How are you financially surviving?

ThisOneGotLucky · Mar 4, 2008

I am living off of private loans. I'm in a 2nd Degree program so I'm not eligible for much financial aid...not to mention I pay out of state tuition! I use my loans to pay for everything from tuition, to rent, to gas, to food..you name it. I have a work study job that I can only work 7 hours a week and it doesn't pay too much. The work study job can pay (per month)my cable/internet bill, electric, and 1 tank of gas. Like you, I have rent, a car payment, and a load of other bills. My loans are really adding up.

See if your school has any work-study positions and check into a local hospital to see if they have any sitter positions available. Sitters are usually for students so most of the time you are able to sit and do homework or look over notes. Your main responsibility is just sitting with one patient, so you don't have to bounce from room to room taking vitals or anything like that.

Have you thought about committing to a hospital to work after graduation. I know some hospitals will pay your tuition (while still in school) as long as you commit.

I know our financial situation sucks but luckily Nursing offers loan forgiveness, sign-on bonuses, and job security

Good luck!

shippoRN · Mar 4, 2008

I am living off of private loans. I'm in a 2nd Degree program so I'm not eligible for much financial aid...not to mention I pay out of state tuition! I use my loans to pay for everything from tuition, to rent, to gas, to food..you name it. I have a work study job that I can only work 7 hours a week and it doesn't pay too much. The work study job can pay (per month)my cable/internet bill, electric, and 1 tank of gas. Like you, I have rent, a car payment, and a load of other bills. My loans are really adding up.
See if your school has any work-study positions and check into a local hospital to see if they have any sitter positions available. Sitters are usually for students so most of the time you are able to sit and do homework or look over notes. Your main responsibility is just sitting with one patient, so you don't have to bounce from room to room taking vitals or anything like that.
Have you thought about committing to a hospital to work after graduation. I know some hospitals will pay your tuition (while still in school) as long as you commit.
I know our financial situation sucks but luckily Nursing offers loan forgiveness, sign-on bonuses, and job security
Good luck!

Thanks for the response

This is also my second degree, so I'm not eligible for any government grants, and very little government loans. My school has this great scholarship that I really want to get next year, but if i don't bring my grade up or pass this semester with a decent grade I won't be eligible.

I guess in the end I'm just going to have to suck it up and take those loans out. I really dread it but its either that or fail.

Joe NightingMale, MSN, RN · Mar 4, 2008

I think you'd qualify for Stafford Loans at least...though for the rest you'd need private loans. Always a good idea to talk to the financial aid office and see what they have to say.

goodstudentnowRN · Mar 4, 2008

I work full time and have a per diem job and I am a fulltime nursing student. Also I have bills and two children to care for. I work well under pressure and so I always take a day or tow off to do my studies and write my papers. I do not stop until everything is done. I make good grades too, however, if I see my grades falling I will have to leave the per diem job. for now God is good. I also took out a loan to pay my Tuition and the facility in which I work gives me tuition reimbursement.

shann106 · Mar 5, 2008

I am in my 1st semester and I am working 30 hrs a week and I plan to work full time plus OT this summer and am trying to leave well below my means and save every $ I can because I am hoping to not work the rest of nursing school. I plan on taking out loans. I really hate the idea of taking out loans but I keep telling myself that it is better to have the degree and make the money and payback the loans than to work myself to death and fail out. My biggest financial stressor is being a single mom and the fact that before nursing school I made about $40,000 a year (work and child support) and now I am barely making half that, and it's only going to get worse. Children just don;t understand that there is not as much $ as their used to be , but in the end we will be much better off financially

Wsmith16, ADN, BSN · Mar 5, 2008

Your best bet is too take out a private loan to help pay your bills, rent & then maybe a part time job.

You've invested way too much to get into school to become a nurse. It's not worth the job messing up your grades. After school you should be able to pay back your loans. Another option is maybe taking money out of your 401K to help pay for your expenses, so you can cut back on hours at the job. Not sure if you have a 401, but if you do ithat may be a viable option.

Logos · Mar 5, 2008

I disagree- taking money out of a 401k or 403 b is never "a good idea"- but- to each their own.

I too already have a BA so am not eligible for financial aid- so I work FT- I could not cut back my hours at work if I wanted too- (which I would if I could!) I have health insurance through work and I am not giving up my health insurance for nursing school. Not to mention my 3 kids and dh that are on it too. I'm going to a CC because it is cheaper and I am paying as I go. & Yes it is hard and I want to pull my hair out when I think about the debt that dh and I have. - that I could be paying off, instead I am spending that money on school.

I'm am crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. Plus I don't buy new clothes or go out much. Seriously, my mom gives me her hand me down clothes. Sad for a 36 year old woman. LOL :)

strider1500 · Mar 8, 2008

I'm not trying to come off as a jerk, but I am in the same boat as the OP. I also have to work because these private loans that everyone keeps mentioning you need a co-signer and without one I keep getting turn-downs.

So, unless one has great credit, you can just forget about the loans. It kind of makes me sick to know that inspite of all the talk about the "Nursing Shortage" that I can't get funds to help me during school.

Thanks.

shippoRN · Mar 8, 2008

I'm not trying to come off as a jerk, but I am in the same boat as the OP. I also have to work because these private loans that everyone keeps mentioning you need a co-signer and without one I keep getting turn-downs.
So, unless one has great credit, you can just forget about the loans. It kind of makes me sick to know that inspite of all the talk about the "Nursing Shortage" that I can't get funds to help me during school.
Thanks.

Actually i don't need co-signers, I have it covered, just the amount of loans i need to take makes me a little sick to my stomach, but I have to do what I have to do.

hairtocare · Mar 8, 2008

Where does one find out about these private loans??????

We are barely making it. I am not working except at home, my Dh put in a salon in the basement, but I can't seem to get the people....everyone is BROKE, gas and food etc all going up. I worry myself sick, LITERALLY, every night. How can I pay for gas, food, clothes, bills? How can I make this work? I can't handle this stress on top of school and a 4 year old son.

I'd like to hear more suggestions too. Good luck all, we need it!

MemphisTiger · Mar 8, 2008

For those of you who already have a degree- why don't you qualify for financial aid? Is it because you used it during your first degree? I'm going back next year either for an accelerated BSN or an entry level MSN program. I already have a B.A. and a M.S. but I didn't use financial aid for either. So would I be eligible for financial aid for my nursing degree even though it'll be a second degree??