[Rickson9]

My wife and I think that we have found a job that really lets you save a lot of money - pharmaceutical sales.

Both my wife and I work in the industry. She sells to pharmacists and I sell to physicians.

How does this job let you save?
1. The company pays for your car including monthly payments, maintenance and gas.
2. The company pays for your lunch
3. The company pays for internet access
4. The company pays for your home phone line and cell phone line
5. The company gives you a computer and printer
6. The company pays for printer paper, ink, stamps/postage and office supplies

After all the costs our company covers, my wife and I find that the only thing we have left to pay for are property taxes and groceries.

I used to be an engineer until my wife turned me on to this amazing industry!

I would suggest that if anybody has children, this is an area for them to look into. I just wished my career councellor in high school knew enough to tell me about it!

 

[OnlineHarvest]

My wife and I think that we have found a job that really lets you save a lot of money - pharmaceutical sales.

Both my wife and I work in the industry. She sells to pharmacists and I sell to physicians.

How does this job let you save?
1. The company pays for your car including monthly payments, maintenance and gas.
2. The company pays for your lunch
3. The company pays for internet access
4. The company pays for your home phone line and cell phone line
5. The company gives you a computer and printer
6. The company pays for printer paper, ink, stamps/postage and office supplies

After all the costs our company covers, my wife and I find that the only thing we have left to pay for are property taxes and groceries.

I used to be an engineer until my wife turned me on to this amazing industry!

I would suggest that if anybody has children, this is an area for them to look into. I just wished my career councellor in high school knew enough to tell me about it!

Hello Rickson,
I'm actually in medical device sales so I can relate. However, it varies from company to company on how generous they are with these benefits.

And I don't want to be a stickler, but the use of the automobile and other related expenses for personal use is not FREE (that is, unless you are deceptive with CRA). You will have to pay taxes in accordance with the percentage of personal usage. Mind you, if you had to pay out of pocket, it would be much higher for sure. But free, nope.

I agree with you 100% though. This is a great position to have to save quite a bit of money. And since this is one industry on the rise, I wouldn't be surprised if more people look into these positions.

 

[mfd]

Car and Gas is a big bonus that people don't seem to account for.

My friend's girlfriend was a little disgruntled at her salary of $40k until we calculated what her salary really is if she had to pay for her own car and gas. Turns out her salary came out to being closer to over $50k. It helped put things into perspective for her.

 

[Rickson9]

Hello Rickson,
I'm actually in medical device sales so I can relate. However, it varies from company to company on how generous they are with these benefits.

And I don't want to be a stickler, but the use of the automobile and other related expenses for personal use is not FREE (that is, unless you are deceptive with CRA). You will have to pay taxes in accordance with the percentage of personal usage. Mind you, if you had to pay out of pocket, it would be much higher for sure. But free, nope.

I agree with you 100% though. This is a great position to have to save quite a bit of money. And since this is one industry on the rise, I wouldn't be surprised if more people look into these positions.

Good point. The auto is a taxible benefit and depends on the ratio of professional/personal use so it is not technically 'free'. But as you said, it is a great deal compared to 'the norm'.

 

[shaynepathum]

My wife and I think that we have found a job that really lets you save a lot of money - pharmaceutical sales.

Both my wife and I work in the industry. She sells to pharmacists and I sell to physicians.

How does this job let you save?
1. The company pays for your car including monthly payments, maintenance and gas.
2. The company pays for your lunch
3. The company pays for internet access
4. The company pays for your home phone line and cell phone line
5. The company gives you a computer and printer
6. The company pays for printer paper, ink, stamps/postage and office supplies

After all the costs our company covers, my wife and I find that the only thing we have left to pay for are property taxes and groceries.

I used to be an engineer until my wife turned me on to this amazing industry!

I would suggest that if anybody has children, this is an area for them to look into. I just wished my career councellor in high school knew enough to tell me about it!

Rickson

I am quite interested to find out more about pharmaceutical sales. How can I contact you for more Qs? I am actually a scientist in pharmaceutical industry. After many years of grad school and finally starting down my intended career path, I have come to the realization that I have absolutely no passion for the grueling research that bears no fruit 99.9999% of the time. The money is OK but not great. I would love to know more about your job.

 

[Rickson9]

Rickson

I am quite interested to find out more about pharmaceutical sales. How can I contact you for more Qs? I am actually a scientist in pharmaceutical industry. After many years of grad school and finally starting down my intended career path, I have come to the realization that I have absolutely no passion for the grueling research that bears no fruit 99.9999% of the time. The money is OK but not great. I would love to know more about your job.

You can email me. My sig will take you to my web site where I have my email. My email is probably also available on this forum.

 

[OnlineHarvest]

Good point. The auto is a taxible benefit and depends on the ratio of professional/personal use so it is not technically 'free'. But as you said, it is a great deal compared to 'the norm'.

Absolutely!

I think as long as you drive the car less than 50% personal, you'll come out ahead. A while ago, it used to be 10%, which meant many people fibbed on their tax returns. Now that the 'efficient' maximum is much higher, there is little benefit to lie on the return. Personally I drive anywhere from 20-30% personal with my vehicle.

Do you keep a mileage log?

 

[OnlineHarvest]

Rickson

I am quite interested to find out more about pharmaceutical sales. How can I contact you for more Qs? I am actually a scientist in pharmaceutical industry. After many years of grad school and finally starting down my intended career path, I have come to the realization that I have absolutely no passion for the grueling research that bears no fruit 99.9999% of the time. The money is OK but not great. I would love to know more about your job.

I think you are in a good position to get a good pharma sales job. Typically they go for selling/mgmt experience and teach the medical, or someone with a medical background, and teach the selling part.

It all depends on what they see as more appropriate for their fit, but generally, as long as you sell yourself and why your background is a strength, you should be OK.

 

[ghostryder]

My wife and I think that we have found a job that really lets you save a lot of money - pharmaceutical sales.

Both my wife and I work in the industry. She sells to pharmacists and I sell to physicians....

I would suggest that if anybody has children, this is an area for them to look into. I just wished my career councellor in high school knew enough to tell me about it!

I am reading a book called "Our Daily Meds" right now that is very interesting. I don't think I could do your job after reading this book. I would not be able to look myself in the mirror.

On the other hand my experience with a job that makes saving easy.....

When I was younger I went to AB with a friend and we did seismic work. Starting pay was a couple of bucks over minimum but OT started after 44 hours. Working 16 hours a day, the OT racked up fast. We also got a non-taxable per-diem to cover meals. As long as you didn't drink or smoke all your money it was easy to not spend a dime.

After I went home (injured) my buddy ended up on a pipeline construction crew. Better pay, more isolated, nothing to spend money on. In one stretch he spent 9 weeks straight working 7 days a week. They were supposed to rotate out but somehow he would always "miss" the chopper out of the bush. They finally had to physically restrain him and send him out. He came home, renewed his driver's licence, walked into the Nissan dealer, pointed at the Maxima in the showroom and said gimme one of those. They drove him to the bank to pickup a bank draft and he drove home in less than an hour. He went back to work after 2 weeks.

 

[Rickson9]

After I went home (injured) my buddy ended up on a pipeline construction crew. Better pay, more isolated, nothing to spend money on. In one stretch he spent 9 weeks straight working 7 days a week. They were supposed to rotate out but somehow he would always "miss" the chopper out of the bush. They finally had to physically restrain him and send him out. He came home, renewed his driver's licence, walked into the Nissan dealer, pointed at the Maxima in the showroom and said gimme one of those. They drove him to the bank to pickup a bank draft and he drove home in less than an hour. He went back to work after 2 weeks.

He toiled 7 days a week for 9 weeks to buy a pricey depreciating asset? That's depressing.

 

[ghostryder]

He toiled 7 days a week for 9 weeks to buy a pricey depreciating asset? That's depressing.

He was 21. He had a goal, and accomplished it. His next goals after that were a down payment and enough in the bank to go back to school.

Considering the number of posts over at RFD that are "I'm 27, still live at home with my mommy & daddy, pay no rent, make $60k/yr and have $40k in the bank. Should I buy a Lexus or a BMW?" I think he was a little smarter than average.

I made different choices, different strokes....

The point wasn't really about his choices, but that being willing to do hard work in isolated circumstances made it really easy to save money. There was nowhere to spend money on.

 

[Rickson9]

The point wasn't really about his choices, but that being willing to do hard work in isolated circumstances made it really easy to save money. There was nowhere to spend money on.

Gotcha.

 

[The_Number]

I know that this was probably not the intent of the original poster, but I think almost any job allows you to save money as long as your spending is controlled.

 

[Mintycake]

Let me preface this by saying this is not my job (I'd get in if I could...)
My friend works for a government funded organization in the health industry. Part of her job is going to site visits to hospitals all over Canada. Not only is her travel paid for, but the time she spends travelling is compensated. When she's on the road, her food is paid for. She also can work from home when she's not on the road. So she has reduced costs for food and transportation with her job.

Don't even get me started on her pension, which essentially eats up her RRSP room so she doesn't need to save for that, either!