new very last and up to date poll!!!

I earn the only income in my home. I am a widow. When my husband was alive we made equal salaries. Now I support myself and my daughter on half the household income. Not easy.

Salary: $40,500 yr. By going FT, instead of perdiem in home care, I am making 7,000 LESS than 5 years ago when kids were young and I juggled 2 pt positons. I still make $10,000 more than husband with 3 yr trade school degree. 2/3 of his steel plant closed.....he + boys couldn't survive without my income.
20 years to go till retirement: Wonder if that will happen.

I have no husband, so I need every penny I make.

Gee Wild, you need one more choice--My husband is the primary and my working part-time does provide extras but I wouldn't call them "little". Nor would I say that we couldn't survive without my income. We did it for years while the kids were little and I was FT mom. My working PT makes the difference between pinching every penny and praying nothing major breaks down before payday and living a moderately comfortable lifestyle with a tiny cushion in the bank.

My hubby is a FF/EMT, and I am now six months into my career as an RN, and I make about $5000 a year more than he does. I just started the night shift, so I will be making even more than that. My goal is to work full-time for a year, then go agency or PRN so I can work less and be with my family. Right now I work the days my hubby is home. Great for kids, bad for marriage. I just keep telling myself to hold on for a year so I can cut back on my hours. But hey, I'm no dummy. I know we are going to depend on my full-time salary. I will probably never get to go pool! But at least I can dream.........

Sounds like quite a few nurses work because they have to, but have a goal to be at home more with the family. It's no wonder nurses don't organize! For many it is a job, but our soul is elsewhere. Is it that nursing is more of a career for men? What do you think ladies? (I do know there are many of you for whom it is really a rewarding career, so please do not take offense. I'm just speculating on why we, as a whole, do not proactively rise up to improve the working situation.)

0 None of the above.

Until September of this year, I had NO income since Nov. of 1999.

I went from 50k realm to Zero.

Now I get Social security.....not much security there.

I DO love being a nurse! But I have two children aged 5 and 3, and I want more of a balance between work and home. When my kids are older and more independent, I have every intention of throwing myself wholeheartedly into my career. I love the flexibility of nursing, as long as you are in the position financially to dictate the hours you work.

My husband is a police officer and I make more hourly then he does but he generally makes more with overtime, court time, and double time for holidays. He has much better benefits and a good pension plan. We would struggle on just his income though and he's been a cop for over 26yrs.
Combined we do ok.

My income and my husband's income are within $50 of each other, but it has taken my husband 15 years to get to what he makes now--restaurant manager--and me 8 months to get to my salary. We 'made it' just fine while I was in school and a part time waitress, but with our combined salaries it is easier to get the little extras.

Hate my husband's job, he works his a$$ off. Tuesday may be their last day in business.....which means a lump sum of $700 x # yrs worked for company, plus 1 year of unemployment. Damn good excuse to get out of that type of work, huh?!.....sorry totally different subject