If you & your husband are making a GOOD living...

amother

Wed, Oct 25 2006, 11:22 pm

... how are you doing it? What are your jobs/professions?

My husband is trying to change careers in order to bring in more parnassa. He currently teaches. His background does include some general business experience and he has his own part-time business now in addition to teaching.

Do any of you and/or your husband have a job doing honest work that brings in significant income to support a family? Anything unique (beyond doctor/lawyer/accountant/other professional that takes years of education)?

BTW I define making a "good" living as being able to comfortably pay all your bills, period. Being able to save a little/invest would be a nice bonus.

chocolate moose

Thu, Oct 26 2006, 6:54 am

I am a secretary and DH sells insurance. For non professionals, we make a good living.

I'm not so sure it's what you make, though, it's how much you can save. (Isn't that a David Lerner commercial?)

Raisin

Thu, Oct 26 2006, 7:10 am

Someone told me to be frum in America (what if all the school fees etc) being middle class is not enough. She told her husband was starting up his own business for this reason.

Business (your own, not working for someone else's) is usually the only way to do well if you are not a professional. The downside is you could do really badly and lose lots of money which is why more people don't do it.

There is also thing like propety investing etc which you can do when you have money saved up.

mendels mommy

Thu, Oct 26 2006, 8:48 am

I have the same question, but how does it work if your on salary, and you are good for now, then with 3 kids later and your mortgage payments, it doesn't work .....then what do you do??? Rolling Eyes

Chani

Thu, Oct 26 2006, 9:51 am

I think if more school is out of the question, then going into business is the only way...Personally I think it's a lot harder (and riskier) to go into business for yourself than it is to go back to school and get the professional degree! BTW, actuaries do quite well, and there is good demand in the field, but you need a math, hard science, engineering, or the like as an ungrad degree, and the willingness to put in a lot of effort to study for the exams for the first few years on the job.

Piper

Thu, Oct 26 2006, 11:15 am

brooklyn wrote:

What do you consider to be a good living. My estimate might be way different than yours.

well, where I live, to put 2 kids through private school and afford a home in walking distance to the shul, a family should have a combined income of around $170k. This includes living frugal. In some areas, to afford a home, you need at least double that amount, as the homes are in the millions. Not joking.

chavamom

Thu, Oct 26 2006, 11:47 am

Chani wrote:

BTW, actuaries do quite well, and there is good demand in the field, but you need a math, hard science, engineering, or the like as an ungrad degree, and the willingness to put in a lot of effort to study for the exams for the first few years on the job.

Actually, the first part isn't necessarily true. My sister is an actuary. She works with a guy whose degree is in concert music, another with a degree in philosophy. It's all about passing the tests. She keeps trying to convince dh he should take the first exam (he excells in math, even though he has a BFA and smicha)..

Chani

Thu, Oct 26 2006, 2:21 pm

They're definitely the exception. I know dozens, literally, of actuaries, and only a few (less than 10%) don't have a degree in math, science or engineering. The exams are very hard; back in the day when I was still taking exams the pass rate was generally less than 50%, sometimes much less. I should know, having taken (and passed, B'H) a few, and I was in a doctoral program in math. (Yes, for those who are going to be saying HMMM, I did go to law school too - did them both). Very very few people are capable of passing them without the right undergraduate background. The demand is incredible, though.

Piper

Thu, Oct 26 2006, 6:11 pm

wow Chani. I am impressed. math was and still is, my sore subject. Crying

. I got a masters in experimental psychology. I had to do a lot of applied statisitics, and I actually did very well. As long as I use the math for a reason, I can do it. Go figure.

Btw., my license plate reads "3.14pers". Most people don't understand it. Go figure Question

cassandra

Thu, Oct 26 2006, 6:54 pm

Piper wrote:

. As long as I use the math for a reason, I can do it. Go figure.

I find math and statistics to be very different. Math was always difficult for me but statistics were a breeze.

batya_d

Thu, Oct 26 2006, 9:21 pm

Piper wrote:

And this... is why I don't sleep at night!! Exploding anger

roza

Thu, Oct 26 2006, 9:59 pm

3.14 is pi (pronounced 'pie')

3.14pers = pipers

see wikipedia on pi : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi

p.s. just today I read on livejournal that Hashem's name Shakai has gematriah 314

also see http://ohr.edu/ask_db/ask_main.php/287/Q1/ on pi in Torah

brooklyn

Fri, Oct 27 2006, 5:21 am

Piper wrote:

brooklyn wrote:

What do you consider to be a good living. My estimate might be way different than yours.

Well, to those who can afford the million dollar homes I say good for them, they should have continued success. I just hope that they use some of that money to help those that could really use it. For the rest, I guess they will just have to live someplace less expensive.