LOL .. so did I in my former employer where we had for example a contract to put fiber into a doctors office. We did an aerial drop and installed it - it was never used for over 2 years (but they paid for it) and decided they weren’t going to use it. It was on a 7 year contract (to avoid construction fees) and they just paid it out. So basically 7 years of what was quite honestly expensive fiber service and never used … but paid for no problem.
> On Jan 14, 2017, at 2:07 PM, ch...@wbmfg.com wrote: > > I like that kind of spending... > > -----Original Message----- From: Paul Stewart > Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2017 12:04 PM > To: af@afmug.com > Subject: Re: [AFMUG] OT Slightly, Cost of Living > > well as we all know, nothing is for free. when I see how money is spent in > canada relating to healthcare, I see a huge amount of waste…. things liking > doing 1.5mil dollar fiber builds to connect a doctors office in a remote area > that is only open 4 hours a week kind of crap…. seen LOTS of that kind of > spending….. > > >> On Jan 14, 2017, at 1:06 PM, Jay Weekley <par...@cyberbroadband.net> wrote: >> >> I thought healthcare in Canada was free. >> >> Paul Stewart wrote: >>> Canada isn’t all it’s cracked up to be neither …. ;) >>> >>> the $2100/month for health insurance sounds like it’s a lot of parts >>> involved though…. sounds more like a mixture of health coverage and >>> benefits. >>> >>> So in Canada, we have provincial and federal healthcare coverage which >>> various from province to province. I didn’t know until Eric mentioned it >>> now about folks in BC having to pay out of their own pockets for provincial >>> health care (a portion). >>> >>> Ontario for example, where I live, and much like other provinces in Canada, >>> have very high taxes in my opinion. For me, here’s what I see: >>> >>> healthcare coverage - included by province for “most” things… doctors >>> visits, hospital coverage if needed (ward coverage only). No out of pocket >>> expenses, however a lot of doctors are fed up with the way they are being >>> treated by the province and coming up with “nickel and dime” fees such as a >>> $30/fee every time they need to write a prescription. This varies wildly >>> amongst areas and doctors offices. >>> >>> Benefits coverage from my employer - upgrades your hospital stays to >>> private room and covers a few more “corner cases” that province won’t >>> cover. Vision coverage of $200/year per household member (glasses/contacts >>> etc). 100% of prescription drugs covered at zero cost (with some >>> exceptions that I’ve never come across). These benefits cost me zero as an >>> employee but cost the company quite an amount - taking a guess of around >>> $400-$600/month per employee. These benefits also include short term and >>> long term disability coverage too…. massage therapy, chiropractor treatment >>> etc… (all with limits though but enough to get some “basic” stuff done) >>> >>> The stuff that really kills me is all the other stuff …. simple stuff like >>> cost of groceries and gasoline … electrical bills, property taxes etc…. >>> income taxes >>> >>> Quick breakdown for me (all averaged prices): >>> >>> $800-$1000/month in automobile gasoline >>> $400/month for home/auto insurance >>> $500/month property taxes (includes water bill @ $100/month) >>> $300/month in highway tolls >>> $80/month for natural gas >>> $350/month for electricity >>> $60/month in bank fees >>> $300/month in cell phone bills (3 phones on plan) >>> $100/month for satellite TV >>> $120/month for Internet service (two providers) >>> $1200/month for food/drink >>> >>> This is for family of 4 and doesn’t include any alcohol, entertainment >>> (movies/dinners) etc… also doesn’t include mortgage if I had one etc… >>> doesn’t include things like savings/retirement planning etc etc…. >>> >>> Total monthly of about $4400 for family of 4 and let’s add a mortgage of >>> $1800/month and that would bring it to roughly $6,200 to live comfortably >>> but not luxury by any means. In my personal case I also have about >>> $1300/month in car payments too ;) >>> >>> To top it all off, 39% of my income immediately goes to various income >>> related taxes >>> >>> Paul >>> >>> >>>> On Jan 13, 2017, at 5:25 PM, Sterling Jacobson <sterl...@avative.net >>>> <mailto:sterl...@avative.net>> wrote: >>>> >>>> Then I would have to defect to Canada… >>>> Seriously though, this is why it’s such a big issue in the USA. >>>> My middle class-hood is killing me here. >>>> *From:*Af [mailto:af-boun...@afmug.com]*On Behalf Of*Eric Kuhnke >>>> *Sent:*Friday, January 13, 2017 3:10 PM >>>> *To:*af@afmug.com <mailto:af@afmug.com> >>>> *Subject:*Re: [AFMUG] OT Slightly, Cost of Living >>>> >>>> $2100 a month for health insurance??? >>>> >>>> My wife and I pay $150 Canadian a month for both of us for the BC >>>> provincial health insurance... Part of the federally funded system. >>>> >>>> I cannot even fathom the idea of paying $500, $1000 or more for health >>>> insurance for a family of 2 people, or 2 people + children, etc. >>>> >>>> It's true that income taxes and other taxes are higher in Canada, but if >>>> you consider that $2100 as a "tax" on your life and add it up to your >>>> federal payroll deducations for US income tax, you may actually be paying >>>> a lot more in a year than I do. No matter what income bracket you're in. >>>> On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 9:57 AM, Sterling Jacobson <sterl...@avative.net >>>> <mailto:sterl...@avative.net>> wrote: >>>> >>>> I'm guessing this information is like a lot of you out there. >>>> >>>> Except maybe my earnings because I am making about double median >>>> gross salary for my city. >>>> >>>> I'm not saying I work double, but I do fulfill many roles as the >>>> only salary employee of my startup ISP. >>>> I don't think I can replace myself for the same cost to the >>>> company, so I feel ok with that. >>>> >>>> I don't live extravagantly, but I do live comfortably. >>>> >>>> I have a 3100 sqr foot rambler I've lived in since 2001 with a >>>> house payment of around $1500 a month. >>>> >>>> But my biggest expense is health/insurance and medical. >>>> >>>> I now pay about $2100 a month for my family health insurance >>>> through IHC. >>>> I just signed up for a good Dental Gold plan at $100 a month for >>>> my family, but since it's not company I have to wait 6-12 months >>>> for a lot of the benefits :( >>>> The insurance deductibles are I think around $6000 a year and I >>>> have medications that eat up most of that. >>>> >>>> I just upped my life and disability insurance on myself and my >>>> wife to make sure things don't go bad if I die, that's around >>>> $550 a month. >>>> >>>> I think I spend about $1000 a month on eating, groceries and >>>> movies/date nights, at least that's what I came up to in December >>>> so that might be a bit off. >>>> >>>> I've got real estate I'm still trying to sell, but it's not the >>>> panica everyone says it is, lol! >>>> >>>> I just feel like finances don't go as far as they used to a few >>>> years ago. >>>> >>>> I'm not sparking a political debate, just wanted to see if >>>> everyone see things in a similar light? >>>> >>>> Or am I just doing the wrong things? >>>> >>> >>> No virus found in this message. >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature> >>> Version: 2016.0.7996 / Virus Database: 4749/13764 - Release Date: 01/14/17 >>> >> > >
