I don't see ONE single post where anyone is laughing at the SM

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I strongly disagree with you.  To say all MTs are highly skilled is to demean the whole group.  There are roughly -- very roughly -- two categories of MTs.  There are those who do it because they can stay home and breed their chihuahas and herd their babies. Then there are those who absolutely love the field of medicine and work for that reason.  I began in-house and never dreamed that I would eventually work from home. The MTs who are willing to research Hiszysrinksigo's syndrome instead of blanking it SHOULD be paid more per line than the puppie brokers.

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.

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. 

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