A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

For those of you who don't make money at this, how do you pay your bills? sm - nervous

Posted: Jan 21, 2011

Just wondering. If you don't mind my asking...

I'm thinking about working from home again, but last time I did this I didn't make any money at it. That was when I only had 2 years' experience though. I have 6 now. This time around I HAVE to make a certain amount to pay my bills! Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Nervous, LOTS of people are making money, but - Pragmatist

[ In Reply To ..]
wages and rates per line have gone down. Your question worries me for its lack of confidence in your proven abilities, but maybe it just reflects too much credence given to complaints here. A whole lot of people have not done well because...they've not done well, with outside forces just secondary factors.

If you get a job paid on production, which most remote work is: If you're used to working hard and prepared to commit to working your full schedule without slacking, used to working smart, ready to flex hours when needed, and committed to constantly doing whatever's possible to improve, improve, improve your speed, you'll do okay, maybe a lot better than just okay. If not, though, choose something else. Things have not gotten easier, and these days this is work for people who can take care of themselves.

Very good advice. - LK

[ In Reply To ..]
Agree with you 100%, Pragmatist. The people who can take care of themselves and have the skills and ability are making money, the ones that can't and don't are coming on this board complaining about how they're being so abused by the evil MTSOs. It HAS gotten harder to succeed in this business, but there are still good jobs out there for skilled MTs who are persistent and determined to find an employer worthy of their skills. But you better be top-notch and you better work hard, because that's what it takes.

completely agree - making money - StoicMT

[ In Reply To ..]
and working very hard to polish my skills. I am an avid reader and have always loved to read (even when I was a kid). But now I find myself reading all things related to my work as a Top-Tier MT working with a national MTSO. No complaints here! I am making money (well over $30K) paying my bills and living a very comfortable lifestyle. Totally agree with the previous posts here that one has to keep on top of the game and constantly improve their skills in order to remain at the Top Tier -- in addition, keeping a positive attitude certainly helps as well as sincere prayer. For me that works :)

I agree to an extent. If you provide a schedule and you - me

[ In Reply To ..]
work that schedule you shouldn't be expected to flex, at least not on a regular basis. You deserve to have a life. Most MTs have families and I sure wouldn't miss any of my kid's activities to work because there was no work during my schedule. You can work harder and smarter, yada, yada, yada, but then when you get the worst of the worst dictators, ESL, dictating in the car on a cell phone with radio on, etc. it is hard to make lines consistently.

I can do the garbage, so they give it to me, which isn't fair to me. My QA scores are consistently 99.8% even with the garbage, but I pride myself on quality rather than quantity, but there are many days I cannot make my minimum line count. They do cut me some slack because of the dictators I get, but then my paycheck reflects my lack of lines and my creditors still expect their same payment every month.

Not making enough $? Not treated right? They why - stay? You let yourself be treated bad. nm

[ In Reply To ..]
x

I agree, Me, that we should be able to count on - Pragmatist

[ In Reply To ..]
a schedule accepted in good faith. Since so many MTs may nevertheless be forced to flex to make their goal incomes, I thought I'd better stick that in. Especially since some simply cannot due to other responsibilities.

I disagree. You can improve your speed, but you'll - only do OK until that next big pay-cut, which WILL

[ In Reply To ..]

That's why you HAVE TO keep on increasing speed. Those - doing well do, anyway. 50K in expander and climbin

[ In Reply To ..]
The sad fact is that, in spite of many of us explaining for the past decade now that we were using expanders and other tools, many still are not and many more are using theirs only very modestly.

A cause of constant wonder and head shaking among us, believe me. The VERY FIRST time I heard of a program that would put out "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease" when I typed COPD, I dropped everything and went and bought it.

In any case, although wage rates are now based on some expander, etc., use, those whose use is well above average can still do okay, even with unpleasant drops in income with line adjustments that can only be brought back up over time. It's important to note that with continued improvements in speed, they can be brought up significantly, while those who do not work seriously to develop their speed are experiencing permanent and devastating drops in wages.

And, yes, after years of understanding and accepting the need for line rate adjustments to reflect new realities, I do now resent being rewarded for constant effort to increase my speed by yet another line rate drop to overcome, but failure to earn a decent living is still just not a concern.

Never put all of your eggs in one basket....... - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I have made a very comfortable living as an MT for seven years now, being at home. I never, ever put all of my eggs in one basket though, I keep at least two jobs at all times. I usually have one full-time job and a part-time IC position. That way, when the full-time slows down it helps with the IC and I just work extra hours. There has never been a time when I could not make a paycheck. Sometimes it can get stressful if both jobs are behind and needing me to work extra, but other than that, it has been great.

Good luck:)

i've been squeaking by with raiding my savings - whenver I dont make enough to cover - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
the month's bills. unfortunately, i've been doing it for 4 years, and my savings is gone. now I'm raiding the retirement money. my only hope is that i find something more lucrative, and soon! can't go on like this forever!

Your story is painful. At least pretend your - Good luck.

[ In Reply To ..]
retirement money isn't there. That'll force you do do something one way or the other now while you still have that cushion.

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