄)
So I am getting along great with all the pharmacists, got great LOR for pharmacy school and got accepted. I am just realistic thats all. I don't mean to offend anyone but I refuse to lied to make others feel better. Any ALREADY PRACTICING pharmacists even Anzfarmeroi (a practicing Pharmacist) agrees with everything I say. Its only the "wishful thinking" pre-pharm students that has never heard of taxes that don't agree with me.

I am not judging or saying that someone is better than someone else etc. I am just saying that the group of people suffering the MOST is the group that is in the middle class crunch. Once again if you are very poor you have nothing to worry about b/c the government will give you money and help you out in everyway. Poor people get grants to go to college, get taxes back each year, they get all sorts of stuff from the governemnt. And rich people obviously have enough money for everything and don't have to worry about anything. Its people that make in the 60K to 70K range that will be suffering b/c they will not be getting any government help and they are not rich either.

 

[VancTheTank]

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[homeslice]

Sigh....



She is likely trying to be polite. Even if you are joking, statements like the one you made can make people very uncomfortable. If a technician or intern says something along those lines to a pharmacist, most will respond with a one-liner about taxes or student loans. It is usually an attempt to politely steer the conversation away from the huge income gap between the two. You don't need to apologize for making a good salary, but you do need to keep in mind how much less your support staff earns.

What did you expect her to say?



Again, think of this relatively speaking. If the pharmacists with families and well-paying jobs have tight budgets, imagine how tough it can be for those who earn the median household income (~50k/year). Well above the threshold for government assistance.



I am sure you are a great typer and that your pharmacists like you.

I am a practicing pharmacist, and I have already agreed that your figure of ~60-70k take home is accurate. Great information for any pre-pharmers who may not think about taaxes, retirement etc... However, if your gross salary is 100k and your net is 65k, how is it possible that most of your money has gone to taxes?



Do you honestly believe that the very poor in this country have nothing to worry about? If so, why do you want to be rich so badly?



The idea of the middle class crunch is valid, however those most affected are probably making closer to 60-70k gross, not net.

You clearly have some very strong opinions regarding personal finance, can I ask how you have come to some of these conclusions?

I hope I have not offended you, because I can tell that you are speaking your mind and answering honestly. I ask only because I cannot comprehend someone feeling the way you do about money.

I must be missing something somewhere....

I think a lot of people's opinions on personal finance and lifestyle are based on how they were raised and what they have seen from their parents. For example, you brought back a quote from SHC earlier where she said her parents paid for her food, rent, cell phone, BA degree, and 14k for a Lexus, and she considered this "the basics."

To me, for example, the only things I would really consider the basics are food and rent, pretty much just what is necessary to live as I wasn't used to having much beyond the basics growing up (no car, no computer, no cell phone, no designer clothes, etc.) A cell phone, BA degree, and a car (unless it is absolutely needed to get to a job, but certainly a Lexus isn't necessary) would be things I would consider beyond the basics. This mindset is simply a product of how I was raised, and obviously this varies widely between people and I don't blame anyone for thier beliefs on the matter.

I really have no interest in living a lavish lifestyle, once I get my loans paid off (which I admit is going to take quite a while) I can live comfortably no problem on 30-40K/ year. After taxes of course.

 

[SHC1984]

Sigh....



She is likely trying to be polite. Even if you are joking, statements like the one you made can make people very uncomfortable. If a technician or intern says something along those lines to a pharmacist, most will respond with a one-liner about taxes or student loans. It is usually an attempt to politely steer the conversation away from the huge income gap between the two. You don't need to apologize for making a good salary, but you do need to keep in mind how much less your support staff earns.

What did you expect her to say?



Again, think of this relatively speaking. If the pharmacists with families and well-paying jobs have tight budgets, imagine how tough it can be for those who earn the median household income (~50k/year). Well above the threshold for government assistance.



I am sure you are a great typer and that your pharmacists like you.

I am a practicing pharmacist, and I have already agreed that your figure of ~60-70k take home is accurate. Great information for any pre-pharmers who may not think about taaxes, retirement etc... However, if your gross salary is 100k and your net is 65k, how is it possible that most of your money has gone to taxes?



Do you honestly believe that the very poor in this country have nothing to worry about? If so, why do you want to be rich so badly?



The idea of the middle class crunch is valid, however those most affected are probably making closer to 60-70k gross, not net.

You clearly have some very strong opinions regarding personal finance, can I ask how you have come to some of these conclusions?

I hope I have not offended you, because I can tell that you are speaking your mind and answering honestly. I ask only because I cannot comprehend someone feeling the way you do about money.

I must be missing something somewhere....

No you didn't offend me, I always appreciate posts from already practicing pharmacists. 🙂 The reason why I joke with that pharmacist was b/c I actually know her pretty well and even went out with her a few times. We went shopping a few times and she is always very frugal with her money. She drives a toyota camery, buys only stuff thats on sale, her favorite store is Khols, buys only makeup thats on sale (loreal, covergirl etc.), overall she is tight with every penny. She told me she has been working for 10+ years as a pharmacist and she had all her student loans paid for in 6 months. So I know she doesn't have any student loans to pay for. I just know she has a house (mortage). She has no kids either, never been married. She also complains about taxes a lot. So I was just joking with her b/c she always seem to be so uptight with money. Or maybe its b/c pharmacists dont really make that much after you take out all the taxes. I mean LIFE is expensive, so maybe she the way she is b/c she has NO choice? who knows? But that does worry me a bit b/c I don't ever want to be like her and only shop in the sales racks and drive used cars and having to "watch" every penny that I spend. Right now I am fortunate that I am living with my parents and they are paying for the basics and all my money IS MY MONEY TO SPEND. But I know eventually I will be out on my OWN and I DREAD to death a life like my pharmacist in which I will have to watch every penny. All three of my pharmacists are very tight with the way they spend money. I don't know EVERY detail about their lifes but I do know they all watch what they spend and they all don't spend freely. So that scares me b/c everytime I see them I see myself in the next 10 years! 😱 I am not bitter and I hope I didn't offend you, but I am just scared about my future a bit thats all.

The key to happiness is finaincial FREEDOM and none of the pharmacist I know have that...🙁 they all watch their money very closely and don't seem to like going shopping as much as I do.

Also I have never been very poor, my parents are both middle class, but they took very good care of me and LET me keep all the money I made by myself to myself. And I do make pretty good money for someone my age. But I figure poor people don't really have much to worry about b/c I know they hardly pay any taxes and they get a bunch of government assitant programs, I mean you work in the pharmacy you see people getting their RX for FREE all the time through medcaid, so you know what I am saying here. So how hard can their life be if there are so many government handouts for them? Its not as good as being rich of course, but it ain't too shabby either.

 

[ffpickle]

No you didn't offend me, I always appreciate posts from already practicing pharmacists. 🙂 The reason why I joke with that pharmacist was b/c I actually know her pretty well and even went out with her a few times. We went shopping a few times and she is always very frugal with her money. She drives a toyota camery, buys only stuff thats on sale, her favorite store is Khols, buys only makeup thats on sale (loreal, covergirl etc.), overall she is tight with every penny. She told me she has been working for 10+ years as a pharmacist and she had all her student loans paid for in 6 months. So I know she doesn't have any student loans to pay for. I just know she has a house (mortage). She has no kids either, never been married. She also complains about taxes a lot. So I was just joking with her b/c she always seem to be so uptight with money. Or maybe its b/c pharmacists dont really make that much after you take out all the taxes. I mean LIFE is expensive, so maybe she the way she is b/c she has NO choice? who knows? But that does worry me a bit b/c I don't ever want to be like her and only shop in the sales racks and drive used cars and having to "watch" every penny that I spend. Right now I am fortunate that I am living with my parents and they are paying for the basics and all my money IS MY MONEY TO SPEND. But I know eventually I will be out on my OWN and I DREAD to death a life like my pharmacist in which I will have to watch every penny. All three of my pharmacists are very tight with the way they spend money. I don't know EVERY detail about their lifes but I do know they all watch what they spend and they all don't spend freely. So that scares me b/c everytime I see them I see myself in the next 10 years! 😱 I am not bitter and I hope I didn't offend you, but I am just scared about my future a bit thats all.

The key to happiness is finaincial FREEDOM and none of the pharmacist I know have that...🙁 they all watch their money very closely and don't seem to like going shopping as much as I do.

Also I have never been very poor, my parents are both middle class, but they took very good care of me and LET me keep all the money I made by myself to myself. And I do make pretty good money for someone my age. But I figure poor people don't really have much to worry about b/c I know they hardly pay any taxes and they get a bunch of government assitant programs, I mean you work in the pharmacy you see people getting their RX for FREE all the time through medcaid, so you know what I am saying here. So how hard can their life be if there are so many government handouts for them? Its not as good as being rich of course, but it ain't too shabby either.

If all you care about is money, then go back to dentistry. They make way more money. I could have gone but realized the only thing that interested me about dentistry was $ and I didn't care for anything else within the profession. But if passion for your profession is not important to you per se, and you care mostly about $, then go back to dentistry!

 

[SHC1984]

If all you care about is money, then go back to dentistry. They make way more money. I could have gone but realized the only thing that interested me about dentistry was $ and I didn't care for anything else within the profession. But if passion for your profession is not important to you per se, and you care mostly about $, then go back to dentistry!

I could have easily became a general dentist (especially since Columbia's dental program is Pass/Fail) However I don't like touching people or seeing their blood nor bad breath. If they could have automatically bump me to an Ortho residency then I will go back to dentistry. (however still not sure if I like the look of food particles in between teeth/ortho brackets...I will be looking at that everyday if I was an Orthodontist...)

So I choose pharmacy b/c it is a lot more tolerable than dentistry for sure. It is a lot better to marry a dentist than to become one. 😉

 

[ffpickle]

I could have easily became a general dentist (especially since Columbia's dental program is Pass/Fail) However I don't like touching people or seeing their blood nor bad breath. If they could have automatically bump me to an Ortho residency then I will go back to dentistry. (however still not sure if I like the look of food particles in between teeth/ortho brackets...I will be looking at that everyday if I was an Orthodontist...)

So I choose pharmacy b/c it is a lot more tolerable than dentistry for sure. It is a lot better to marry a dentist than to become one. 😉

Who cares what you like? If all you care about is money, as previously intimated, then why not just go into dentistry?

 

[SHC1984]

Who cares what you like? If all you care about is money, as previously intimated, then why not just go into dentistry?

Well, I agree that you don't have to LOVE your job (I mean everyone would prefer to win the Lottery VERSUS working any job period!🙄) so Its okay to not LOVE your job. But you have to be able to tolerate it. I can tolerate anything, but touching people and working outdoors are a big NO NO for me. I don't have to LOVE what I am doing, but it can't be outdoors or touching people...Unless its for a million dollars a year with NO student debt than MAYBE.... Basically what I am saying is that dentistry is too disgusting and making 250K a year isn't enough for the nastiness...One million miniumin for a job that nasty.

 

[ffpickle]

(I mean everyone would prefer to win the Lottery VERSUS working any job period!

Not true.


But you are right about this: it is hard to make a lot of money as a dentist unless you are good at it. It is hard to be good at it unless you are actually passionate about it. Since your parents own Thai restaurants, they must be business-savvy. You should just open up a bunch of independent pharmacies and cash in.

 

[SHC1984]

Not true.


But you are right about this: it is hard to make a lot of money as a dentist unless you are good at it. It is hard to be good at it unless you are actually passionate about it. Since your parents own Thai restaurants, they must be business-savvy. You should just open up a bunch of independent pharmacies and cash in.

So you are saying that if you won 200 MILLION dollars right now you will still be a pharmacist?? are you kidding me???😱 If I won that money I am going into Commercial real estate and investment FOR SURE. And maybe even open up my open Hotel hehehee...I will be on my island drinking tequila/collecting rent from my hotel/commerical real estate business.


My parents are very verrrry hardworking during their younger years. They use to work 7 days a week! 10+ hour days! Now they still work hard but just not as much as before. However, they were lucky that they own the FIRST Thai restaurant in town. Most people have heard of only chinese. Thai was a new thing in the area back then. LOL...

I thought about owning my own pharmacy, but I will have to first pay off my student loans ~120K when I graduate. However, I am not sure if its a good idea b/c it will be hard to complete with Walmart's 4 dollar generics! R you going to open your own pharmacy? Or work for someone else? I am hoping to work for Target or mail order if all else fails.

 

[ffpickle]

So you are saying that if you won 200 MILLION dollars right now you will still be a pharmacist??

No, but I would still work in something.

My parents are very verrrry hardworking during their younger years. They use to work 7 days a week! 10+ hour days! Now they still work hard but just not as much as before. However, they were lucky that they own the FIRST Thai restaurant in town. Most people have heard of only chinese. Thai was a new thing in the area back then. LOL...

So your parents have business sense, they might be able to help you open up some pharmacies....put Wal-Mart out of business, lol 😉

I thought about owning my own pharmacy, but I will have to first pay off my student loans ~120K when I graduate. However, I am not sure if its a good idea b/c it will be hard to complete with Walmart's 4 dollar generics! R you going to open your own pharmacy? Or work for someone else?

No idea what I will do but definitely not retail pharmacy. I was thinking about something government related, work my way up and make some connections at the FDA, and then use that as leverage to sell my soul and get a good position in a pharmaceutical company. Make lots of money there and then eventually undermine the company by making drugs dirt cheap for people in the Third World.

 

[SHC1984]

No, but I would still work in something.

So your parents have business sense, they might be able to help you open up some pharmacies....put Wal-Mart out of business, lol 😉

No idea what I will do but definitely not retail pharmacy. I was thinking about something government related, work my way up and make some connections at the FDA, and then use that as leverage to sell my soul and get a good position in a pharmaceutical company. Make lots of money there and then eventually undermine the company by making drugs dirt cheap for people in the Third World.

What would you be doing if you won 200 million?

Yeah, they already told me they would help me. But I am still not 100% sure of this b/c I think I still prefer marrying well and working part-time (1 to 2 days a week and be on VACATION the rest of the time off...😉 ) and if I open up my own pharmacy I will have to work FULL time for sure. 🙄 But I don't know...I guess if I have bad luck and marry a bum (that would be my worst nightmare) than I will have to open up my own pharmacy and work full time. 🙁

That sounds like a good plan. I hope it goes well for you. Will you make drugs dirt cheap for Americans too? 😀

 

[ffpickle]

What would you be doing if you won 200 million?

Something to do with human rights or global health, perhaps in government or for a non-profit or work as a political aide, etc...i.e. something touchy-feely lol.

That sounds like a good plan. I hope it goes well for you. Will you make drugs dirty cheap for Americans too? 😀

Ya. But this whole thing is still a fantasy. It is not yet well thought out.

 

[SHC1984]

Something to do with human rights or global health, perhaps in government or for a non-profit or work as a political aide, etc...i.e. something touchy-feely lol.

awwww.....thats soooooooo NICE of you! I am sorry for saying all those mean things about you in the pregancy thread now. 😳

Although I still think you should have gone to Harvard....that name alone will instantly make any guy a million times more attractive. 😉

 

[ffpickle]

awwww.....thats soooooooo NICE of you! I am sorry for saying all those mean things about you in the pregancy thread now. 😳

Although I still think you should have gone to Harvard....that name alone will instantly make any guy a million times more attractive. 😉

Could have, and ended up ~4-5 yrs later as a prof making 60-70k, but with no debt. It's never too late for Harvard. I might do a PhD later on in my 30s. Too bad the GRE is only good for 5 yrs.

 

[ffpickle]

awwww.....thats soooooooo NICE of you! I am sorry for saying all those mean things about you in the pregancy thread now. 😳

Although I still think you should have gone to Harvard....that name alone will instantly make any guy a million times more attractive. 😉

So if you won 200 mill, you'd just try to make more and more money by investing in real estate? Isn't that basically a job....so you *would* still work...

That thread is epic by the way. We need a whole new thread just to discuss the epic-ness of the pregnancy thread. I think we scared of the original poster, GodisLove.

 

[SHC1984]

Could have, and ended up ~4-5 yrs later as a prof making 60-70k, but with no debt. It's never too late for Harvard. I might do a PhD later on in my 30s. Too bad the GRE is only good for 5 yrs.

Cool, I hope you get in!🙂 I would kill to go there!!! In fact Harvard Dental school is the ONLY dental school that didn't accept me! I guess I didn't look pretty enough during my interview! :cry:

 

[SHC1984]

So if you won 200 mill, you'd just try to make more and more money by investing in real estate? Isn't that basically a job....so you *would* still work...

That thread is epic by the way. We need a whole new thread just to discuss the epic-ness of the pregnancy thread. I think we scared of the original poster, GodisLove.

I don't know if its a good job or not...but I have always been jealous of people that have alot of money to built hotels, apartments, houses, commerical buildings etc. and just sit on their a**es to collect rent. I thought that would have to be the EASIEST way to make good money with little to no work.

I guess the only "work" you will be doing is kicking someone OUT when they stop paying you rent.

 

[ffpickle]

Cool, I hope you get in!🙂 I would kill to go there!!! In fact Harvard Dental school is the ONLY dental school that didn't accept me! I guess I didn't look pretty enough during my interview! :cry:

Haha, I don't think Harvard Dental School would necessarily make you the most $ anyways, if that is all you're concerned about. It might help you get into a good residency like OMFS, but harvard tends to focus on a lot of research-type stuff.

 

[SHC1984]

Haha, I don't think Harvard Dental School would necessarily make you the most $ anyways, if that is all you're concerned about. It might help you get into a good residency like OMFS, but harvard tends to focus on a lot of research-type stuff.

Yeah thats what everyone says....if you want to teach dentistry than go to Harvard. 🙄 I guess if you go to Harvard you increase your chances of marrying rich though. hehehe... Just kidding...but not. 😛

 

[SHC1984]

Haha, I don't think Harvard Dental School would necessarily make you the most $ anyways, if that is all you're concerned about. It might help you get into a good residency like OMFS, but harvard tends to focus on a lot of research-type stuff.

The smartest thing would be to attend my state school, but I thought an Ivy League was a MUST HAVE at the time. Stupid, I know! 🙁

 

[diastole]

But I figure poor people don't really have much to worry about b/c I know they hardly pay any taxes and they get a bunch of government assitant programs, I mean you work in the pharmacy you see people getting their RX for FREE all the time through medcaid, so you know what I am saying here. So how hard can their life be if there are so many government handouts for them? Its not as good as being rich of course, but it ain't too shabby either.

I don't think you have any idea what it is like for poor people. When I worked in a community garden in a poor part of town, I talked to parents who were scared to death that their children would turn to gangs because that was a common experience in their neighborhood. Can you imagine what that must be like? A middle class parent is worried about what college the kid goes to but poor parents are worried about their kids getting shot.

After the community garden, I taught in an inner city school. Those parents weren't getting handed free money at every turn. Many of my students hardly got to see their parents because they had to work two or even three jobs just to pay the rent. Some of my students had to wear the same shirt and pants (we had uniforms) five days a week because their parents had no money for a second uniform. I don't know what the home conditions were like but I would occasionally try to call home and not be able to reach parents because the phone was disconnected. I can only assume it was because they ran out of money to pay all the bills that month. That has to be super stressful.

I didn't even mention what the conditions in the schools are like. The differences between a inner city school and a middle class school are almost criminal. We had classes that literally didn't have a regular teacher. A sub would teach the math or science class for a month at a time and then the replacement would come in. Next to no learning goes on in an environment like that. That didn't happen for every class to be sure but it would happen most often in the math or science classes because it was hard to convince those in demand teachers to teach in a school like that. Seeing first hand some of those conditions, I would never question what poor people have to worry about. I'm more concerned about how they handle the stress of it all.

 

[DrWrong]

Also I have never been very poor, my parents are both middle class, but they took very good care of me and LET me keep all the money I made by myself to myself. And I do make pretty good money for someone my age. But I figure poor people don't really have much to worry about b/c I know they hardly pay any taxes and they get a bunch of government assitant programs, I mean you work in the pharmacy you see people getting their RX for FREE all the time through medcaid, so you know what I am saying here. So how hard can their life be if there are so many government handouts for them? Its not as good as being rich of course, but it ain't too shabby either.

Metaphorically speaking, It's kind of like the joke the lame guys always tells at a party and when no one laughs he says, "I guess you had to have been there." Until you actually experience hard times, such as your dad working 2 jobs, 100 hours a week with no days off, You'll never understand.

What would you be doing if you won 200 million?

Yeah, they already told me they would help me. But I am still not 100% sure of this b/c I think I still prefer marrying well and working part-time (1 to 2 days a week and be on VACATION the rest of the time off...😉 ) and if I open up my own pharmacy I will have to work FULL time for sure. 🙄 But I don't know...I guess if I have bad luck and marry a bum (that would be my worst nightmare) than I will have to open up my own pharmacy and work full time. 🙁

That sounds like a good plan. I hope it goes well for you. Will you make drugs dirt cheap for Americans too? 😀

I've been reading your posts and I must say, judging by your attitude, that you better be the best looking girl in this world [I'm talking about Beyonce/Alba/Megan Fox fine] if you think you'll find someone willing to put up something like that. Of course, Internet "talk" is usually different than an in-person conversation

 

[Kirbypuff]

But seriously?? a pharmacist salary alone will bring a "regular average american lifestyle" ??? according to the 2006 census, pharmacists' incomes place them in the top 5% of personal incomes in the United States!! how this is just a regular average lifestyle is beyond me. i guess the average person is making in the top 5%.

That makes perfect sense to me. The average American household has at least 2 sources of income. It's comparing 1 pharmacist's salary to that of an entire household's salary. A couple making $65K and $35K sounds reasonably "average."

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

That makes perfect sense to me. The average American household has at least 2 sources of income. It's comparing 1 pharmacist's salary to that of an entire household's salary. A couple making $65K and $35K sounds reasonably "average."

True but if you are making 6 figures and married, it almost doesnt make sense for your spouse to work as that puts you as a couple into an even higher bracket.

For example, if my spouse makes 30k, I would get more tax benefits such as student loan deductions, EIC, etc if she wasnt working. It works out that whatever money she makes after taxes when you file as a couple, it goes off to paying for the deductions that we could have gotten if she didnt work.

On the other hand if my spouse makes pharmacist salary, it would put us over the 250k bracket that Obama has mentioned so much...

 

[Kirbypuff]

My parents are very verrrry hardworking during their younger years. They use to work 7 days a week! 10+ hour days!

See, if a couple works that damn hard in America, obviously, their daughter can end up owning a Lexus. I don't understand why so many people think that you're spoiled.

Many of my students hardly got to see their parents because they had to work two or even three jobs just to pay the rent.

This boggles my mind! How does SHC's parents work their asses off and she ends up with a Lexus, and these poor poor student's parents work 3 jobs and they can't get out of poverty? Are they disabled? There are stable government jobs for the disabled. Perhaps, SHC's parents don't do drugs and are not alcoholics or gamblers and they don't piss away their money. This is America, you get poor, you get help, you work hard, and then you're okay. This isn't communist North Korea. You don't need a visa to travel between counties. You can go wherever the hell you need to get a job and feed your family. In America, you don't even need a damn education to succeed. You work hard, and you don't waste your money on addictions, and you'll be just fine, even become rich! No English? No Problem! I don't get how poor people stay poor in America.

I've been reading your posts and I must say, judging by your attitude, that you better be the best looking girl in this world [I'm talking about Beyonce/Alba/Megan Fox fine] if you think you'll find someone willing to put up something like that. Of course, Internet "talk" is usually different than an in-person conversation

Don't worry, SHC is an Asian Barbie doll. 😉 Damn, in fact, I think she downplays her looks and assets on this forum.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

I would never buy my daughter a lexus. That is asking guys to be all over her. Its almost the same thing as naming your daughter chasity.

 

[Kirbypuff]

True but if you are making 6 figures and married, it almost doesnt make sense for your spouse to work as that puts you as a couple into an even higher bracket.

For example, if my spouse makes 30k, I would get more tax benefits such as student loan deductions, EIC, etc if she wasnt working. It works out that whatever money she makes after taxes when you file as a couple, it goes off to paying for the deductions that we could have gotten if she didnt work.

On the other hand if my spouse makes pharmacist salary, it would put us over the 250k bracket that Obama has mentioned so much...

Almost, but not usually. Working usually makes you have more money than looking forward to tax deductions. I guess it really depends on actual numbers. I find that sometimes it feels like there is very little difference in getting tax benefits vs. working and making money, but in reality, if you work hard, you can surpass the lifestyle of the welfare mooch. Hard work leads to raises and bonuses year after year, it really adds up and will make the difference between a happy retirement and a pathetic one.

 

[Kirbypuff]

I would never buy my daughter a lexus. That is asking guys to be all over her. Its almost the same thing as naming your daughter chasity.

LOL👍

 

[farmist]

Where in God's name are you living that nearly half of your paycheck gets put into taxes before you even see it?

Ohio, don't forget sales tax, alcohol, tobacco, gas, electric, property....
Oh, and the cap and trade bill currently on the senate floor that will be the largest tax increase in history if it passes.

Its also true that a pharmacist with a 100K+ debt will be living in a apartment until all that debt is pay off as well. It sucks but its true. There is no way a pharmacist can buy a house before that debt is paid off, unless he or she gets help from parents or spouse...

I bought my house 3 years after graduation. My mortgage payment is about the same as my loan payment. My student loans are at 3.5% though. It's doable.

On the other hand if my spouse makes pharmacist salary, it would put us over the 250k bracket that Obama has mentioned so much...

He's not gonna keep that promise, in case you haven't been paying attention.

I would never buy my daughter a lexus. That is asking guys to be all over her. Its almost the same thing as naming your daughter chasity.

Girls named Chastity can buy their own lexus.

 

[diastole]

This boggles my mind! How does SHC's parents work their asses off and she ends up with a Lexus, and these poor poor student's parents work 3 jobs and they can't get out of poverty? Are they disabled? There are stable government jobs for the disabled. Perhaps, SHC's parents don't do drugs and are not alcoholics or gamblers and they don't piss away their money. This is America, you get poor, you get help, you work hard, and then you're okay. This isn't communist North Korea. You don't need a visa to travel between counties. You can go wherever the hell you need to get a job and feed your family. In America, you don't even need a damn education to succeed. You work hard, and you don't waste your money on addictions, and you'll be just fine, even become rich! No English? No Problem! I don't get how poor people stay poor in America.

It isn't that hard to work hard and stay poor. How much do you think cleaning houses or working at a fast food joint pays? Sometimes these are the only jobs people can get. And that is in the good times. Now that the recession hit, a lot of those jobs are gone or they have reduced hours. When I taught in the inner city, it was the good times but also a time of rapidly rising rents. The parents really had to struggle to pay the bills and sometimes that required more than one job. I had quite a few families who ended up having to move out of the area entirely because they just couldn't make it. Maybe it worked out better for them once they moved but often, cheaper areas are cheaper for a reason. A lot of times, they are cheap because there just isn't a lot of opportunity there.

 

[diastole]

It also costs a lot more for just normal stuff if your poor. It is tough to get ahead if you have a low paying job and have to pay more for the basics like transportation, groceries, laundry, etc.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/17/AR2009051702053.html

 

[SHC1984]

I don't think you have any idea what it is like for poor people. When I worked in a community garden in a poor part of town, I talked to parents who were scared to death that their children would turn to gangs because that was a common experience in their neighborhood. Can you imagine what that must be like? A middle class parent is worried about what college the kid goes to but poor parents are worried about their kids getting shot.

After the community garden, I taught in an inner city school. Those parents weren't getting handed free money at every turn. Many of my students hardly got to see their parents because they had to work two or even three jobs just to pay the rent. Some of my students had to wear the same shirt and pants (we had uniforms) five days a week because their parents had no money for a second uniform. I don't know what the home conditions were like but I would occasionally try to call home and not be able to reach parents because the phone was disconnected. I can only assume it was because they ran out of money to pay all the bills that month. That has to be super stressful.

I didn't even mention what the conditions in the schools are like. The differences between a inner city school and a middle class school are almost criminal. We had classes that literally didn't have a regular teacher. A sub would teach the math or science class for a month at a time and then the replacement would come in. Next to no learning goes on in an environment like that. That didn't happen for every class to be sure but it would happen most often in the math or science classes because it was hard to convince those in demand teachers to teach in a school like that. Seeing first hand some of those conditions, I would never question what poor people have to worry about. I'm more concerned about how they handle the stress of it all.

Didn't know about all that. However I see people come into the pharmacy all the time with a medicaid card getting FREE RX's (abusing the system) and acting like they should get everything BEFORE everyone else. 🙄
And there is always those people that have a million kids just to sit on their a** to collect FREE money from the government. We all heard of those as well.
And yes they are right the prison is OVER CROWDED already so why don't they just STOP having kids??

 

[SHC1984]

Metaphorically speaking, It's kind of like the joke the lame guys always tells at a party and when no one laughs he says, "I guess you had to have been there." Until you actually experience hard times, such as your dad working 2 jobs, 100 hours a week with no days off, You'll never understand.





I've been reading your posts and I must say, judging by your attitude, that you better be the best looking girl in this world [I'm talking about Beyonce/Alba/Megan Fox fine] if you think you'll find someone willing to put up something like that. Of course, Internet "talk" is usually different than an in-person conversation

My dad did use to work 7 days a week. Its not easy running three restaurants. Trust me I understand. My motto is: there is no excuse to be poor, if you REALLY want to make MONEY you can PERIOD.

I think Beyonce is ugly. I like Jessica Alba and Megan Fox is okay (all my guy friends thinks she has a flat a**.)
If you are gonna name HOT women please mention Adriana Lima. 😉
Most people that see me in person think I look like Vicki Zhao Wei. I get that all the time when I am in Taiwan or China.

 

[SHC1984]

Don't worry, SHC is an Asian Barbie doll. 😉 Damn, in fact, I think she downplays her looks and assets on this forum.

There is a reason why you are my favorite person on here. 😍 you! I am going to add you on my top friends on Facebook. 😀

 

[SHC1984]

I would never buy my daughter a lexus. That is asking guys to be all over her. Its almost the same thing as naming your daughter chasity.

They didn't buy me a lexus, they just help me with the down payment. Why Chasity?

 

[VancTheTank]

.

 

[VancTheTank]

.

 

[DrWrong]

I understand your frustration with some medicaid patients, just be thankful that you are not in that position. The "perks" of being on government assitance are far outweighed by the shi**y aspects of being poor. Poverty is much harder to overcome than many of the posts here suggest. Again, difficult to understand unless you've actually been there. Count your blessings, thank your parents, and make smart financial decisions that will benefit you for years to come.

Yeah, Having Food Stamps and Medicaid may benefit some, but not if they don't make enough money to put gas in their car to get to work/grocery store and the doctor.

 

[terse]

i agree with a lot of what aznfarmerboi has said.

i think people on the coasts (especially CA) have it the worse. tuition for private schools in CA are roughly ~40K. take out some additional loans for living expenses, say 15K (which is VERY modest for so cal) and you're looking at 55K/year to attend school. 4 years total and you're 220K in the hole. and that's only principle... tack on the 6.8% interest and it's basically not even worth going to pharm school here anymore.

how the hell are you going to pay that off within a few years??

from aznfarmboi's post:

5200 monthly net pay
-2500 loan repayment (220k principle, 6.8% int, 10yr plan)
-1200 rent
-1200 food, utilities, bills, ins, gas, car, entertainment?

300 left over per month.... barely middle class 🙄

 

[SHC1984]

i agree with a lot of what aznfarmerboi has said.

i think people on the coasts (especially CA) have it the worse. tuition for private schools in CA are roughly ~40K. take out some additional loans for living expenses, say 15K (which is VERY modest for so cal) and you're looking at 55K/year to attend school. 4 years total and you're 220K in the hole. and that's only principle... tack on the 6.8% interest and it's basically not even worth going to pharm school here anymore.

how the hell are you going to pay that off within a few years??

from aznfarmboi's post:

5200 monthly net pay
-2500 loan repayment (220k principle, 6.8% int, 10yr plan)
-1200 rent
-1200 food, utilities, bills, ins, gas, car, entertainment?

300 left over per month.... barely middle class 🙄

I agree with everything you just say! Basically any PRIVATE pharmacy schools are NOT worth going to. I am going to attend Mercer b/c 1) I am living with my Aunt so I am getting free housing, free bills, free utilities and free food. 2) Also Mercer offer me a $5000 Dean's Scholarship. So it makes it around ~24,000 for me in loans which will be ~100K in debt after four years. 3) I miss the deadline for UNC my state school so I had NO option of going to my state school. 🙁

The ONLY schools worth going to is public schools. If you go to a private school and have to take out more than 100K than you will be living like a pauper until you die. Sorry thats how it is.

 

[terse]

I agree with everything you just say! Basically any PRIVATE pharmacy schools are NOT worth going to. I am going to attend Mercer b/c 1) I am living with my Aunt so I am getting free housing, free bills, free utilities and free food. 2) Also Mercer offer me a $5000 Dean's Scholarship. So it makes it around ~24,000 for me in loans which will be ~100K in debt after four years. 3) I miss the deadline for UNC my state school so I had NO option of going to my state school. 🙁

The ONLY schools worth going to is public schools. If you go to a private school and have to take out more than 100K than you will be living like a pauper until you die. Sorry thats how it is.

yup! haha. the public schools in CA are UCSF and UCSD... just basically the toughest schools to get in plus they're located in cities with insane cost of living expenses. i'm living at home with the parents, took out the minimum i need to JUST get by, and i'm lucky if i can stay under 200k debt when i'm done in 2012. FML 👎 it's not like pharmacists in CA make more either.. usually ~120K.

most of my classmates are like "don't worry, just take out loans, live it up now, and you can pay it off later. you'll be making 6 figures anyways and you can pay it off in a few years" 🙄 freaking kids that've been in school all their lives, sheltered by their parents, and have no sense of the real world. it's not about how much you make, it's about your expenses and how much you'll owe. Yes we make a lot, but we'll also owe a lot (taxes AND loans) and you're left struggling. /endrant 😛

someone also mentioned here that they could buy at 3000-3500 sq ft house for 150K easily where they live. you lucky SOB! here in los angeles, you get a 1200 sq ft shack for 350-400K and that's for the ghetto/undesirable locations. don't say i should move either, because who the hell wants to move to the desert (Inland Empire) and commute 70 miles one way to work in so cal traffic 👎

looks like i'll either be renting or living with the parents forever.

 

[DrWrong]

yup! haha. the public schools in CA are UCSF and UCSD... just basically the toughest schools to get in plus they're located in cities with insane cost of living expenses. i'm living at home with the parents, took out the minimum i need to JUST get by, and i'm lucky if i can stay under 200k debt when i'm done in 2012. FML 👎 it's not like pharmacists in CA make more either.. usually ~120K.

most of my classmates are like "don't worry, just take out loans, live it up now, and you can pay it off later. you'll be making 6 figures anyways and you can pay it off in a few years" 🙄 freaking kids that've been in school all their lives, sheltered by their parents, and have no sense of the real world. it's not about how much you make, it's about your expenses and how much you'll owe. Yes we make a lot, but we'll also owe a lot (taxes AND loans) and you're left struggling. /endrant 😛

someone also mentioned here that they could buy at 3000-3500 sq ft house for 150K easily where they live. you lucky SOB! here in los angeles, you get a 1200 sq ft shack for 350-400K and that's for the ghetto/undesirable locations. don't say i should move either, because who the hell wants to move to the desert (Inland Empire) and commute 70 miles one way to work in so cal traffic 👎

looks like i'll either be renting or living with the parents forever.

Ever thought about moving to another state and working in that state? Seems like the most logical solution to me.

 

[Kirbypuff]

It isn't that hard to work hard and stay poor. How much do you think cleaning houses or working at a fast food joint pays? Sometimes these are the only jobs people can get. And that is in the good times. Now that the recession hit, a lot of those jobs are gone or they have reduced hours. When I taught in the inner city, it was the good times but also a time of rapidly rising rents. The parents really had to struggle to pay the bills and sometimes that required more than one job. I had quite a few families who ended up having to move out of the area entirely because they just couldn't make it. Maybe it worked out better for them once they moved but often, cheaper areas are cheaper for a reason. A lot of times, they are cheap because there just isn't a lot of opportunity there.

That was probably the smartest thing they ever did for themselves. Immigrants who come from countries with worse opportunities are here to hustle and get money, but it's interesting how the average poor family in America can't seem to do the same for themselves. Moving is tough, but it's a freedom that I think most Americans take for granted. And as for working at fast food joints and cleaning houses, you do that for a couple of years MAX, put it on your "resume" and either get promoted, or find something better. If you're not getting promoted, or getting a decent raise, or an excellent recommendation from your supervisor, then clearly, you're not working hard enough.

I respect you a lot for teaching in the inner city. 👍 Honestly, I think I have a bit of passion for that area too, which is why I am going bonkers inside wondering why poor people can't move up in America. Ahhhh! It aint easy, but it's a LOT easier than in other places.