Oh yes, healthcare is a huge burden here in the US. It's beginning to feel like universal healthcare might never happen. The amount my wife and I pay monthly is astronomical and the coverage isn't great. Thankfully we can afford it right now but many people can't and have to choose between surviving and healthcare. It just isn't right.
We have a good friend, Tommy, who bartended all his life. He lived within his means, paid off his house, and is living a very good life now in retirement. I think the cash tips really helped him along the way. I can imagine it's tougher to make it now in the hospitality industry though. What struck me about him is because of his late night shifts almost all of his friends are in the industry because they had a completely different schedule that people who work regular day jobs.
We have a teacher who works at one of the local bars a few towns over. He only works on weekends, but he said he can make about half his annual salary in tips just from working during the summer and some weekends through the year. I really do think if you manage things well it can work, but you have to be smart and disciplined. I was looking at the healthcare portal the other day trying to figure out what my monthly hit would be like if I needed it. Looked like about $1200 per month for the top plan, but I wasn't sure if I was reading it right.