General Discussion about Filipino RNs currently working in the U.S.

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for filipino rns currently in the us whether still undergoing the proper documentations or already working please kindly share your experiences on this thread.

topics maybe from experiences at the workplace, impact of the new culture to you and your family, general do's and dont's, and others.

this thread would serve, hopefully, as a general resource thread for would-be u.s. nurses in the near future and to dispel myths and rumors and of course general advice coming from those already in the u.s.

Specializes in MedSurg.-Tele, Home health, LTC.

another stuff that i want to share.....i am not sure if somebody already mentioned it before but, i knew most of our relatives back home think that when you live in america, you are consider rich. that is so untrue. for most of us we work really hard to earn that money. just because we live in the u.s. it doesn't mean we are filthy rich. we spend dollars too, not peso. many of our relatives back home thinks money grow on trees, and if we don't give money to them asap they think we are so "makunat" ( stingey). but we do have a lot of bills, such as monthly home mortgage, car payments, utility bills( water, electric cable, internet), cellphone bills, dentist, blah blah....what's left? maybe enough money for food, and recreation...( savings? ) i think we are just so lucky to be a nurse because we get paid way better compare to others who didn't have a college degree ( surprisingly, most americans don't have degrees). some people do work two jobs just to make ends meet, yet they don't have enough money for yearly vacation, or any trips at all..so, not because you live in the u.s., everything is cheap. if you know somebody who thinks that because she/he is a nurse and they drive lexus, or bmw, ask them how many hours they spend time with their families, and they will tell you they work at least 1-2 jobs, or at least more than 40 hours a week..

Now, I see another topic worth considering...

To mortgage or to rent then save for a dream home/retirement home outside the US. Another is... to mortgage now then sell later on and buy a house on a more affordable State.

Specializes in LTC/Telemetry/MedSurg.
hahaha, i have something to share about the "big spender" story. before i got my rn i actually work as an aide with fellow filipina nurses. i noticed almost all of them shy away from non-name brand products. for example, i noticed most of them uses only brands like "dooney and bourke" ( which cost none below $100.00 per handbag..), or the ridiculously priced "coach", and most of it has the latest models, the kind you cannot find in a shopping outlet.also, i had a co worker who actually brags about her $500 prada shoes.....my, my my, i cringed just to think how expensive it was! i could have save that money in the bank and buy shoes made by bandolino, or a discounted nike, or alfani...the bottom line is i don't see the point of wasting all that money where you can use it for other purposes later on. maybe i got no style, or i have poor taste in fashion, but i worked hard for that money, and i refused to spend that on some name brand stuff..i think people do it because we didn't have money when we were in pi, but that doesn't give us an excuse spend our money in a shoe made my a designer with goofy name.

i agree,,,

i am also thinking that i am not into fashion stuff or i am some kind of weird person and has no fashion sense at all :roll :roll

This is a great thread.

Honestly, I have no idea about credit history nor how to build one.

Thanks for all the info... hope to learn more... especially about renting apartments. Do they come with furnishings like refrigerator and gas range? Or do you have to buy everything on your own upon arrival?

Sorry, I forgot the State where you'll be working Pen and what area of that State?

You may want to see this website and other similar websites:

Apartments.com

I moved here years ago and I know that building up a good credit history is really important and you should take care of it. Do not overspend and bounce checks or go over your set credit card limit and things like that. A credit history determines the interest rate that a seller/company will impose on you when you purchase stuff like car and a house. The better credit history you have, the better deal/rate they will give you. They say that in America, there are two things that you should really protect---next to your Social Security Number is your credit history. When I first arrived, I knew that before bigger Credit Card companies could approve me, they would first need a basis for it. So I was told by some folks to apply for a Retail Store Credit Card first (like the Macy's Card or Boscov's Card, etc.---a credit card you can use only from the store where you got it from to purchase things), which really helped. I know that it's really tempting to acquire stuff that you never had before but always put in mind that you have to save for the future and for the rainy days. In a world where driving a brand new car, carrying a Louis Vuitton bag, and walking with a $500 Manolo Blahnik on your feet is possible and is not something unusual, it's very easy to get confused and not be able to be in control of your expenses. There is nothing wrong with treating yourself to some deserved vacation once in a while (or something similar to that) but to get caught up in a situation where you purchase or spend on something that you cannot truthfully afford will definitely give a big blow in your life. In joining some Pinoy organizations, you'd sometimes see what a flashy car some own and what a huge diamond she's got---and when you see things like that, you sometimes find it really awesome. But when I hear that the owner has hell-of-a-hard time paying for it---then I think to myself, what's the point in owning something that can cause you stress (because financial problems definitely cause stress)? It's not bad to buy things like that if you have the money for it---but to purchase it just to show-off is not very endearing. Well it's your life and you can do as you please but it's wise to invest well and save up. Don't think that because you're a Nurse there will never be lay-offs and that you can never be fired or is irreplaceable. Always do your job well instead.Don't keep up with the Joneses---or you might end up flat broke in your retirement years.

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

In most cases, renting is the only option at first once you arrive in the US with the exception of those who plan to live with family members who are already here. Even in those cases, it is best to pay rent of some form so that your relatives don't feel that you are a burden to them.

There are many options as far as renting. Apartments can be expensive depending on what state or city you plan to live in. Apartments are leased by the renter for a period of time, usually six or twelve months. In a way, you are obligated to stay in the apartment until the lease is over. Most apartments are semi-furnished, which just means there is at least a stove and refrigerator in the apartment unit. Laundry facilities are usually available in the apartment complex itself. These are industrial-type washers and dryers that you operate with coins (for the most part, quarters or 25 cent coins). Some more expensive units will have a microwave, dishwasher, and laundry facility in the the apartment unit itself. There is usually an option for a one-bedroom unit or more bedrooms depending on your needs. When I first arrived, I was housed in a 3 bedroom townhouse that I shared with 3 other Filipino nurses. The rent back then (1995) was $800 a month and that wasn't bad at all considering we had to split that cost between the 4 of us. It was in a suburban area of Chicago so that price is moderately low by 1995 standards. Utilities (gas, electricity, heating, water, cable TV, phone service, internet) have to be paid at an extra cost but some apartment units offer free heating. This is what Rep was referring to when he said that they had to check his credit history in order to avail of utilities. Most times your recruiter or employer will help you get things going. In our case, the employer signed our lease for the townhouse. We applied for utilities ourselves and had to pay a security deposit for some of them since we had no established credit. You need to find out what your housing arrangement will be like if you are recruited by an agency or hospital before you leave the Philippines.

My thoughts on owning a home in the US:

I strongly advice buying a home here when you can. This is where establishing good credit by incurring debt will work for you. Homes go up in value over a period of time. The pace at which homes "appreciate" (go up in value) depends on the location of the home. Home improvements also add to the property value. A financial planner or even a real estate agent can help you figure out the price of a home that suits your income level. It is important to save money for a down payment so that your monthy mortgage will be manageable. A 10$ down payment is sufficient although I'm sure some have bought their homes with no money down. It's really just common sense -- if you're renting, all that money goes to the owner of the apartment and you end up owning nothing; if you mortgage a home, your monthly payments go towards ownership of your property.

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

"A 10$ down payment is sufficient although I'm sure some have bought their homes with no money down"

Oops, I meant 10%! that down payment is way too cheap man!

These are industrial-type washers and dryers that you operate with coins (for the most part, quarters or 25 cent coins).

For the information of the public, the Philippine peso is the same size as that of the 25 cents (US quarters) and also of the same weight. Beware that the Philippine peso can be used in operating the washers/dryers and even the carwash. Don't dare to try it, or you might be deported.

Upon having your SSN, immediately open a checking account with a Visa Debit Card. This way, you can use your Debit card in all of your purchases as long as you have enough funds on it. When the bank, reviews your finances, they will soon send you an invitation to apply for a credit card. Again, If you have a good credit history, they will soon send you an invitation for a housing loan.

Specializes in Medical-Surgical.
This is a great thread.

Honestly, I have no idea about credit history nor how to build one.

Thanks for all the info... hope to learn more... especially about renting apartments. Do they come with furnishings like refrigerator and gas range? Or do you have to buy everything on your own upon arrival?

There are some apartments that are fully furnish but they are expensive. Almost all apartments come with a fully furnished kitchen that is you have a dishwasher, a ref, a microwave oven, a burner with a big oven for roasting or baking. There are also apartments that come with washing machines and dryers or they have a common laundry room where all the residents will have their wash.

Specializes in Medical-Surgical.

Upon having your SSN, immediately open a checking account with a Visa Debit Card. This way, you can use your Debit card in all of your purchases as long as you have enough funds on it. When the bank, reviews your finances, they will soon send you an invitation to apply for a credit card. Again, If you have a good credit history, they will soon send you an invitation for a housing loan.

You are right but it takes time for them to offer a credit card offer. I tried to apply for one but was denied even though I have a debit card for four months already with them . So I applied for secured credit card instead and after three months I got an offer for a credit card from a credit company.

In my opinion, a secured credit card can help built a good credit history when you are new. Most of my friends here started with a secured credit card.

Specializes in O.R..
In my opinion, a secured credit card can help built a good credit history when you are new. Most of my friends here started with a secured credit card.

What is a secured credit card? How to use it?

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