Student Loan Debt?

[ultrarunner]

So you know he made his 10 million from practicing vet med? Were you his accountant? Have you ever worked in veterinary medicine? Even in small animal med where people will spend money to keep Fluffy alive another year, that's not pushing anyone towards the million dollar mark.

What I see from retiring vets is the same in other lines of medicine.

It’s consolidation where smaller practices are bought out coming under joint ownership.

There are economies of scale when it come to billing and increasing regulatory requirements.

It’s often overwhelming for a sole practitioner to carry the overhead for compliance, diversity, HIPAA, Training, License for Emergency, Hazmat, Medical Waste Disposal, Generator, License for Medical Gas, X-ray… etc.

 

[Hay Dude]

Vets also offer Cremation of pets. That is like a money printing press. Pets are extremely common, don’t live very long and when they die, few are buried like humans (yes, I know there are pet cemetaries).
Most are cremated if the owner doesn’t bury in the back yard.

$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[kenmbz]

I moved from NJ to PA.
PA increases in 6 years, $300
NJ increase last 2 years I was there, $1000/year!

Even the NJ state colleges are expensive..........

 

[Hay Dude]

I moved from NJ to PA.
PA increases in 6 years, $300
NJ increase last 2 years I was there, $1000/year!

Even the NJ state colleges are expensive..........

And not very good, either.
Rutgers hasn’t risen to the level of prominence we thought it would.

 

[ultrarunner]

California is or was a magnet for those seeking higher education and the cost was a lot more affordable for residents and the influx of non resident fees helped fund the system...

I don't think there is one fits all solution for all.

 

[MossRoad]

Actually, the economy is doing pretty well. Our wages are up, our expenses are back to pre-pandemic percentages, we don't know anyone that is unemployed, our kids have money in their bank accounts, their job and education prospects are fantastic, our investments are doing great... The same situation applies to all of our friends and co-workers that we talk to. There are many new businesses coming to our area, billions in investment in our county. So I just don't see the doom and gloom. Maybe it's regional?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/01/25/gdp-2023-economy-boom/

 

[kenmbz]

A comprehensive list of 2023 & 2024 tech layoffs | TechCrunch

Here you’ll find a complete list of all the known layoffs in tech, from Big Tech to startups, broken down by month throughout 2023.

techcrunch.com

Most replaced by outsourcing or H1B.

Since many of these people are now off the unemployment benefits, their numbers aren't counted in the employment figures.

Only 240,000(!) in one sector alone. Our company replaced 30,000 people in a move to hire in India and the Eastern Block of Europe.

I think the GDP rise might be weapons sales to other countries

With Student debt being paid off by taxpayers, many are strapped in this economy.
Seems you have to work in fast food to make money around here.

Our grocery bill doubled, so we had to change our buying habits and cut back.

Luckily I am still allowed to work at home as a trip into my office in the city is $40+ per day.......

 

[goeduck]

I also would like to see more on why university and college education costs so much. I would think with all of the remote learning technology (Zoom, Teams, etc.) that we would start to see a decrease in cost. I know remote learning didn't work so well for K-12, but by the time a person gets to college they should have the discipline to do it. To heck with the "college experience". I also think there should be more of a separation of research university functions from education functions, particularly at the undergraduate level. That might allow more accountability on costs.

 

[MoKelly]

Wash U in St Louis is the highest rated university in the area.

Annual list price tuition and room/board is $83000. But, almost 50% of students receive an average financial aid package of $65000.
This is grants - not loans.

They also have a $12.6 billion endowment.

They only accept 14% of those who apply. So, they are at capacity every year.

Much like health care —- university list prices are sort of meaningless.

 

[MossRoad]

...

Our grocery bill doubled, so we had to change our buying habits and cut back.

Luckily I am still allowed to work at home as a trip into my office in the city is $40+ per day.......

Food prices increase 10.4% in 2022, and 2.7% in 2023. Not 100%.