You Want to Take Your Spouse Out to Dinner But You Didn't Pay Yourself This Week

Your spouse mentions that new restaurant downtown. You know, the one with the amazing reviews that you've been wanting to try for months. They're looking at you with hopeful eyes, and all you can think is "Shit, I can't afford a $60 dinner because I didn't pay myself again this week."

So you make up some excuse. "Maybe next week." "I'm not really in the mood for Italian." "Let's just order pizza tonight."

Meanwhile, you saw 28 patients this week. Your schedule was packed. Money came in. But somehow, there's nothing left for you. Again.

Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so.

I've Been That Person

During the worst of my financial chaos in 2023, I was working full-time hours but paying myself part-time money. Some months, I didn't pay myself at all because I convinced myself that keeping the lights on and paying my team was more important than paying the person who built the damn business.

I remember my husband suggesting we go out for our anniversary, and I had to tell him we couldn't afford it. Here I was, running TWO chiropractic offices, and I couldn't take my own husband to dinner. The shame was crushing.

I was so busy trying to be the "good boss" and the "heart-centered healer" that I forgot a basic truth: if you don't pay yourself a living wage, you'll eventually have nothing left to give anyone else.

I was sacrificing my own financial stability to avoid the hard conversations about pricing and profitability. And you know what? It nearly bankrupted us both personally and professionally.

Here's the Reality Check You Need

You're not being noble by not paying yourself. You're being stupid. (Yeah, I said it.)

If your practice can't afford to pay you a living wage, your practice isn't viable. Period.

Let's do some math. If you're seeing 25 patients a week at $50 per visit, that's $1,250 weekly or $5,000 monthly in collections. If your overhead is $3,500 (including a $2,000 salary for YOU), you should have $1,500 left over.

But here's what's probably happening: You're not including your salary in your overhead calculations. You're treating yourself like the last priority instead of a business expense. Big mistake.

Your salary isn't optional. It's not the thing you pay "if there's money left over." It's a fixed expense, just like your rent.

Here's what I want you to do right now: Calculate what you need to live comfortably. Not survive. Live. Include mortgage, groceries, that anniversary dinner, and yes, even some fun money. Let's say that's $4,000 a month.

Now work backwards. If you see 1,000 patient visits monthly and need $4,000 for yourself plus $36,000 for other overhead ($40,000 total), you need to charge at least $40 per visit. Want a 30% profit margin? Make it $52.

Can't hit those numbers with your current pricing? Then raise your prices. Can't raise prices without losing patients? Then you need more efficient systems or a different business model.

How I Help Practitioners Stop Starving Themselves

I work with chiropractors, massage therapists, and acupuncturists who are tired of being the lowest-paid person in their own practice. We get real about what you actually need to earn, not what you think you "should" be satisfied with.

In my 90-Day Profit Clarity Program, we start by calculating your true salary needs and building that into your overhead from day one. No more treating yourself like an afterthought. We organize your expenses so you can see exactly where your money goes, audit your practice costs to find the leaks, and create cash flow systems that pay you first, not last.

I check in with you throughout the 90 days because changing these patterns isn't just about math—it's about rewiring your brain to value yourself as much as you value your patients.

Ready to stop skipping dinner dates because you skipped paying yourself? Download my free budget spreadsheet [Budget Sheet] to start including your salary as a non-negotiable expense, or book a call [Chaos to Profit in 90 Days] to discuss the 90-Day Program.

Because you deserve to take your spouse to dinner. Hell, you deserve to take yourself to dinner.