Housing while traveling

This is true - especially when the completion bonus is large in relation to the length of contract. Also be aware that bonuses are taxed at a higher rate than regular pay. I find that I usually get about 2/3 of the bonus after taxes. Although it is rare to get them to agree to it, I have in the past been able to talk the agency into rolling the bonus into my hourly rate. (Divide the bonus by the required hours and pay that much more per hour) That way it is taxed at the lower rate and increases the rate for any overtime I do.

Definitely the smart thing to do. You do not want a completion bonus at the end of the contract; too much is taken in taxes since it is non-earned income and taxed at much higher rate. You are much further ahead to get it added in to your pay.

I am always suspicious of completion bonuses, as it can also mean that not many stay to finish.

Just like the hospital in Texas that had a $50,000 sign on bonus. Very few ever got it, if any. Most left after a short time from there, and the hospital only had to pay a very small part of the sign-on bonus to them. Looked great on paper, but in the end............bad deal for most.

I just checked the Extended stay website, and for the one I stayed in in Tucson, Crosslands, 30 days is $929.67, and the larger one the Extended Stay America is $1439.68 for 30 days.

It is cheaper per day the longer you stay, so plug in your numbers and see what you come up with.

Generally I will take the furnished apartment rather than the stipend if I am not commuting back and forth, but I was waiting on my husband to come to Az. and we ended up renting a house, but I didn't plan on being in the hotel as long as I was. We rented a nice house with a month to month lease for $650 and furnished it at thrift stores.

Depending on your company, you may get the completion bonuses rolled into your housing instead of salary, then it is not taxed at all if you meet certain criteria.

The hospital in Tucson, Carondelet St. Josephs did give $2500 completion bonuses at the end of each 13 weeks. It was a very busy assignment, but not bad, certainly not unsafe or horrible. I ended up with about $1600 of each bonus after taxes. My housing stipend was about $1100, and salary $30/hr, so it was not too bad and we loved Tucson.

I understand the Arizona hospital association had been locking salaries, but are no longer the stronghold they were, so you probably could make more money. I was there several years ago.

If you are not trying to rent a house so you can have a dog or family along, I would just take the company housing. My company offers single housing and it is always very nice, never had any complaints.