======= Date Modified 02 29 2008 22:29:17 =======
Thanks Smilodon and Ruby for your candid views. Very useful to know. I don't have children yet but I've also got concerns about starting a family in the near future so I'm weighing different options such as getting work experience post-MSc for a couple of years then do PhD  part-timish at my leisure (my field is health economics by the way) or try to do the PhD asap.

My interest in studying a PhD has grown in the last few months so I was wondering about the practicalities, given my living expenses especially my new mortgage.  However, I'm doing some fact-finding hence joining the forum. My reasons for wanting to a Phd are more for the long-term rather than 'on-a-need-to-basis' or 'higher salary' basis. It's just that you get to a point in your life and you just want to get on with normal life and realise you've got to put food on the table as they say, but you'd also like to fulfil your potential and I do enjoy research and can see myself in academic/consultancy areas.

Thanks again, you've helped put things in a new perspective. I think I'll one step at a time. I will worry when I see a topic that I actually like!