Am I missing something about US salaries here?

[Krayvon2]

I work in the UK, colleague works in the US for the same company.

We do a very similar job - Colleague earns around $158k per year. My salary is in £ and still a very good one but considerably less if you look at the exchange rate (probably half of US salary). However, this is a common trend with US vs UK employees in our company due to job market differences, experience etc (the sector we work in commands more of a premium over there).

With my UK salary I still manage to save a decent amount each month and pay all bills and mortgage etc.

Talking to US colleague about how in the UK we get paid on one set day every month (over there salary is paid in two installments each month) and they asked me how on earth I managed to make the money last all month.

They seemed to find it hard to believe it was possible to make a salary last 30 days and implied they struggled to make what they earn last over a couple of weeks! They've also made comments in the past about struggling with a surprise bill or having to put off a purchase.

I know lifestyles are more expensive over there but they spoke as if they earned peanuts so I'm wondering if I'm wrong to think that's a good salary? They get health cover through the company too so that's not an issue. Is there some other tax or something that I'm missing here? They are East Coast but not in most expensive area (not New York or Boston)

That's a healthy salary. My sister is a doctor in Boston and doesn't make that - she's in her 60s, so not newly qualified or anything.
Her house is a lot bigger than mine but cost half as much (I live in London).
Food shopping is more expensive. Property tax too. But petrol is cheaper, eating out is cheaper. Co pay on insurance is unbelievable but unless you have a chronic illness is manageable. Taxes are comparable to here though do vary state to state.

I love that we are talking about bread. Dave's Killer is my favorite. Luckily my kids don't eat it so it lasts me a good while.

I am about to throw something very controversial out. 🤣

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Best on the unhealthy soft white Wonder Bread.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Best on the unhealthy soft white Wonder Bread.

Agreed. Even better from the day old bread store. Do those still exist?

I do love Dave’s also. But don’t indulge very often.

Sometimes I get bakery bread, especially if I want a good baguette, but I generally bake my own. I've been in the mid-Atlantic for over a decade though so I've developed a soft spot for Martin's potato rolls.

Not sure on the day old bread stores. I used to go with my mom to get bread as a kid.

There's a difference between you having access (which is great - I have that where I live too, not in the US and I love it) and there being integrated health information systems between service providers. One doesn't necessarily mean the other. I haven't live din the UK for a while so not sure how good the NHS is in making sure patients have access to all their information, when I lived there it wasn't great and the US was definitely better in that regard .

We got a breadmaker when we lived in the States. I got sick of having to pay throught the nose for decent bread. A slice of seeded warburton's back in the UK could reduce me to tears.

It would make sense that providers in the same system would be able to access the information. But an ambulance? I'd be pleasantly surprised at the progress in the US if that is the case and very impressed with Maine too (some states are showing what is possible !

I didn't live in the US during the middle ages, i left about 7 years ago so well after ACA had been implemented. And when I was there, i remember clearly the doctor's office photocopying my insurance card (which most certainly wasn't a smart one) and then FAXING it to the insurance company. And I also remember them faxing to me medical results because there was no other secure way to send them. The hospitals in one system were able to pull up records but not in an other plus the doctor's office had a different one. Then again, I was still writing out CHECKS for rent in 2016 so not overly surprising😂Pleasaing to hear that some proress had been made!

In which state was this? They only need the member snd group number, I can't think of any reason for photocopying and faxing.

Yes ambulance services are included.

I actually remember my osteopath (who runs a one-person practice) asking for my help a couple of years ago with implementing the required state-based medical records system. In the end she found someone else to do it. So yes, even tiny one-person medical practices are included.

Given that you left the US 7 years ago it’s not really surprising that so much has changed since then. Technology in the medical industry has been through huge changes in that time.

I think fast communication from ambulance transport is becoming commonplace in the US. The last time we called an ambulance for a family member, the EMTs began typing information into tablet computers to transmit to ER before they even left the house. They continued to do that as they monitored vitals in the ambulance. With the ID information, the ER was able to access medical history, insurance information, verify next of kin, and had all that up and ready for the ER nurses and doctors.

Seems like this thread is mostly focusing on medical care now, but back to the original topic and the variable costs of taxes/ living and how different they can be by state - I find this series of money diaries really interesting:

www.refinery29.com/en-us/money-diary

Can’t believe this thread is still going, even the op has run away lol.