MovieChat Forums > The Big Bang Theory (2007) Discussion > Money issues portrayed by the show....

Money issues portrayed by the show....

posted 5 years ago by SolemnMime (174)
9 replies | jump to latest

I always found the jokes in some episodes regarding the characters' financial situations to be a bit out of place at the least.

For example, it is portrayed sometimes as if Raj, Sheldon, Leonard and Howard have had financial issues, despite all of them being advanced, high-end scientists who should be earning multiple times above the average salary.

The episode where that other blonde girl that Penny gets in to a fight with (earlier seasons) who Penny tells that, "Physicists don't make that much," or something like that is expressed.

Isn't this kind of odd? Why make it seem like top-end, advanced scientists would be having tons of financial issues?

They would normally have very sufficient salaries for even a somewhat infrequent, "lavish" sort of lifestyle even if they wanted. The show seems to sometimes hint at financial limitations as if they were struggling to get by in some ways when they are mostly advanced in their reasonably high-paid, scientific careers.

Does anyone else not see this as a bit weird? Not saying they're supposed to be rich, but at least they should be well-off and not be portrayed as having multiple financial downfalls or such as if they were barely scraping by.

It has always been one of those "things" that kind of threw the show off for me, but I still mostly like it -- not ragging on it really.

[–] PaladinNJ (21771) 5 years ago

They're non tenured college employees. They wouldn't be making that much yet. Also take into account that all of them except Raj still have outstanding student loans to pay off.

[–] SolemnMime (174) 5 years ago

Hmmm. I guess that makes some sense.

I didn't consider the debt factor in. Didn't Sheldon get through as gifted though? Did he have to pay everything through?

I had thought since he's so much of a supposed "genius" he'd have grants and lots of financial cutbacks due to this.

But also it isn't like they're supposed to be new scientists.

By the final seasons it is implied they've been working 10+ years and should have paid plenty of their debt off anyways. Hate to think of someone as a specialist/professional within advanced science fields and many years in your career and still not financially successful at all.

I'd think naturally that they should be pretty well off, debt or not.

[–] Ziggy (1903) 5 years ago

How much do you think they make?

[–] SolemnMime (174) 5 years ago

Well I go by averages I've seen searching + assuming years of working/seniority/etc. as well.

I would think someone at Sheldon's position and experience should make at least ~$90,000 a year in present day.

The others like Howard, Leonard, Bernadette, Amy and etc. probably make not much different than that as well (Raj possibly less). I don't think I'm overestimating, because they're shown to have had these prestigious working positions for years, which should reflect in pay to some degree. Penny is said to make "way more money" than Leonard, so I guess you can take that to mean over $100K if you want possibly, whether exaggerated or not to obtain some comedic effect.

Basically I'd imagine that between Sheldon, Amy and Leonard's salaries and living conditions/arrangements, they should have no financial concerns unless they're all really bad at handling money (which I think only Penny is mainly shown to be).

[–] Kowalski (78914) 5 years ago

NAILED IT.

[–] Ziggy (1903) 5 years ago

Pasadena is a pretty expensive place to live. I don't think any of them are hurting, financially, but I don't think they're making bucoo bucks! I live in the midwest, and $100,000 here is a good income, but it is, by no means, extravagant. In California, $100,000 is not going to get you very far at all! The rent on Sheldon and Leonard's (well, the 2 bedroom apartment) would probably be less than $1000 a month in the midwest. In California, it would probably be closer to $3500 or $4000 a month.

[–] Ken12602 (503) 5 years ago

They always have financial issues because they spend too much money on stuff from the comic book store.

[–] Kowalski (78914) 5 years ago

SHELDON LITERALY HAS CASH STASHED AROUND THE APARTMENT.HE LOANS WITHOUT COUNTING OR CARING...REWATCH THE SHOW.

[–] Ziggy (1903) 5 years ago

So true!