Does anyone else hate it here?

[caliliving 606]

1 minute ago, NikLR said:

People in the USA feel they have more freedom and rights because they can make choices and items like this are not controlled by the government.  In reality it's less freedom because everyone is limited by wage and affordibility.  Even we have a 3k deductible on our health insurance.  For us it's on purpose since we rarely go to the doctor and it enables us to have a health savings account to spend on medical care when we do get sick.   But in places with social health care, yes you get paid more and pay more taxes, but here you're paid less and then still pay for health care.  So youre always making less and no, things are not always more affordable here to make up the difference. 

 

The main thing with wages that makes me angry is servers.  People should never depend on tips to make ends meet.  People should make a wage and then make their wage better by providing good service.  Even my husband, the USC, doesn't tip by bill, he tips via number of people at the table and service given. It's rather a flat rate system.  

i agree with most of this.  you need a very very good high paying job to survive in america.

however, most of my friends that are servers make more then college graudates! they bring home 300+ a shift! and most of it is untaxed. im not complaining, im just saying it is a very very good living (im assuming in big cities like LA, San Fran and NYC ect) so most people i know with college degrees cant find a job, and then end up serving/bartending and are stuck there many years later because the pay is so good!  it is hard in america to survive off of 10/hour (i mean its hard anywhere!) especially with rent, bills, cars ect. unless you are in a small town.  

 

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

I think an argument needs to be made for in America of providing tiered healthcare if we are going to continue with our current system.  People need to be able to choose whether they want to pay for a private room or a ward, etc.  They also need upfront pricing about services.  It is really hard to figure out for the average person how much an MRI might cost at multiple facilities in their region and how much the radiologist might charge to read it.  Hospitals need to be way better at providing payment plans and actually charging customers what the insurance companies are paying rather than an inflated rate.

[NikLR 13,220]

I agree with Nola.  Straight-forward prices would be nice.  For example it's annoying to be billed over $700 then have my insurance disallow most of the bill.  It takes 3x longer to pay the bill but had it been just the small amount originally I could have just paid the darn thing. 

[caliliving 606]

2 minutes ago, NikLR said:

I agree with Nola.  Straight-forward prices would be nice.  For example it's annoying to be billed over $700 then have my insurance disallow most of the bill.  It takes 3x longer to pay the bill but had it been just the small amount originally I could have just paid the darn thing. 

i have wondered how it works for bought insurance plans vs company insurance plans? 

 

[NikLR 13,220]

59 minutes ago, caliliving said:

i have wondered how it works for bought insurance plans vs company insurance plans? 

 

No idea.   It varies by type of insurance too.  Ours is HDHP PPO, high deductible health plan preferred provider organization. HMOs are a little different and offer different types of care too.

 

Our insurance is through my husband's work which is the Department of Transportation. There is a huge variety available through many different providers and different plan types which is probably why I've noticed the different types more than maybe the average person?  I think many companies only have one option. 

[amicablebride 25]

I moved to Connecticut from Canada (K1 visa, now married to my American husband) and I'm going through a pretty negative experience myself. 

 

Ive been in the US for over a year and it's not getting any better.

The first thing was having no friends or family here. Husbands family is nice, but not warm / inviting / open like mine. I still have no friends, even though I got a job. Everyone has an attitude, "I'm here to work, not make friends". And I work in a daycare. So the pay is lower than I'm used to. The labor laws are majorly lacking. The job makes me even more miserable so I'm hoping once I find a new one things will look up. I've been applying for months without any bites though. 

 

Its so hard to feel so sad all the time. I'm happy to finally be with the man I wanted to marry / be with... but a huge part of me wants to go home. 

[amicablebride 25]

13 hours ago, NikLR said:

No idea.   It varies by type of insurance too.  Ours is HDHP PPO, high deductible health plan preferred provider organization. HMOs are a little different and offer different types of care too.

 

Our insurance is through my husband's work which is the Department of Transportation. There is a huge variety available through many different providers and different plan types which is probably why I've noticed the different types more than maybe the average person?  I think many companies only have one option. 

My husband was fined $7000 because I had no insurance plan from August - December 2016. Makes me really miss Canada...

[amicablebride 25]

On 2017-02-11 at 0:53 PM, caliliving said:

i agree with most of this.  you need a very very good high paying job to survive in america.

however, most of my friends that are servers make more then college graudates! they bring home 300+ a shift! and most of it is untaxed. im not complaining, im just saying it is a very very good living (im assuming in big cities like LA, San Fran and NYC ect) so most people i know with college degrees cant find a job, and then end up serving/bartending and are stuck there many years later because the pay is so good!  it is hard in america to survive off of 10/hour (i mean its hard anywhere!) especially with rent, bills, cars ect. unless you are in a small town.  

 

But in Canada servers and bar tenders makes minimum wage (or more) plus tips. So yes they make a lot too, but don't rely on tips so there's more security. I don't think I feel comfortable working for $2 / HR and depending on customers to pay me :/ 

[amicablebride 25]

On 2017-01-07 at 2:48 PM, RandB said:

Maybe in Minnesota. My background doesn't come up much. I like it because the people are nice, they have a rich culture and a diverse population, the nature is beautiful and the food is nice.

I've always had good experiences with people in Minnesota and North Dakota. Everyone so friendly and kind. Connecticut and New York on the other hand, as a whole, people have such sour attitudes. And what's up with all the at-will jobs? Bosses act like old school bosses where they point and yell Instead of acting civilized and giving  people constructive feedback along with positive feedback. 

[Boiler 43,433]

Tips are not normal in the UK, certainly not in a Bar. I have discussed this with people in the US who works in these sectors and none of them would want a much lower but guaranteed income.

 

Often serving staff will make much more than a Chef.

[caliliving 606]

15 hours ago, NikLR said:

No idea.   It varies by type of insurance too.  Ours is HDHP PPO, high deductible health plan preferred provider organization. HMOs are a little different and offer different types of care too.

 

Our insurance is through my husband's work which is the Department of Transportation. There is a huge variety available through many different providers and different plan types which is probably why I've noticed the different types more than maybe the average person?  I think many companies only have one option. 

i bartended for a while.. made 500+ cash paid off all my student loans.. i barely got taxed as well.. i would never have been able to do that so quickly at a 15/hour out of college job! i also had the flexibility and freedom to travel the world! so glad i made that decision:) i was like hmm made 15 at an entry level position or bartend? and trust me, no one would want to get a set pay and no tips! and if ur not making good money as a bartender obviously you are lacking the social skills and hustle to get it done so then perhaps the industry isnt for you.  

[caliliving 606]

2 hours ago, amicablebride said:

I moved to Connecticut from Canada (K1 visa, now married to my American husband) and I'm going through a pretty negative experience myself. 

 

Ive been in the US for over a year and it's not getting any better.

The first thing was having no friends or family here. Husbands family is nice, but not warm / inviting / open like mine. I still have no friends, even though I got a job. Everyone has an attitude, "I'm here to work, not make friends". And I work in a daycare. So the pay is lower than I'm used to. The labor laws are majorly lacking. The job makes me even more miserable so I'm hoping once I find a new one things will look up. I've been applying for months without any bites though. 

 

Its so hard to feel so sad all the time. I'm happy to finally be with the man I wanted to marry / be with... but a huge part of me wants to go home. 

its supply and demand that is the problem.. if you are college educated and live in a decent area look into nannying.. i know in san fran they make upwards of 20/hour and have full benefits ect.. some even make 60-70k/year.. no one here with a college degree would ever choose to work in day care over a family.  

i made decent money now but before then, i would never settle for under 20/hour here.  it isnt worth it!  i bartended in canada and made good money and i would bartend here as well on the weekends and its more of a social thing for me.  i bring home decent money doing that.. but again, u have to be the type of social/hustler in order to make it. in san fran tho people have money and all the techies so making 300/night is super easy and dooable.. not sure how it would be where you live tho.  

[amicablebride 25]

1 minute ago, caliliving said:

its supply and demand that is the problem.. if you are college educated and live in a decent area look into nannying.. i know in san fran they make upwards of 20/hour and have full benefits ect.. some even make 60-70k/year.. no one here with a college degree would ever choose to work in day care over a family.  

i made decent money now but before then, i would never settle for under 20/hour here.  it isnt worth it!  i bartended in canada and made good money and i would bartend here as well on the weekends and its more of a social thing for me.  i bring home decent money doing that.. but again, u have to be the type of social/hustler in order to make it. in san fran tho people have money and all the techies so making 300/night is super easy and dooable.. not sure how it would be where you live tho.  

Hmm interesting take! Thanks for the advice, I appreciate everyone's input what they would do if in my situation. I was a special Ed teacher in Canada making around $27 hr., summers off and home by 3:30-4 every day. So now to make $15 hour to work in a daycare is a total nightmare. Especially with the other staff's low class bitchy attitudes...

not to mention 10 hour days, getting home around 7pm, no breaks, no set schedule, no overtime pay. I'm afraid to get pregnant because this country doesn't believe in maternity leave! It's so different here than Canada, I don't think I'll ever get used to living here.

I'll  continue looking into nannying although my husband really wants me to have a job with a retirement plan and full benefits. Definitely $20 hour for 1 kid is better than $15 for 20 kids though. I just want more freedom to travel home more often, more money (obviously), and a social life of some kind. Maybe bar tending is the answer. Then again husband already kind of said no to bartending, he's the jealous type. :/ 

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

2 hours ago, amicablebride said:

I've always had good experiences with people in Minnesota and North Dakota. Everyone so friendly and kind. Connecticut and New York on the other hand, as a whole, people have such sour attitudes. And what's up with all the at-will jobs? Bosses act like old school bosses where they point and yell Instead of acting civilized and giving  people constructive feedback along with positive feedback. 

 

I think there is a culture difference between upper Midwesterners and WASPy or Italian/Irish-American culture in the area you live now.  Yes, Minnesotans are outwardly friendly, but getting into their inner circle is hard.  WASPs, in my experience as a former shoreline CT resident and WASP, will initially be a little colder, but if you seem decent, you'll get closer quickly.    Any new place will take some adjustment, I think.  Personally, I've been missing CT lately.

[amicablebride 25]

2 hours ago, Boiler said:

Tips are not normal in the UK, certainly not in a Bar. I have discussed this with people in the US who works in these sectors and none of them would want a much lower but guaranteed income.

 

Often serving staff will make much more than a Chef.

Canada is kind of in between. Tips are normal, but you also get $13.50 / hour base pay rather than the American $2 / hour base pay. That's what makes me so reluctant to work as a server. Also in Canada you don't have to worry about health insurance.. I feel like here in the states you need to have a job that offers a good health plan and serving jobs most definitely don't offer that.