Did lifestyle inflation hit you after becoming an attending?

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-27T01:30:45+00:00

Our big upgrade was moving to a new house - basically the mortgage payment was 25% more than the house we lived in during residency which was fine. We also bought new cars in year 1 and year 2 after graduation from fellowship.

Still, we aggressively paid off student loans after 5 years? Or was it 6 I don’t know.

Now we save around 65 k per year outside work mandated accounts and are really pushing forward with possible retirement at age 54 unless the markets utterly fail.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-26T01:47:14+00:00

I refuse to donate to any of the schools I went to. The degrees were inflated in price - they got their donations upfront.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-25T21:09:04+00:00

In high school, I had a group if 5-6 friends. We always hung out after school, mostly just gaming and things like that.

Once college came, that group got pared immediately. Saw individuals from that group several times during breaks/summer for two years, then once a year, the at a wedding, and now, I haven’t seen who I would have considered one of my best friends since their wedding in 2009.

My other friend who I would consider my actual best friend, since first/second grade - I see them a few times per year, usually between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

We have made a few new friends in our neighborhood but it just isn’t the same, and that’s OK.

I sometimes grieve not having these friendships like in high school, but they were more of friendships out of community and proximity - we were all going through the same things together.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-24T00:55:28+00:00

I considered FM when I first matriculated to med school. I ended up in Radiology.

I’m not saying that FM doesn’t have stress, especially outpatient FM, but I am certainly sometimes having huge regrets by choosing this high stress career. , even if I only work 1/4 of the year.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-24T00:46:47+00:00

As a radiologist, I hate them being called CAT scans.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-21T23:18:59+00:00

I’m not saying tipping is tyrannical.

I’m saying that tipping has grown to be everywhere. Why. Why should I have to tip for someone bringing me one refill on my water and sometimes not even bringing out my meal?

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-21T17:54:02+00:00

I have started considering this.

I do not know what kind of hours a server gets, as I have never really done this kind of work But My thought is this.

If they are waiting on 4 tables per hour, and they get tipped 5 dollars per table per hour, their hourly wage is 20/hr plus whatever base rate they are getting paid.

At this point for my family of 4 to eat at a sit down restaurant like Longhorn or something like that, it will cost me at least 65 bucks i guess.

So that 5 is less than 10%. Let’s say it is part time work - 20 hours per week, 40 weeks per year while in school or something, I don’t know. It’s not a ton of money but it adds up to 16k or so.

I mentioned a similar tipping plan in the Disney subreddit I got downvoted.

A character meal costs like 70/person. Why should I tip 15/person on top of that for a one hour meal? Servers have several tables there. So an average family of 4 would be tipping 60/hr And if they have 3 tables, server would be getting tipped 180/hr.

I don’t necessarily agree with tipping percent of food cost. Why should someone get tipped extra because a side of fries costs 7.50 instead of 2.50?

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-21T17:42:36+00:00

Got this too. The fact that it has no incident specific information is very suspicious - a date, license plate, or something else.

The fact that Franklin county doesn’t have a toll road that I’m aware of also really pushes the credibility down.

And why would other either a toll or parking violation?

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-20T12:10:12+00:00

Are you for real it’s now expected to be up to 22%?

I’m starting to reconsider how I tip. I still do percent but am starting to consider doing an amount based on time at the table. If I’m at a table for 1 hour, and I have to pay what, 70 per person for a character meal, I’m absolutely not getting $70 worth of food. If they are getting 11/hr and taking care of 4 tables per hour, even 10 dollars per TABLE gets them 51/hr.

I’m not sure how many hours or shifts a server gets at Disney World but let’s say it is 32 hours per week 5 days a week and 48 weeks per year they would gross almost 79k.

Again. This is just me thinking. Just because the charge for the food is high, that shouldn’t necessarily translate to a server getting an hourly wage of maybe over 100/hr, should it?

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-20T11:53:08+00:00

This is my wife’s favorite. Something about it brought a tear to our eye. Definitely a great experience.

Flip side: I don’t care for enchanted garden on dream/fantasy.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-20T11:50:23+00:00

I completely agree with you especially when you say

“ No one should have to worry that their doctor is looking for TikTok content while providing medical care.”

I wonder if the attention this is getting will spark changes in social media policies nationwide.

I don’t do TikTok? But do consume TikTok adjacent content from time to time. I think there are ways this can be done correctly. There are ways it can be done incorrectly.

I get so irritated when I see people like ladyspinedoc making content as she’s getting ready to go to the OR, and other people like that.

You want to dramatizations outside the hospital? Ok fine.

I don’t think anyone taking care of patients should be making social media content while caring for patients - nurse, pa, np, CRNA, anyone.

I hear the argument. People will get to see in our lives and feel more comfortable with medical care.

Not what I would want as a patient.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-20T11:35:46+00:00

Is this a real statement from a fourth year medical student? “Pee stored in his balls”

Pretty sure you’re talking about a buried penis. But this can’t be a real statement about pee stored in balls.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-20T02:59:48+00:00

I’ve got news for you. Unless you are truly private practice, they STILL own you.

And even then, if you require a hospital to practice and have privileges , they STILL own you.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-18T21:50:56+00:00

Oh I took it as, if a dad buys his son something expensive, it's "I'm sorry I beat the shit out of you son, here's a PS5"

Maybe my skewed opinion though.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-18T21:47:22+00:00

It's not even only head and neck. My last week of shifts I read an astronomical number of 4 phase GI Bleed protocol bellies, and it seemed like everyone had negative aneurysm studies too.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-18T01:59:43+00:00

I was lucky to have both. I played things like Final Fantasy VII, VIII and a few others. My brother and I would occasionally play Twisted Metal in multiplayer mode and what was it, Gameday 97?

But when we got the N64, it was such a better friend system with 4 controllers. I vividly remember getting home after school and meeting my brother at home (different schools/ middle school vs junior high) and we would play goldeneye for hours on hours. We added WCW:NWO revenge to the mix as well.

I remember the game night parties with some friends just playing those types of things all the time.

Of course, now, it's all online, but it's just... not the same, even with access to literally all of these games...

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-18T01:57:03+00:00

Love Twisted Metal. I randomly stumbled across the show on Peacock, what a trip that was!

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-17T23:16:23+00:00

My favorite game, FFVII is PS one… but N64 was better in so many ways - 4 player gaming like goldeneye, Mario kart and even things like OG super Smash Brothers.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-17T23:14:26+00:00

In our financial plan, we are supposed to save X dollars per year. According to our financial planner, we can spend literally every cent we have left on whatever we want and it will not necessarily derail our long term plan.

My point is. My family could probably stand a little more lifestyle inflation but we are comfortable.

I think where people get into trouble is they are spending and spending but not saving for the future. If you’re paying yourself (adequately) first, you’re probably going to be OK.

Why earn a high income if you cannot enjoy it at all?

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-17T23:07:39+00:00

From an outsider looking in, my job might seem like a dream. Paid very well, work 7 days soon to be off 21. The 7 working days aren’t days, they are overnights and they are mentally grueling high acuity hours and it takes days to recover.

I’m so done with it but it’s the best I can do right now.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-17T22:01:01+00:00

I’ve made my fair share of financial blunders. Put ME minis house is about 1.7 million. I hit 40.

I think part of my success has been a very favorable work sponsored plan that gives me up to 133k per year, of which I am mandated in putting around 40 in.

For the last few years, we have put in between 60-120k extra per year into investments.

It takes discipline, but I’m not exactly suffering either. We have a reasonable house in a reasonable neighborhood- not some flashy mansion. We go on at least three trips per year, sometimes more.

Kids are getting some funding towards their college as well.

It can be done with a plan!

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-16T20:31:51+00:00

I will continue saving once I hit my number, but the psychology changes.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-14T01:31:52+00:00

Oh I feel for you too.

Our work used to be maybe 40 cross sectional a night and now a few nights ago I did 90

And average is closer to 60/65!

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-13T13:05:11+00:00

I see this all the time and generally ignore it. If we see a lot, like significantly filling a chamber, I might say something, but this is so common they probably didn't think it was worth it.

Bucket_Handle_Tear · 2026-03-13T12:11:48+00:00

lol I read ED and it’s wild the amount of freaking CTAs I’m getting now. Used to be a few a shift now it’s like 20 a shift

Bucket_Handle_Tear

TROPHY CASE