Does paying your bills rely on offshore? No. Easy
Posted By: for you to say don't do it. nm on 2007-08-13
In Reply to: What would happen if everyone who works (sm) - Food for thought
asdf
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But if that account is paying your bills, you must negotiate and be flexible. IMO
I know you can only lower a little bit, but to let them know that you are flexible and care about keeping their account may just encourage them to stay with you. I can't afford to let an account go without just a little negotiation.
Yep if I needed a job, beats not eating/paying bills - nm
xx
What? Not only easy, but I did it Still pay bills.
Please post offshore topics on Offshore Concerns board. (NM)
Thank you.
Goldbird
Actually if I were you, I would rely on
They also will accept new words, which I've never done. As far as the BOS, it's firewood in my eyes, but I guess it helps the newer MTs find a standard.
I also used to capitilize every drug while on-site and no one seemed to mind. It actually in my eyes made the drugs stand out from the rest of the report. Most physicians give a little, it is the QA process that doesn't like it; it gives them something to do.
If QA was consistent, then fine but most are not. QA will admit that they are learning just like the MT, so to me, they are basically another set of ears. Often, they don't know either, so it gets sent to the client with a blank or "made up word." It is ultimately the dictator who is responsible and should catch the errors.
Rely more on googling then (nm)
nm
Kinda sad that MTs have to rely on things like that ... (nm)
I DON'T rely on it, have simply used it and found that nm
not only does it help me save money on groceries (and who doesn't want to do that, regardless of their profession), but it makes me feel good that I'm also helping other families in my area that are in need with my purchase.
I usually just stick what I buy from them in the freezer and save it for the day I have NO plans for dinner and need something quick! It comes in real handy.
I agree with old time MT -- best to fix it when you see it and not rely totally on spellcheck. sm
In my old QA days, I found too many errors that were obviously the cause of word Expander errors, things not caught by spellcheck, etc. I doubt that it really slows you down that much. I have been doing it that way for so long, it is just second nature and quick to go up and fix something real fast, than wait until the end and hope that spellcheck catches it.
Good luck! 
Never, EVER rely on the grammar check from word. Very bad advice.
x
No I'm not making it harder. you shouldn't rely on the 'prompt to save' as your only def
Unfortunately, some proprietary platforms seem to run two instances of MSword (as best as I can tell) which prevents you from saving your normal dot. My post was addressed specifically to those who are encountering that problem. An Autoclose/AutoExit macro should save the normal dot for you, and may be the ONLY way you can save it, even if you have selected the prompt for normal save on your options toolbar.
In any case, autoclose and/or autoexit macro that saves your normal dot will ensure that most, if not all of your recent autocorrect/autotext/macros present in your normal dot are saved, should you have an unexpected power failure or crash, or if you are using a template that is provided to you by an employer -- a template which may have been programmed in such a way as to prevent your normal dot from being when you exit word.
In any case, whether or not the "prompt to save normal template" is selected really shouldn't affect whether or not the normal is saved, the normal should automatically be saved as you exit MsWord. The fact that normal.dot doesn't always save is, or worse vanishes entirely, is just one of these weird idiosyncracies which sometimes makes word (which really is a pretty wonderful program) so frustrating to use. (Hint, back up your normal.dot -- frequently!)
In my experience, the only time that a template reliably does not save is if you are writing macros (as opposed to recording macros) and if you fail to manually save your changes inside your Editor before exiting word.
I have had the experience more than once of opening word to find that my newly programmed template is gone -- sometimes representing many hours of work -- and that is where "the prompt to save" toolbar option really can be useful.
In short, I am fully aware of the "prompt to save normal" in the options toolbar (and mine is selected to prompt) and if I had thought this was best solution for the professional medical transcriptionist, I would not have bothered posting this information in the first place.
So to make a long post short: The best solution to make absolutely sure your normal dot is saved is to use autoclose and/or autoexit macros that instruct word to save your normal template, and don't just depend on the "save normal prompt" on your toolbar. Regard it as an extra precaution, which is what it really is, don't depend on it, it can get unselected, and poof your normal.dot is gone!
For someone who just writes an occasional letter or term paper on with MSword the occasional loss of the normal.dot, albeit aggravating, probably isn't all that serious, but for the MT who depends on her paycheck to support her family, losing her normal dot and its 37,954 autocorrect entries is a real economic hardship. She just might appreciate knowing that there is something she can do to prevent this from happening, even though you happen to think it is "complicated."
Isn't this forum here to provide fellow MTs with useful information they can use or not as they please? Medical transcription after all, isn't a game or a hobby, it is real grown-up work, and it is prudent to take the time do real grown up things to maintain the tools of the trade.
Unlike some posts I have seen, particularly on the word-help forum that just make me want to scream, I will not post useless or wrong information -- even if it is "complicated" -- after all it's just information. Writing autoclose/autoexit macros to save your normal dot are not pointless or useless exercises; and in any case you can disregard my posts, or not, as you please.
Unless you can rely on family to help, or maybe hire a young tween aged girl to occupy them
x
The easy answer, taking all the easy work and
x
What are you paying your MTs? If you're only paying 7 or 8 cpl
and expecting extremely experienced MTs, forget it. You're not going to get it. If, however, you're willing to pay 9 or more cpl then you will find what you're looking for. There ARE experienced MTs out there who will work their fingers to the bone IF they are compensated well and treated with respect.
I pay all of our bills but I never would
He makes money and I make money and we should each be able to spend some of that on ourselves if we desire. The only time we really consult the other on any purchase is if that purchase is over a certain amount. I do not ASK him if I can buy anything for my business. If I need it and we can afford it, I buy it. If it is a major purchase that might involve a credit line, I would definitely discuss it with him but not ask his permission. It should be shared. When you get married, you are sharing, not one person owns you/controls you or vice versa. I would be willing to bet that at some point during his little outings, he has chipped in for beer. I doubt one person would be willing to supply all the beer for all the guys every single get-together. My DH used to play softball and there were lots of times they'd hang out and have a few beers after and all the guys chipped in for their share of the beer. If he's telling you the beer is always provided for free, I would have a real hard time buying that. Sounds like you are an understanding wife and you deserve time out to go to lunch or do whatever (and some of that time should be without your kids to give you some alone time, too). If he can't see that, he needs a reality check! Leave him at home with the kids for a weekend and see how fast he wants to run out that door once you get home! lol
Can you really pay your bills with only 29K though???
nm
If you have bills to pay you take whatever
you can get. You can refuse a job, but the work will just go to India or some other country and the company can get rid of all but a few MTs who will edit the work.
I have been in this business at least 20 years. I make better than most people these days, but I have not had a raise in 5 years. I have been offered at least 8 positions the past 6 months and not one of them offers what I make now. I test very well, usually getting at least 98 on the highest level of testing, I can do any ESL given to me, I do all Op notes, so I would be an asset to any company, but none will offer me what I am making now, much less offer me more.
ATT- I was paying $320 for 7000 minutes, I am now paying $175 for 5000 minutes in CA. nm
nm
Pay bills or make a
list of things I need or want.
Do you have bills that NEED to be paid?
If there is no other job but those with companies that send work offshore, are you going to refuse to work for them? How do you feel about stores that sell merchandise that was once manufactured in US and now outsourced to another country? How about the very merchandise itself. Do you check to see if Liz Claiborne or Nike or other favorite brands are outsourced and decide against buying them, hoping that somehow you are going to force these goods to be manufactured in US and are you willing to pay higher prices to justify American workers wages?
What bills could we possibly have?
That was exactly what one doctor said to me when he called wanting my services and I told him what my charge was. He was in a town 15-20 minutes away and since tapes were the "in" thing", I charged for picking up and delivery, minimal charge.
Well, he thought that was ridiculous and told me I didn't have any "expenses" associated with this job, so what was I charging him for other than doing the reports. BTW, he got my name and number from his partner in the office who thought my charges were more than reasonable and willing to pay for it to get what he called "great" service.
Of course, we have no expenses, we live free, not having to eat, buy gas, pay all the same bills they do. You know, the necessities of life!!!!!!
Go figure!!!
we did just the opposite, but now bills alone about 2,500.....
We had a place similar to yours on a slough with lots of wildlife...loved the wildlife. Used to sit out on the deck and watch the great blue heron, raccoons, muskrats, ducks, etc. But never got it paid off as we kept building on as kids came along (3). We were there 30 years and finally sold to move out of the flood zone and into a new, easy-maintainance one story with smaller yard up near the hospital. The other place was so hard to paint and maintain that I knew we had to move before we couldn't take care of it anymore. Problem is our mortgage alone is 900$ month! Not as steep as others on this posting, but lots for us as the MT thing is not bringing in the money I expected! The house is worth lots more than we paid for it, and I keep saying we should sell it and rent until the big housing "adjustment" that I keep predicting, but family won't budge!
Keep the bills out of sight--sm
For me they are the biggest distraction. I can ignore the phone, tune out the noise but those stinking bills in my line of sight are the worst. I either have to go online and pay them or call so and so and tell them why I am late. I don't pull them out until after I am done or before I start. Otherwise, they stay in the drawer. Now, I keep the paid receipts on top of the desk to remind me why I work like a mule!
High bills
In Georgia, it's not unheard of for the power bill to exceed $300 during summer. In fact, it's expected. I can't believe the posters with two-digit bills. My water bill is $65! Everything around here has gone up in the last year. My doing MT was supposed to be for extras and fun money, but it's not turning out to be so.
I have plenty of bills to pay...
Hubby had open heart surgery and was off work during the busiest season last year. I now handle ALL the bills except his truck insurance and truck payment to the tune of at least $5000 a month and that doesn't include the $75,000 hospital bill that the insurance doesn't pay. I couldn't do that if I didn't stick to my guns. Sure, we're not in the best of shape right now, but we are scraping by with a little ingenuity and things will get better for us...but I surely will not work for peanuts,never have, and never will...and neither should you.
You have to prove you're worth it that extra $.01 or so,(ahem), but in reality, we really need to stick together. Fighting amongst ourselves doesn't solve the problem.
that's determined by your bills!!...
There is an easier calculation but I think most companies require 1200 lines a day nowadays. Some 800 to maintain fulltime. One way to figure it is that you take the amount of lines x cpl and divide by 8. If you typed your other stuff in word, check the line count to see what you have done on a good day when paid by the hour. Hopefully you are getting paid characters and spaces as opposed to just characters.
If you figure you can put out only 800, which is still a good bit, 800 x 0.08 cpl divided by 8 would be $8/hour. 1200 lines would be 12 an hour. So, if you are currently making 10 an hour, you would have to put out 1000 lines a day for $10 an hour.
It can be done.
But I do make what I need to pay my bills
so I am satisfied and like I said, just work part time, not full, work the time I want.
for tracking congressional bills
http://thomas.loc.gov/
Kansas utility bills
Hi, I live on the Kansas/Oklahoma border have a 3000 sq ft home (2 levels) and 2 boys who don't know how to close doors. Anyway, our last electric bill was $260.00. This was keeping thermostat at 80 upstairs with ceiling fans going in every room. If it gets too warm, you just go downstairs where you have to wrap up in a blanket as there is a good 10 degrees difference in temp. I have to admit, I thought mine was high but am now thinking we don't have it too bad. Good luck to all and hopefully, we will still be able to pay these next year at this time and the rates won't have put us all in the poor house.
arkansas utility bills
Wow. I live in a 6 room house and my last bill was 328.00. We have very high rates here.
Used to, but compared electric bills
I used to never turn my computer off. Then my grandchildren visited me for 3 wks. Because I did not want them playing on my computer (they had their own laptop), I kept mine off when I was not working. When the electric bill came it, it was almost $60 less, so from that point on, I began turning it off between the hours of 5 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. plus my days off (and I get more done around the house as well) -- continued with the same savings. Figured I can buy a new tower for $720 a year in savings.
I keep the unpaid bills on my desk
and put the college tuition bill right on top. Money motivates.
Single person and bills
How does any single preson today make ends meet as an MT? I work a 2nd job and still way behind in bills. Job-hunting for a full time position other than MT is fruitless, as employers take on look at all of your years in transcription and ask you how you think can do anything else. It seems like a curse. The dreaded "transcription" word is getting me nowhere fast when it comes to breaking in to other clerical work. Had I know this would be the case, I would have left the MT field years ago. I can do SO much more than transcription if given the chance. Maybe I should lie on my resume and not mention all the years of transcription.
Nice doesn't pay the bills. They still only pay .06 line.
You need to be a speed demon to make any money there and top pay is still only .08 per line at 225 lines per hour. No thanks. I prefer to work a 40 hour work week, not an 80 hour work week.
Curious, how much of household bills is BF carrying?
is withdrawn?
If you are carrying the lion's share of the bills, then you surely will be better off when you have cut the ties and are in your own place.
If he is carrying a good bit of the bills, and you are then responsible for them when he moves - whoa - think about this. Will any childsupport you manage to get suffice for what you are taking on that he is paying now?
I worked as one, too. It paid my bills. Barely.
I hated that job because I could so totally empathize with the people I was collecting from. Plus, we had to be real hardnoses. The thing is that our "numbers" were tied to our bonuses. The more you collected, the more money you made. I lasted 9 months and received two raises and promotions to keep me there before finally finding another job. By that time, I had developed sleeping problems and an ulcer and started smoking again.
There were a few bills that Arnold would not sign - not passed
x
Oh dear, maybe you could pay some bills or surf the net while she's impressing herself
Insurance companies already know. Doctor bills them you know.
I'm not running for political office. Who would be interested in my medical records and what could they do with them if they did have them?
Not everyone bills based ona 65-character line
An MT billing gross lines would stand to lose a great deal with a smaller font.
See, not so confusing.
DH pays the big bills and know he won't have more taken out on him, we don't share checking ac
I have mine and he has his but like I said before, he pays for my car, his and the house note. Just moved here in 2004 and not planning a move, ever hopefully! But, as in my previous post, I have as regular employee been told to take off everything that pertains to my working at home (before becoming IC), room, DSL line, phone (have to have to use the DSL), computer, printing materials, all so I keep all receipts in all years plus we have 3 tax bills for 3 different properties for this past year (just sold a home where I used to live) but all that is kept. What I am saying is I have been told for years as an employee working from my home ok to exempt these. I do not like TAX TIME!!
Sounds great. You gonna pay the bills for
nm
A husband to take care of the bills and the health
nm
You need to talk to the people who pay the bills where you work. nm
x
Well, Word is easy to buy and easy to install. Word 97 works great. Cheap. SM
I still would not work anywhere I could not use a spell checker with grammar checker and a Steadman's Medical Spell Checker.
IF they want people to TRANSCRIBE MEDICAL REPORTS, then I guess they better get the programs they need.
It's like probably 110% easier to buy and install Word 97 than to try to program their own programming. And, yes, I do mean Microsoft Word 97. Why? Because you can install it unlimited times, in case you need to install the operating system again. And it has a few features that Microsoft, in its un-wisdom, took away in Word 2000 and 20003 and 2007. So, yes, I'd go with Word 97 for its cheapness and it works better than the later versions. Just my opinion, with 20 years experience being an MT. So what if they "don't have it" on their computer? It's easy to get.
Correction note to husband. Meant BILLS NOT AUCTIONS LOL
Freudian slip. Have to read whole post to get joke. LOL.
How are you planning to deal with the oncoming high winter heating bills?
I'll be bumping the thermostat back another degree or 2, down to whatever leveI I can not be cold at. Otherwise there will be less "fun" money spent if it has to go to the oil companies!
Easy easy money they are!
I don't mind seeing those puppies filter in at all. Same for H&Ps. They are always different though, so can't really pop in the same pre-formatted autotext, but it's usually WHAMMO 2-3 pages at a time. Give them a shot...you may just be pleasantly surprised!
I think I smell either VR on the easy stuff, or offshoring of the easy stuff.
d
Fear of change is worse than fear of not being able to pay your bills? nm
:)
You do know that they offshore, right?? Despite what they tell you -
about the hospitals asking, other hospitals have no idea that the accounts are being transcribed offshore!
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