Anyone excited about your RN life ahead?

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Most of my life I've made chump change, now that I'm on my journey to becoming a nurse, I get overwhelmed with emotion at the thought of the life I will live.

25-40 dollars an hour are a big deal for me since I grew up poor and everything I ever bought (including clothes furniture cars etc.) have been used. The areas I've lived in are not the safest.

I'll be able to afford more things, take care my grandfather, etc.

I'm not even there yet and I almost want to cry.

Specializes in ICU.

I am glad you are excited. I grew up both rich and poor (rich first, Dad was a corporate exec in the textile industry, but then textiles went to China, he was unemployed for almost a decade, and the money went kaboom), and I just find it frustrating how very little nurse money actually gets me compared to what I remember from early life.

Sure, I own my own place and I have a car, but honestly, I paid comparable rent to what my mortgage is and a car payment just fine on $10/hr before. It took a little more budgeting, but I still have to budget now.

The difference in how much tax you pay as a single, childless person making $11/hr and a single, childless person making $27/hr with diffs is pretty staggering. It sounds like you don't have kids, so this is going to hit you hard, too. $50,000/year sounds fabulous before you realize that you're only actually getting $30,000 of it.

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I am happy everyone is positive about their future and is working to provide a stable life for themselves. I too grew up in a poverty level home.

Now I have to be a Debbie Downer for a second - your pay will increase, and if you are lucky to get a job it should be more stable. However you will now have to pay a lot for that health insurance, you will be paying a lot more in taxes, etc. Raises are not something you can count on now. My net pay now is pretty much the same as the net pay I brought home nearly 8 years ago, even with raisies. The reason - the cost of my health insurance and taxes. I am still happy I am able to keep a roof over our heads, but don't get big dollar signs in your eyes as nursing income is not what it use to be (in most places).

Now back to being positive - Keep up the hard work, pass that NCLEX, and start applying for jobs when you are close to graduation. You will have a lot of competition as a new grad. Good luck!

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

People say $25 bucks an hour is not alot of money. However, I feel that if you like beneath your means and don't try to stunt like the Jonses, then you can have a VERY comfortable life. $3000-$3500 a month as a NEW GRAD is alot of cash to me. And it definitely adds up! But then again, I am in my early 20's and have no children or other major financial obligations other than minimal living expenses. I am looking forward to a life of financial stability free of crippling monetary bondage. (NO credit cards, minimal student loans, NO car note.) So hell yeah I'm looking forward to my RN paychecks! I'M RICH!!! Lol.

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Specializes in Neurosciences, stepdown, acute rehab, LTC.

Reading all this about how the pay is not that much makes me glad I grew up poor.. I feel like the richest person in the world sometimes with RN pay

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Reading all this about how the pay is not that much makes me glad I grew up poor.. I feel like the richest person in the world sometimes with RN pay

Ditto!

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Its nice making a good wage and being able to provide for my family, but where I live acute care hospital positions are by far the highest paying. Now I love nursing, but I earn every penny of my almost $30 an hour. I come home and literally collapse from the stress and intensity. That said, I love it...for now! Good luck, all the hard work is worth it :)

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Yeah, I grew up at the poverty level, too.

It really rocks when you can go to the grocery store regularly.

Being able to pay for surprises without deciding who gets to eat is an awesome way to live.

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I'm excited also. I had my own car I had almost paid off and a stable job when I got pregnant with my son. I wouldn't change him for anything but I got fired from my job at 30 wks pregnant because they didnt want to pay me FMLA. The way they did it I got denied for unemployment. Everything went down hill from there. The engine in my car blew and I couldn't get another. I already had bills so I'm very dependent on my family and boyfriend and I hate it. I can't wait to be able to afford my own stuff again and hopefully be able to them out back since they got behind helping me.

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I would be happy with 3000 dollars a month in take home pay.

That's way more than the average person.

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Yeah, I hope OP doesn't become disillusioned when he/she sees a first paycheck. New grads aren't making all that much. Without a lick of overtime, I bring home around 3000/month, after retirement deduction, taxes, and health insurance/benefits. That includes weekend AND night differential.

It is decent and stable money, but I have heard of bartenders making more than that! :/

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I am with you guys in a way, I also grew up fairly poor and watched my mom struggle after her and my father got divorced. She had no education and spent her whole life struggling and working two jobs to support a home and us, as well as having to depend on child support or another income from a significant other. I am grateful for her hard work, but it also taught me the value of getting a college education so that I would never have to depend on someone else to support me.

I have two college degrees, I work hard, but I have a reliable vehicle, own a condo, and have my own bed and furniture, and best of all no need for a roommate!

Anne

Yes me too. It taught me what NOT do to.

Some situations are outside our control, but yes that is why I'm in nursing, for the stability of the career and to have control over my life.

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I am glad you are excited. I grew up both rich and poor (rich first, Dad was a corporate exec in the textile industry, but then textiles went to China, he was unemployed for almost a decade, and the money went kaboom), and I just find it frustrating how very little nurse money actually gets me compared to what I remember from early life.

Sure, I own my own place and I have a car, but honestly, I paid comparable rent to what my mortgage is and a car payment just fine on $10/hr before. It took a little more budgeting, but I still have to budget now.

The difference in how much tax you pay as a single, childless person making $11/hr and a single, childless person making $27/hr with diffs is pretty staggering. It sounds like you don't have kids, so this is going to hit you hard, too. $50,000/year sounds fabulous before you realize that you're only actually getting $30,000 of it.

Yes, you are right about a lot of things.

Sounds like you had good habits all throughout your life. And I would be soaked to take home 30,000 a year. Not looking forward to takes though lol

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