Posts Tagged ‘careers’

At one time or another, most people wish that they could travel back to a time when life was less complicated. Police detective Sam Tyler, the slightly confused hero of “Life on Mars,” accidentally gets that very opportunity. Yet he finds that life in New York City circa 1973 makes him feel as if he’s living on another planet.

Sam Tyler is a modern-day detective who does things strictly by the book. After being struck by a speeding car in 2008, Sam wakes up in New York City in 1973. Inexplicably, he’s wearing 1970s-style clothing, has police identification in his wallet that’s valid until 1974, and he owns a muscle car.

Though some evidence indicates that the world around him is just a hallucination, Tyler sees the streets of New York in incredibly vivid detail, including a heart-stopping view of the newly-constructed World Trade Center. Sam isn’t sure if he has lost his mind, been abducted by aliens, or if he truly has gone back in time. The only thing that he knows for sure is that Gene Hunt, his boss, knows how to throw a punch.

Spending Power in 1973

According to Payscale.com , the current mid-range salary for a police detective who has 10-20 years on the force is $63,568. At age 39, Sam Tyler easily falls into this salary range in 2008, but things are a bit different in 1973. During a candid conversation, one of Sam’s co-workers reveals that he makes “300 clams a week plus change,” which comes out to approximately $15,600 annually.

Assuming that Sam makes just as much as his colleague, he does benefit from some additional job perks. As a new transfer to the 125th Precinct, the police department has put him up in a seedy apartment building, which contains all the clothes that were shipped from his last assignment. Sam also has a free-spirited neighbor who, on at least one occasion, makes him a heaping pan of lasagna.

With no expenditures for rent or clothing, at least for the time being, Sam has more disposable income than other detectives. A music enthusiast, he probably spends a few bucks on vinyl record albums, which cost between $4.98 and $6.99 on the average. Before the first OPEC oil crisis, gas cost about 40 cents per gallon, allowing Sam to freely cruise the streets in his muscle car.

Debit and Credit Cards on “Mars”

Though debit cards tied to bank accounts are quite common these days, the ATM was just starting to gain popularity in 1973. (In the Midwest, one banking chain affectionately referred to their early ATMs as “ugly tellers.”) To cash his paycheck or get a few extra dollars for the weekend, Sam has to stand in line at his bank or head over to a check-cashing place.

In 1973, credit card companies also began using magnetic strips on a wide basis. Though he probably had a MasterCard, Visa, American Express and one department store card in 2008, with his detective salary, Tyler may only qualify for one card with a smaller credit limit in the 1970s.

Sam Tyler’s Past and Future Earnings

Because no one, not even Sam Tyler himself, is exactly sure when he is, his future earnings potential is hard to gauge. If Sam really is a time traveler and returns to the modern world, he’ll find himself in the middle of an economic crisis where banks and credit card companies are failing. If he stays in 1973, Detective Tyler faces inflation and higher gas prices. Neither alternative sounds very attractive.

Steven Bryan

Watching “The Office” is filled with painful moments for viewers, many of which revolve around the Scranton, Penn., branch’s regional manager, Michael Scott. Scott manages to both alienate and endear himself to viewers and his employees, often in the same episode. Unfortunately for him, it isn’t only his professional and personal life that is in need of assistance — his financial situation is disastrous, too. Are his financial situations realistic? And if so, how did he get this far gone?

Who is Michael Scott?

The regional manager of Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch, Scott is known for his socially awkward and often inappropriate behavior. But you can’t help but feel bad for the guy, who’s heart is often in the right place, even though he doesn’t know how to act. Though his salary specifics are never mentioned, it’s reasonable to expect that someone in his position, without a college degree, might make in the realm of $70,000. It’s likely that All Business School’s estimate of $84,000 is a bit high, especially considering the perk of a company car and the fact that Scott does not have a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree, as they assume. We also know that Scott briefly made a comparable salary to warehouse director Darryl. Scott ’s financial troubles come to a head in Season 4, where he admits to his staff that he is in financial trouble and is considering declaring bankruptcy.

How did Scott get into financial trouble?

Scott’s salary of approximately $70,000 is a high one for the Scranton region, according to Simply Hired , which places the Scranton average salary at just under $29,000 a year. In addition, Scott’s only real investment appears to be his condominium, which he purchased in Season 2. However, he has repeatedly stated that he has no investments and no money saved. In addition, he regularly splurges, spending money on office gatherings that are unauthorized by the company, improv classes, and using his credit cards to treat office employees to lunches and special items from Victoria’s Secret.

Scott’s financial situation didn’t get dire, however, until his unemployed girlfriend, Jan, moved in with him, intent on spending his money left and right. Their financial situation was so bad, Scott had to take a second job to make ends meet. It culminated in help from employee Oscar, who helped him with debt consolidation.

Did Scott learn the error of his ways?

Though his financial situation, credit card debt, and money mismanagement came to a head in Season 4, it doesn’t appear that Dunder Mifflin’s regional manager has managed to get his financial situation back on track. After debt consolidation, Scott would have been wise to all but eliminate his credit card spending. Yet, we regularly see him spending money.

With Scott mismanaging his money left and right, viewers are reminded that even those with secure jobs and decent salaries run the risk of credit card troubles if they don’t watch their spending and live within their means.

Kelly Herdrich

From New York to Seattle to Santa Monica, “Private Practice’s” Addison has certainly traipsed across the continent in the past few years. When Addison Montgomery was first introduced to America, she was Derek Shepherd’s wife, tracking him to Seattle during a messy separation. In “Private Practice,” Addison has taken Santa Monica by storm and attempted to get her personal and professional life back in order. But is one of the world’s foremost neo-natal surgeons really able to keep up with the expense of living in Santa Monica, California? Even if she comes in with no credit card debt, you might be surprised to learn the truth.

Who is Addison Montgomery?

According to ABC, “Private Practice’s” Addison is a renowned neonatal surgeon and “board-certified OB/GYN, having completed fellowships in maternal-fetal medicine and medical genetics.” She moved to Santa Monica, California, in 2007, from Manhattan, by way of Seattle, where she ran a top-class NICU and was a star surgeon at Seattle Grace and in “Grey’s Anatomy.” According to Allied Physicians, neonatal medicine roughly brings in between $286,000 and $381,000 depending on the experience level of the doctor. In Addison’s case, and since she is regularly referred to on both “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice” as one of the top neonatal surgeons, it’s logical to assume that she makes approximately $300,000 to $350,000 a year. There’s never been any indication during “Grey’s Anatomy” or “Private Practice” that Addison has any debt, credit card or otherwise, and it appears that she is doing well for herself financially

What’s the Cost of Living in Santa Monica?

Santa Monica, the setting for the private practice that Addison works at, is one of the more expensive areas in the United States to settle in. According to Salary.com’s Cost of Living Calculator, the cost of living in nearby Los Angeles is 24.3 percent higher than in Seattle. So even for Addison, a skilled and renowned surgeon, it’s evident that she would have been making a bit less money after a move to California from Seattle.

In addition to the fact that Addison would be making a slightly smaller salary (also relative to the smaller workload she incurs at a small practice), Santa Monica’s home prices are considerably more than those in Washington. According to Yahoo Real Estate, the median home value in Santa Monica is $1,653,381. Remembering that Addison owns a large and beautiful home on the water, it’s reasonable to assume that her home probably cost in the vicinity of $2,000,000, and potentially more.

Could Addison Swing It?

Though it might seem like Addison is good to go, in fact, she’d be hard pressed to make it work while still saving money for retirement and expenses. Typically, you should spend no more than one-third of your gross salary on your mortgage. So, if Addison is making $350,000 a year, she wouldn’t want to spend more than $116,666 a year on her mortgage, which is approximately $9,722 a month. However, the Mortgage Calc calculator estimates that a home of $2,000,000 with a 30-year mortgage and a 5.75-percent interest rate would cost Addison approximately $11,671 a month. Even if she had money to put down on the house, it could be a tight squeeze for her to live and spend at will in posh Santa Monica society without the use of credit cards. Add in fancy parties, clothes, shoes and handbags, all of which seem to simply appear for Addison, and it’s pretty obvious that she’s either using a credit card or you’re watching television.

Even doctors and surgeons don’t have it easy these days. Before we’ve even talked about malpractice insurance and health insurance companies, a doctor making $350,000 might be hard pressed to keep up with the Joneses in a well-to-do part of town. Even a doctor making a decent wage might not be able to live up to television’s standards. Watch Addison’s spending and lifestyle on “Private Practice” with a grain of salt - even the best credit cards in her wallet might be getting more of a workout than it appears.

Kelly Herdrich

To further their careers and increase their paychecks, some people go back to school for advanced degrees or work overtime in the hopes of earning a promotion. A higher salary means additional disposable income and prestigious platinum level credit cards that offer better rewards.

Former U.S. Marshall Jack Carter, the everyman hero on the television series “Eureka,” got his promotion purely by accident. An unplanned detour into a small town led to a new job, a higher salary and more spending power.

Running Off the Road into “Eureka”

In addition to their other duties, Federal Marshalls apprehend fugitives and transport prisoners, which Carter did in the very first episode of the series. Unfortunately, the young woman in his custody was none other than his rebellious daughter Zoe, who had run away from home.

While arguing with his child, Carter ran off the road and damaged his vehicle. He and Zoe then walked to the nearest town, a picturesque place in the Pacific Northwest called Eureka. Marshall Carter hoped to simply get his car repaired and take Zoe back home where she belonged.

During his stay, Carter discovered that Eureka actually contains some of the most brilliant scientific minds on the planet who develop new and innovative devices. With so much experimental technology, this town does, however, have one of the highest mortality rates in the country plus several government overseers.

From Federal Marshall to Eureka’s Sheriff

Though he may seem clueless at times, Jack Carter actually is quite good at his job, so good in fact that he ends up becoming Eureka’s new sheriff. This was a promotion from his Federal Marshall position that came with an increase in pay and pretty decent health benefits.

According to the Masters in Criminal Justice Web site, entry level Deputy Marshalls (GS-082-5) bring home between $36,658 and $41,260 each year and qualify for pension benefits. More experienced Marshalls (GS-082-7) can expect to earn as much as $46,969, but Carter’s gross income for his new job should be somewhere in the $50,000 to $60,000 range plus hazardous duty pay.

The Homeless Marshall

After taking his new position, Carter had to move from Los Angeles to Eureka, but there was no place for him to stay except for his office. Douglas Fargo, one of the local scientists, eventually let the new sheriff live in a prototype “smart house” guided by an artificial intelligence named SARAH. In exchange for testing the house and SARAH, Carter gets to stay there rent free.

What’s in Jack’s Wallet?

Despite his unusual job, Jack Carter is, at heart, a man who enjoys simple things like beer and baseball. He most likely has arranged to have his government paycheck deposited directly into his bank account, which he accesses with a debit card to purchase his favorite snacks, food and beverages.

In addition to groceries, Jack does take several meals at the Café Diem, the local Eureka eatery where Vincent, the head chef, can make just about any dish imaginable. Carter favors basic meals, though, like cheeseburgers and fries, which means he spends about $8 for lunch. The coffee always is free, however. It’s highly likely that Sheriff Carter also carries several credit cards to pay for his dry cleaning and other basic purchases required for his job.

The Out-of-Work Sheriff

The latest episode of “Eureka” ended with Carter losing his job as the town sheriff. Because Eureka is a government facility, Jack will have to leave town and return to his old job in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, he’ll lose the additional pay that the sheriff’s job gave him, which may have a detrimental effect on his credit rating and spending power.

Steven Bryan