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I am a single parent of 2 and manage just fine as a SE, sm.

Posted By: MD-MDIer on 2005-11-22
In Reply to: Any IC's who are single parents- How do you manage financially? - mt

There is no special trick to it but I suggest before you do to write out a budget and make sure you are going to make enough to pay all your bills including a weekly amount for gas and groceries and have plenty of extra money for those unexpected expenses.  Also, remember as an IC or SE there is no insurance benefits so you have to be prepared for that for you and your kids.  You can do it!!!


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Single parent MT
Am a single parent MT and have always made a very good living for my child and myself, sure would like to have more but I get the convenience of working at home and having steady employment, only thing kiling me is the 700+ per month I pay for health insurance.
Any IC's who are single parents- How do you manage financially?
I want to try IC'ing but afraid to take the plunge!
SPI is the parent company of
nm
Yes, they do call in. My spouse and parent are both
managers. They're constantly replacing people who don't show up for work. Unions are gone, too. There are no more decent wages in retail or grocery. My spouse and my parent, AKA the managers, don't even make good money. I made more doing transcription until just recently.

As for TAT on reports, the doctors start dictating first thing in the morning. However, we don't even see the dictations until the next morning. There's no reason they can't install a real-time system so we can get to the work sooner. I can have reports typed and back to the doctor the very same day if not for hold-ups by MTSOs using antiquated batch processing procedures.

I still believe I've paid my dues by working nights and weekends with no time off at all. I even worked when my child was hospitalized because the doctor needed his reports ASAP. Y'all can save your prima donna lectures for someone else. Let the newbies work weekends and take the ESLs. I'm tired of having to do it because nobody else can.
Heartland Information Services - Parent Co Sells
Heartland information services announced yesterday that HCR ManorCare (parent company) is going to sell them. There is talk that HCA Corporate may purchase Heartland. All of this is going to happen by September.

Management Change: Tracey Boesch, CEO left. Sales manager (Denise) is taking her spot and Paula Walsh, Director of Production is now the VP of US Operations.

What does that mean to current MT/QAs like myself? I have never gone through being sold. javascript:editor_insertHTML('text','');
How you manage the 2 ??
Spose it could be ez to edit some and then type some back and forth. So youre actually making two salaries, sounds like a fantastic idea!
How did you manage that?
Just curious. I work 1 weekend day, prefer having a day off during the week, but doesn't seem fair that others have to work weekends, and you don't.
You would have to gross over $400 a day M-F. How exactly do you manage this?
x
If they are great, that must mean they manage well,
and if they manage well, I'm thinking they won't over-hire just because loads of resumes come in. 
For $50K a year, I'd bet you'd manage a lot more

than a couple of accounts! I know several MT supes, and they are run ragged! And they don't make anything near $50K, so I am kind of skeptical about that quote. I would bet more in the $30K range. And the logic the companies use for the pay cut from MTing? That's its a guaranteed pay rather than production. I have never heard of an MT supe making that much!


Hey if anyone can MANAGE three jobs
I wouldn't want to manage in this profession if it was the last job on earth.  I'd go on public assistance first!  This profession has made a turn for the worse.  So, I think it is pretty sad that someone needs three jobs to stay afloat.  I guess I have a different perspective on things, but I am just an MT and have never managed anyone or anything other than my household!   Business 






I sure hope they manage it better than
Honestly, they went through in-house staff faster than I changed my socks. Hire and fire was their motto for both in-house and remote transcriptionists. And talk about micromanage, well, that was a whole nuther story....
Can I manage this delicately?
I am an hourly QA at a company and because I am a high producer with a lot of bang for the buck I am given very little leeway for time off.  I generally don't pay attention to what other people do and mind my own business.  The problem is that a couple of my coworkers will send me IMs saying they are taking breaks, aren't feeling well and are leaving for an hour or two, their internet service is about to go out because of weather, pretend to lose internet connection if a stat comes in from an account they don't like, and on and on (yet they remain on private IMs).  They do not notify our supervisor and I am left holding the bag.  Our supervisor has no idea this is going on.  Is there any possible way that I can do something about this other than finding another job?  I am not a snoop and don't throw people under the bus, but this is so unfair. 
Who's going to manage their accts sm
while they're gone?  I already have enough trouble having to press this and press that to get through their phone menu when I have a simple question.  I'm glad they felt they need to give their STMs a trip, that must be where our Christmas gift went.
When the work load is low how to you still manage to

You're here just like the rest of us.  Are you one of those that manages to work in addition to your 8 hour shift to get it when the work is low?


I manage to get almost 20,000 lines per pay period typing.
if you really must know.
There are companies that manage to make it work. OTI, for example. nm
x
Doesn't matter how many companies you work for. I'd like to know how you manage to do this???
What kind of work do you transcribe?

How many hours a day do you work?

What kind of line rate do you get from the companies you work for?

How many lines you do an hour?

Do you work as an IC or employee?

I'm very interested in hearing how you manage 100,000/year.
Nuance is the parent company of Dictaphone. Dictaphone makes ExText.
s
Maybe due to the people that manage Amherst. I think MQ would be a lot better off finding new people
up there with all the problems you hear about that office. Seems like something is very very wrong there.
Not a single one. nm
s
$500.00/single

I am not a single
mother but I empathize those who are and who are trying to raise a family on their own doing this. If not for my husband's income I wouldn't be able to survive on my own. Thats my point, a woman no matter what should be able to be self-sufficient and chosing this as a career will not give you that security.
Another single mom MT here

Yes, it can be done.  It isn't easy by any means, but it is possible if you are fortunate to be working for a good company.   


I have supported both my child and I solely on my income as a work-at-home MT.  For a little over a year I picked up some typing on the side for a few hours on the weekends for non-MT related businesses.  That at least paid for the phone bill.  I didn't and still don't owe much of anything, so that's a help.  I have one credit card that I use for groceries and gas, it gives cash back rewards and it's paid off in full every month. I almost own my home with the bank owning a mere pittance. There is no fancy car, no yearly vacations where I actually leave the town I live in, and I've had my TV for 8 years, after my grandmother owned it for 6 years.  Criminey, I don't even subscribe to any magazines.  All books come from the library, all newspapers are read online. I have automatic dedcutions taken from every pay check that are directly deposited into accounts for myself and for my son. We don't have much, but at least we have something. I keep an old ice bucket in the closet that all pocket change goes into.  When my son was little and would ask for pizza I'd tell him if there enough money in the ice bucket, we could get pizza. If there wasn't he'd have to wait.  I still use that bucket.  This year it will go towards flowers for the garden. 


My child is no longer a child, he's in his second year of college.  He workd all through his high school years, bought his own car and gives me 75% of his paycheck that go into the account mentioned above for college when he's home working summers.  He works while at college and that is what he lives on while at college.  He has never asked me for money..yet. 


I worked for a national company for almost two years when I first started out as an MT.  The pay was horrible, they were horrible, and I constantly ran out of work. I have worked for two small companies since leaving that national.  I never EVER refuse OT, I do my 8 hours/day 5 days/week and I work my fanny off.  It's not fun, and some days I hit my head against the wall thinking I can't do one more day of the tedium that is my job. 


I was always here when my son was growing up.  I attended every home sporting event, every awards night, drove him where ever he needed to be, and picked him up when it was done.. I was with him when he was sick, here when he had a problem and needed to talk (whine), and the lucky kid got to come home from school to hot choc. chip cookies out of the oven - not because I was June Cleaver, but because the hormones kicked in and I needed a sugar fix.  We both won.  Just don't tell him that. 


Looking back, the sacrifices for this job, mostly my sanity, have been worth it. Though my son grew up without a father, he had me there every single day, whether he liked it or not. We could never, and still can't keep with the Joneses, but I never liked the Joneses anyway.  I love working at home.  My car looks as new as they day it was bought 8 years ago and it has under 50,000 miles on it. Think of the savings of gas, wear and tear on the car, and your sanity if you have to commute.  I was here when my neighbor fell in the boxwood hedges and couldn't get up. I was here to see my dog scare the beheezies out of the two men from the famous door-to-door religious sect who never made it more than 10 feet up the driveway.  Really, can it get any better? 


I know I am fortunate and I try to remember that every time I type a report from the Bozo that dictates from out in the hall. If you want to be an MT, then I guess the key is to finding the right company, working your butt off, pay yourself first, don't spend what you don't have, and pray your fingers and your brain can survive the MT world.


Sorry, but $250 for single is
NOT a great deal!!  I work at KS, and thank goodness thanks to hubby's ins. I don't have to pay that.  I thought MQ was bad at $150 a month.  SHEESH!!!
If you are single mom, with this SM
economy, the feeling of being pushed out is so vague, I can't imagine you giving up a job for that.  Is there something in particular that's happening that is forcing you to leave?  Hourly jobs are really scarce nowadays and most are on production.
I'm sure that every single one of us sm
if we were to admit it, have let ourselves be taken advantage of when we first got in this profession. But, if we continue to let ourselves be taken advantage of, that is where the problem comes in at. I figure I will just warn those who are doing this and if they want to be used like this, then its their problem, but it sure isn't making things any better for the rest of us and it also is causing nothing but downrigiht SLAVE LABOR!

I am willing to work my rear end off for my company and go above and beyond. But, when a company takes advantage that is where I draw the line. On top of that, like the other poster said, 7cpl and paying your own taxes is not enough money period!

Truthfully, I don't know what the answer is. I know people need jobs and especially now you have to do what you have to do sometimes to put food on the table, BUT personally, I wouldn't do it and be anyone's slave. On the other hand, I WILL go above and beyond the call of duty for a good employer who appreciates what I do, the skill I have and the willingness to work. Its a give and take. I think any company that wants a decent reputation will treat their employees right. Hmmmmm is that too old fashioned thinking??
I'm sure that every single one of us sm
if we were to admit it, have let ourselves be taken advantage of when we first got in this profession. But, if we continue to let ourselves be taken advantage of, that is where the problem comes in at. I figure I will just warn those who are doing this and if they want to be used like this, then its their problem, but it sure isn't making things any better for the rest of us and it also is causing nothing but downrigiht SLAVE LABOR!

I am willing to work my rear end off for my company and go above and beyond. But, when a company takes advantage that is where I draw the line. On top of that, like the other poster said, 7cpl and paying your own taxes is not enough money period!

Truthfully, I don't know what the answer is. I know people need jobs and especially now you have to do what you have to do sometimes to put food on the table, BUT personally, I wouldn't do it and be anyone's slave. On the other hand, I WILL go above and beyond the call of duty for a good employer who appreciates what I do, the skill I have and the willingness to work. Its a give and take. I think any company that wants a decent reputation will treat their employees right. At least that is the way it should be...treat your employees right and they will do a good job. Hmmmmm is that too old fashioned thinking??
and I can't think of a single MT
who shouldn't be required to take a written exam for the 20 laws defining and IC versus employee, to make THEY fully understand the difference between the two.


I would do it too if single.
I am originally from the PNW and I know a lot of people who have gone to Alaska for temp jobs because of the extra bonuses and pay offered to get qualified workers up there. It can be a good deal. Many of them went up there and saved all the money (said there wasn't much to spend it on anyway since room and board are often provided to temp workers) so that when they came home they took 2-3 months off. Sounds like a good deal to me. I have never been to Alaska, so I think it would be interesting to go live there for a short time.
Maybe she is a single mother.......
I agree...I would go part time with someone...that's what I plan on doing just to supplement. BTW....anyone who has a problem with that...I have a disabled child,although he does not drink formula....everything else is expensive and most of his treatments not covered by insurance.  Maybe this person is in a similar boat..............geez.............I say work as much as you want and make as much as you can doing it......
Well, as a single mom, do not, I repeat do not,
You will be soooorrrrrrryyyyyy. I guarantee it. There are too many other GOOD jobs out there, keep looking and good luck.
If you are single and have no family

go for it.   My situation was a bit different in that I wasn't running out of work, just testing the waters.  I applied to about a dozen companies, offered positions with each, took 3 positions to figure which I liked best.  I had worked for a small local company for 13 years as my only experience so was really clueless.   I found it really difficult to switch from the various accounts and scheduling became a nightmare because I really had no clear-cut hours or line counts.  It got to where I wasn't doing a good job, just doing the lines and not caring about the product, plus I was screaming at my son for bothering me while I was trying to work.  Just wasn't worth it. 


 


 


Single or family? nm

If $300/mo for single that is a ripoff and

you'd be much better off with a private policy.  My family of 4 pays less than $400.00/mo for good insurance. 


Single is about $45 a PP (not exact) SM
and family I can't quote since I don't have it, but I hear it's pretty cheap as national family coverage goes.  The insurance is Blue Cross-I have to say it's good insurance.
Are you on the single ASR account? (sm)
Because that's how many accounts Webmedx has up and running. I would say not because (1)if you were on that one and only account, you would know that the ASR engine can handle ESL just fine, and (2) the technology isn't called VR by anyone except the ignorant and inexperienced. You can attack, attack, and then attack some more all you want, but at the end of the day, you have no credibility at all. You're a bitter hag, and if you're that jaded with Webmedx, quit and go work for another company! Good luck finding one that will treat you with the dignity and respect that Webmedx gives all their employees.
Really, not one single complaint??
nm
A lot of MTs are single moms, or the
only breadwinner in the house. How do these people pay their rent? These are the people who are really suffering. All the way around its a lack of respect for this profession and the companies are screwing us royally. It takes a great amount of skill, many years of learning and the ability to sit in front of a screen for long hours. The way things are rigged now, you can't even afford to take a damn break for fear of getting the electricity cut off.
I can't tell you exactly for single, but I was quoted
a range from $134 pp to $245 depending on which plan you choose for E+child. I would think it would likely be about half that for Employee alone. But that is just a guess. HTH some.
Do you know what the single premium is and when it
n/m
What is the single premium?
  I was checking out their website last night and going to sites trying to get some feedback on the company, looks promising.
I would put every single question
That's how I do it when I start a new job.
So what's the single rate?

Anyone know what the single premium is for
nm
Approximately $130.00 for single
WAYYYYYYYYY TOOOOOOOOOO MUCH javascript:editor_insertHTML('text','');
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Single $70 every 2 week, B&B, but I am very sm
That is health, dental, vision, disability and life insurance. I have no idea what the breakdown is amongst these, price wise.
You are NOT really that ignorant are you? Single
means just that, single, whether divorced, unmarried, separated, or whatever. With your bitter attitude I understand why you were divorced.
Not a single job this morning. nm
nm
only if you want to work every single day!
I accepted a position with them a while ago. They say you can work when you want as long as you get your lines in for the pay period. then they call you and ask why you aren't working. their expectation is that you log in every day to see what work is there. Thanks, but no thanks. Every single day? I don't think so.
That's not bad for single, but I really need family coverage.
Anyone know what these companies preminums are like for family coverage.. Thanks.