I don't mind self checkout or bagging my groceries. It does keep costs down.
Posted By: It's also faster. on 2006-01-04
In Reply to: One more thing... - self checkout
I just want to buy my stuff at the cheapest price available. I don't want to way ethics and morals of any store because if I need to do that I probably wouldn't buy anything from anybody.
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Beware of ink replacement costs. The more inexpensive the printer, the more the ink costs.
s
yup and using self-checkout
x
Ever wonder about the self-checkout??
Eventually there will be only a few checkers. Although the propensity for theft is greater, a lot of places are replacing people with self-checkout. Our local supermarkets are providing scanners you can use as you shop, check yourself out and never see a human except on rare person at the door who might ask to see your slip for huge items. Let's face it, automation is in, people are out. Better to stick to hands-on, how about CNA training or coding (money is prioity) although coding too is being shipped overseas. I am thinking more on the side of service people not possibly replaced by a robot. Think really hard about what you could do to make yourself not replaced by a robot! Good luck in your decision, don't waste your time on what won't last.
Here I was worried about groceries. Lets worry about your stuff. Its easier.
;P
Agree! What about your hubs, kids, sex life, groceries? Something's gotta give if you're doing
s
Checkout lady at Publix told me Happy MD, and I was like, what makes you think I'm a mother? sm
It doesn't bother me, I just found it peculiar to just say it willy-nilly to me just because I'm female and appear to be of child-bearing age. Yet another reason it's a stupid "holiday" that exists only for the retail outlets.
Your mind was in the gutter up there with sauteed stool, too. Would you please take your mind out of
costs
I also agree that the cost of vet care has gone way up in the last 10 years, having animal companions is expensive. I think as more and more people are coming to realize their companions are senient beings they are willing to do whatever is necessary for optimum care just as you would do for a human. That being said, it is extremely expensive and where I used to have 5 cats and 2 dogs, I now have 3 cats and 1 dog due to losing some to old age and illness. Although I would love to have more, I know I cannot afford it if one of them gets sick.
Can you tell us how much this costs?
Have the Martel catalogue but oddly it does not give price. Am hoping it is under $50.
Rx costs
I get 2 of my meds from Canada. Can you get yours that way and save $? Just do a search for cheap drugs or Canadian drugs.
MT Costs
I have been a working MT for 2+ years and I am still buying things. I have a full library of books but there are only a few I use all the time. Still there are days when I find I need the others. I believe I have around 16 total. The Book Of Style is an important one. I would recommend that for sure along with any other specialty books for the type of account you plan on typing. I had my computer prior to training but with books, the MT course, pedals, software (spell checker, expander) I spent over $2,500. This doesn't include a desk, chair or the other things you'll need. I would suggest you buy some 3-ring binders to keep samples in for each account you type. I have a binder for every doctor/client. Every doctor you come to learn to type will have his/her own rules. The binders are my Bibles. At first I went through a ton of legal pads. I always keep one at my desk to jot things down. Now I only need one on occasion. It will be a learning experience and slow going at first, but hang in there. Like some other MTs mentioned, it is not as easy as it sounds, but I do enjoy it. Welcome to the club! 
It costs more than $10 believe me.
They take a percentage of what is sent to you - it's not a flat rate fee. The more you make the more they take.
My costs have actually gone down
This year my property taxes will go from over $2,300 to $800 a year, that is because I have turned that magical number of 65. That is good and yet if I were to die, then the taxes would go right back up for hubby as he is 10 years younger and has not gotten there yet. He better treat me right!
Yes, and that same jug of water costs how much after it's
been paid for with tax dollars, hauled in on trucks, and handed out by National Guardsmen and FEMA workers who are being paid and are away from their own families? That little jug of water costs more to the taxpayers than Perrier.
My son did too. It costs a lot and unless you're
a real people person who can SELL, you won't make any money and you'll spend a bundle. TURN AND RUN, don't walk away unless you're ready to LIVE IT! IT has to be all you think, talk, eat, use, buy, etc....and you won't make a bunch if you don't get people to sign up.
I cut my costs a year ago...
I have noticed very little difference. I get the same speed and the only things that inhibit that are the usual things such as when the ISP is doing an update etc. Everyone I know with different DSL companies have said the same. You can always go back up to the higher speed if it doesn't work well in your case. To me it was worth saving the extra $20/month
AT&T business costs
I pay 230 a month for three lines, unlimited long distance, and DSL on a business plan. The biggest difference is the DSL cost is higher, and they charge per jack on installation. As opposed to 20 per line, i pay a flat rate of 50 for the LD for all three lines.
hidden costs by being an IC
The taxes are more as an independent contractor. period.
you pay the matching that the employer would pay.
Normally your benefits pkg from the hospital or employer of sick days, holidays, insurance, etc is worth about $10,000. Somehow you have to absorb that with what you charge. In addition to losing the matching the employer is paying. Otherwise the company you are contracting with is making out like a bandit -- and you truly are coming out on the short end of the stick -- they know this -- and they are laughing up their sleeve until we wake up out here and start charging so they won't be coming out the winner in this all the time. The very reason they OUTSOURCE is to get rid of those hidden costs and we now have taken on.
And then of course the hidden days down for work on computer, waiting for storms to pass, and the various and asundry responsibilities you take on and absorb that the company you are contracting with gets to turn loose of.
p.s. and oh please don't pop up with ITS WORTH A LOT TO TYPE IN MY JAMMIES. No, we are expected to be professional whether in Gucci or WalMart specials. And we should be paid accordingly. That argument doesn't fly. and being home with the kids doesn't either. Only one thing can be done at one time, and you can watch the kids or you can transcribe but you can't do both simultaneously. The guilt factor may be less when one needs to do errands in the day -- but guess what -- while people are sleeping guess who is up into the night beating the keys. No, this should not be a trade off. It's a business like any other business who does a contract with another company.
phone costs
Hi,
Cell phone runs 89 per month,, that is the whole package, unlimited internet access, free text, nights and weekends, etc,,,,and I was able to do away with home internet altogether. No longer have a land line or DSL at home so the savings there made up the difference
Actually, VR actually costs the client....sm
less money,which is why some are changing to it...to pay less for transcription, which is why WE get paid less. That is how it is with my company. So in essence, the company is taking a cut in pay as well....why else would anyone use it, including the MTSOs??? I'm just sayin'.
Well, it costs sometimes. I have had to change employers before because
they were not going to negotiate with me. HOwever, there are plenty of places to work and I have luckily landed in 2 good ones.
I feel very fortunate today with my employment. I know full well it may change tomorrow but I am prepared - emotionally and financially - and will not let that disrupt my life. Too many options out there, folks.
I noticed this too! Costs me approximately
$50.00 more for the usual items such as health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, paper products. Cost of living is going up and our salaries are not.
India's MTs are living very well, according to a friendly gal working for AOL out of Bombay.
I don't know what I am going to do. I got cable t.v. for the winter and feel like I am living extravagantly. There is so much I need. Even keeping my car warrantly valid requires a $500.00 tune up which is hard to budget for.
One thing I do not have is credit card debt.
MediSpell is decent and only costs around
It was about $10-$20 when I first got it, but I'm sure it's gone up since then. There's a free trial (or at least there was) and you can compare it to others. Not sure what Dorland's is like so I can't tell you comparison, but I've found MediSpell to be a decent medical spellchecker at a reasonable price for starting out. You can add to it, of course, too, but I don't think they ever issue updates like new drug names, tec. so you might want to invest in a more thorough one later on.
I too believe it is a trend, basically to cut costs. As far as MQ, SM
I don't work for them, but honestly, from reading posts, seems like they were just bought out by a mad scientist who thinks up ways to drive people crazy. Sort of a game of how far can we drive people before they crack.
Keeping up cert costs too
I was a CMT for 20 years before I finally let it go. Only one company I worked for in all that time paid extra for the CMT; then they were bought by Medquist who didn't care. If you ever change companies - voluntarily or otherwise - the CMT may no longer bring you extra cash. Remember, too, that you'll have to pay to keep up the cert. I went to the conventions every year. They ran me at least $1000 then with registration, airfare, hotel, food, ground transportion, etc. Worked in-house then, and my employers didn't reimburse. I was *lucky* I could get my vacation then. It would probably be more now; everything else is. If you don't have PTO where you work, then it will cost you what you would have made for those days as well. Perhaps you're lucky and have a strong local chapter that will provide you CEs for much less cost and aggravation. If you use the articles in the Journal, it will still cost. Plus, it's not just any credit-worthy activity, it's one from column A, two from column B, etc. It makes it much harder to get what you need (which may or may not have anything to do with what you REALLY need to improve your skills). I didn't regret it while I was doing it, but I wouldn't do it again unless forced. I hoped for 20 years that it would mean more than *personal satisfaction*, but it never did.
Help with raising food costs sm
While not available in all areas, this is a wonderful program to help out families and communities. I used it for years when I lived in Colorado and now that I have moved, I am in the process of finding this program in my state.
The program consists of paying a certain amount for a given box of food (you can buy more than one) on a certain day or days. Then, you put in volunteer hours in your community for each box you purchase. You have a volunteer slip signed where you volunteer. On D-Day, you go and pick up your boxes of food.
The boxes consist of fresh fruits and vegetables and meat items. Occasionally there is cheese too. There might be pasta and/or rice. There is often a prepared food item. They offer seasonal boxes for holiday baking, meat lover's boxes in time for summer grilling and Thanksgiving boxes. The retail value of what you get in a SHARE box is usually at least double the cost of the box, and that has been my experience. The kids and I used to go and help on D-Day, passing out boxes, cleaning up for our volunteer activity.
http://www.sharecolorado.com/
is for Colorado and several other states, but should link you nationally too.
I wonder how much it costs? will it be cheaper in the long run?nm
.
I'm a member, it costs me $20 to take a webinar.
Over 3 years, 30 CEs at about $20 each.
Over 3 years, CMT differential at $6K a year.
You do the math.
LOL
high healthcare costs
two little words, consider waste and fraud, people who have zero hope of meaningful life being on total support which many of them do not want, many disposables could be changed back to reusables by proper sanitation. up coding to get more $$, etc etc. there is probably more but those two came to mind.
yes $40 an hour seems excessive to me too.
It costs $275 bucks. Robbery sm
I don't see how it helps money-wise (job) You need to renew every 3 years $.
I think the association that offers this is not with the MTs but with business. They are the ones who helped Medquist manipulate line counting.. Oh yes, it is documented in court papers and can also Google Medquist and AAMT, articles come up. They sell their Style Guide for a whopping $90 bucks 2nd edition, now $70 still toooo much about 400 pages. One can get a hugeee meedical dictionary for half that. They are not for MTs. Years ago when this test was developed, nobody could pass it, so what did they do, they reveloped the test so MTs could pass (thus they got income). Hardly a validity of MT skills. Been doing this 30+ years and I am not bothering.
I use a AirCard 875U but costs almost as much - sm
as satellite would. I pay $67 a month for it but is is faster than dial-up, but not as fast as DSL. I live in a rural area and rumor has it we are getting DSL in 2 or so more years, we will see, it is available 4 miles from me, but is not quite reaching out to the farther out areas right now, need to live within a mile of our major highway through the county. Dial up will probably still work for you, just take a lot longer. Hope you figure something out.
Because owners, managers, and CEOs are all trying to cut costs
so they can make as much moolah as possible. EVERY OTHER JOB I have ever had provided on the job training, EVEN the salaried professional white collar positions. Going to school or college does NOT train a person to automatically step into a position knowing everything. Nurses, doctors, lawyers, managers, HR directors, personal bankers, vice presidents, all of them had apprenticeships, internships, training, or worked their way up. MT is the only field I know of where nobody is willing to train or mentor newbies. The training at my last MT job consisted of an emailed two-page explanation of how to pull up their jobs. That's it. No account specs, nothing. Go live on day one.
Daycare costs have tripled between the time I had my
first and third children. Yes, many of us do work at home and need flexible schedules to accommodate our kids. It would cost $1,040 per month to put my three kids in daycare, and that's considered CHEAP!!! You might as well work in the office if you're going to just put your kids into daycare anyways. How much money do you think will be left of a mother's paycheck after daycare, gasoline, car expenses, wardrobe, and all other work-related costs? Besides, I didn't have kids for someone else to raise them in a snot-infested daycare where the workers are underpaid and don't care for your kids as well as you can. Times have changed since you raised your kids.
Amazing.. I think I will have to look into it. Anyone out there know actual costs for family ins?
Thanks.
There are a lot of things MTSO hidden costs..
MTSO bills for a lot of things to run the business that have nothing to do with line counts, but they may be billling them as line count as opposed to breaking them down individually.
Rising costs always causes the consumer to look for another solution
in the MT field, this includes offshore, EMR and SR, and people taking pay cuts. Once everyone around your wonderful doctors are getting the work done reasonably well for much less, they will take a second look too.
But, if you don't need a lot of minutes per month it costs BIG TIME.
p
My point exactly. If lowering costs is an issue
Costs for small MTSO equipment
This question is directed to our wonderful small MTSOs who participate in the site postings:
I have a question about what extent of expenses you incurred for equipment and related components for the physicians to dictate, i.e., FTP services, server, physician call-in phone services, physician digital dictation uploading/downloading services, and all that related equipment to send and receive dictations (voice files) and send/receive reports, all pertaining to internet and latest advances.
Considering a small MTSO venture of just three small doctor's office accounts, enough for 1-1/2 MTs, with a total physician dictator capacity of 5 physicians, not necessarily at the same time.
I would be also interested in not only cost figures (ballpark) but the types of equipment and software you elected to use (platform if any).
This information would be beneficial to me, and perhaps to other entrepreneurial MTs as well. Thank you in advance for your helpful information.
Anyone work for co. who pays all phone costs? sm
Asked before, perhaps did not post. Anyone have a company who pays all phone costs, FTP, etc., I just want to either transcribe or edit,,, no added expenses, but they can absorb the cost for me. Sound crazy? You just never know.Doesn't hrt to ask
I believe Transolutions pays all phone costs. nm
//
Foot pedal. Gearplayer costs, but it is worth it! nm
:)
The federal gov't is urging paperless MR to save costs.
dd
My brother is suing me for the costs of the lawyer.. Unbelievable..nm
/
It costs approximately $275 a month. I do have family to cook for, but
that has not been a problem at all. After the first 3 days, I have been fully satisfied on the program, and I am one who has NEVER been able to diet for more than a day or 2. I cook whatever they want which is mostly what I can eat too for my lean and green; beef/chicken/pork/fish and veggies, but I skip the potatoes, bread, and all starchy foods.
To afford the program, I cut way back on buying junk food and soda. Everyone is eating much healthier around here and neither my family nor me feel in the least deprived.
All I can really tell you is it is working for me like nothing has in the past and it's been worth every penny.
A large part of the problem is pressure to cut costs (sm)
often results in the squeeze being applied to the non-acute-care parts of the equation and very, very often that ends up being the transcription. The services end up bidding jobs lower than they want to and it just trickles right on down.
Then you have some MTSO's who insist on paying for the technology they want and need off of the worker's backs. I used to work for a guy who wanted to do this and it's one reason I don't work for him anymore.
It sucks being a mushroom and it always has. I don't see it getting any better, either.
Outsourcing Costs Versus Quality Reports
Sorry to burst your bubble but doctors know when/why they're being outsourced and go along with it, but only for the ones who really care about quality, these individuals then become "appalled." In the 1990s when medical malpractice suits were at their highest and attorneys saw what a lucrative field this could be, I learned at a monthly transcription meeting that it might become law that not only the doctor but the MT (under homeowner's insurance if based at home) could be sued for "inaccuracies" in a medical report. That, however, quickly and quietly went away but don't think, for one moment, this still isn't being talked about! That's why I have always had a hard time trying to figure out how hospital/clinic boards keep on authorizing overseas outsourcing (well it's obvious about the cost savings!) and then crying about all the inaccuracies in sometimes complex medicolegal reports, while still padding their own pockets with bonuses, etc. If someone has an answer to that, I'd surely like to hear it!
MTStars FlashType works just like Shorthand and costs less.
It also works on Vista. See link below.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS SoftScript, Transcend, Medquist, OSI, Transolutions
SoftScript has bad, bad ESL accounts.
Transcend is notorious for running out of work while they have plenty of well-to-fo executives. They overhire, then nobody has any work. They will call you every day to "work extra" - that is, if they have any work to do.
Medquist is having a massive exodus because they have been sued for fraudulent billing. There are thousands of people looking for new jobs, so maybe you can get something soon.
OSI offshores like crazy but their worst problem are some of their lunatic department heads, one in particular with no experience and less of a brain. NO IDEA how to run a successful company able to keep good employees. Most of their best MTs have left and they are stuck with a bunch of MTs fresh out of school.
Transolutions - Low, low pay and horrible QA department that is not consistent and will write you up over crazy things like commas.
yeah, it's just that people will enter for something FREE, but if it costs a buck
5
Govt is promoting EMR to reduce health care costs.
Major cuts taking place in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. See Bush's Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, billions of dollars being cut. Word is that private insurance will follow suit, with higher deductibles among other things. You can thank the
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