burnt out

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Jan 30, 2014

I really feel for you. Not knowing anything about your situation I make these recommendations;

Ask for a personal loan thru family

See if your car can be used as collateral. If you live in the city & have access to public transportation, can you sell the car and use that money for school?

Do you need to lease a cheaper vehicle instead of own?

Can you live with someone for a while?

Can someone live with you for a while? I had another student stay with me for over a year. Helped us both.

Can you approach an instructor, the Dean or someone else about scholarships? This is how I got thru my first year. Turned out the Dean knew someone who was willing to give me a personal loan. Ended up being a scholarship because I made good grades.

I truly hope you find your answer and are able to complete the program. You might ask about the details involved in leaving and returning later when finances improve.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jan 30, 2014

Hello everyone! So I'm just looking for advice I guess. I am a full time RN student and I think im in trouble. Im doing really well in the program but I feel like I cant focus that well because of bills. I drive and hour everyday to get to school. Im paying all my bills and rent by myself and I have no assistance. Ive exhausted student loans and grants for this program without any type of disbursement. I work 6 days a week as a server and bartender trying to make as much money as I can to keep up with my bills and my car. I wake up at 630am mon-fri to get to school on time and I go to work right after school till about midnight. I stay up til about 2,3 am to finish homework or study for tests/quizzes. Weekends Im working 12 hours each day. Im already exhausted of doing this everyday and I still have a year left. I dont really have a choice in cutting down my hours as much as I have anymore because I cant afford it. If I dont go to work, Ill be forced to drop out the program. This is my dream and Im so close this time but I dont want to be burnt out. Dont really know what to do at this point.

I can sympathize. I had at least two and usually three jobs at a time the entire time I was in school. It started with a maid job at 0600 and ended with bar closing at 0200. Sleep was a luxury I could rarely afford.

Can you change your living situation? Live someplace cheaper, move in with a roommate or invite a roommate to live with you? Schools are great places to find roommates. I ended up renting a room for $10/week from an elderly couple who wanted to have a young person around to help them haul their groceries in from the car, tell them new stories and possibly call 911 if one of them fell.

Is your car sucking you dry? A reliable car is a wonderful thing . . . I used to buy my cars for $25 at the junk yard, run them 'til they quit and then buy another one. The junk yard knew me (and my father, who did the same thing) and they'd put cars aside for us when they got a likely one. I used a bicycle for my first three years of school, but then had to have a car for clinicals which could be up to 40 miles away.

I'm sure you've already pared your expenses to the bone, but is there something you can cut out? Internet? Cable? Land line? Cell phone? Eating? (Just kidding -- kind of. I survived on home-made bread, mac & cheese and hamburger helper plus eggs and hamburger from my folks' farm. That and the meals I got at my various bartending and serving jobs.)

I took a semester off to work and save money for the next semester. That may not be an option since you only have a year to go. On the other hand, you can start counting the weeks now!

alwayzaminata · Jan 31, 2014

Thank you so much for the advice! I'm going to see if there are any available scholarships because my gpa is really good. Unfortunately I'm stuck with my car because I owe too much on it and I'm in the middle of my lease with my apartment. I feel like getting evicted would cause more problems for me especially in the future.

alwayzaminata · Jan 31, 2014

I've cut down all that I can except for my cable package which comes with my wifi so that I can be able to do homework since I work all the time I can't go to the library during their hours. :-/

NurseRies, BSN, RN · Jan 31, 2014

I've cut down all that I can except for my cable package which comes with my wifi so that I can be able to do homework since I work all the time I can't go to the library during their hours. :-/

I worked two serving jobs through nursing school. I did not have it as hard as you, but I had 4 roommates at one point, rent was only $250, my car payment was only $140. I don't know your situation, but could you take out more loans just to make it through? Once you're out, if you continue to work as much as you are now, you'll pay those loans off fast! (I paid off $55k in 3 years worked two jobs as RN)

I have a saying that I use a lot: you've come this far, why stop now?

You're so close!! Hang in there and get through this rough patch.

alwayzaminata · Jan 31, 2014

I love that saying! I really don't want to choose to stop but I feel like I might be forced to financially. I can't take out any loans due to my credit so I just rely on fafsa where my loans have been exhausted. Dont really have family to help so Im kind of on my own. :unsure:

mtngrl, ASN, RN · Jan 31, 2014

Are you able to take less classes maybe per semester? Just a thought. Reading your post made ME feel wore out, your schedule would exhaust anyone! When I went to nursing school I was already a mom and wife so I only took 2 classes per semester..it did take me 4 yrs to get an ADN but with all my other responsibilities it was worth it. Plus I did much better with my grades only having 2 classes to study for.

pookyp, LPN · Jan 31, 2014

Can you get a room mate? Someone may not mind sleeping on the couch for cheap or give up your room until your lease is up.

Your GPA is really good. Can you tutor on the side?

Are you able to trade your car in for something cheaper? Maybe try getting a loan from the bank to hold you over until the program ends.

alrighThen · Feb 1, 2014

These are all good ideas. I drove a POS car and worked doubles on the weekends and shifts wherever I could and used student loans. I ended up taking a year off to work as an LPN so I could pay for the next year. You are so close. There will always be someone out there willing to share the rent with you even if it's a one bedroom.

Last year when we started Dave Ramsey's debt elimination program we downsized big time. Gave my husband's Camaro back even though we had to pay 2k out of pocket but it was worth it to not have that car payment. We moved into the basement of my friends house who was a single mother and for a year we lived in one room with no kitchen or bathroom of our own. I had the duty of cleaning the bathroom we shared with three teenage boys. It was traumatic. But it's been a year since we started and we've hacked off almost 30k of debt. I know the stress that you are experiencing is as well.

I wish you all the best.

alrighThen · Feb 1, 2014

I should add that in the year I worked as an LPN I lived in a room above the garage of a little old lady whose family wanted someone there in case she had another stroke. It was only 300$ a month and all I had to do was peek in on her. If you could find a setup like that it could be worth the cost of ducking out of your lease. Even people willing to give you a room for some level of availability to a little old man/lady or couple.

NurseRies, BSN, RN · Feb 1, 2014

These are all good ideas. I drove a POS car and worked doubles on the weekends and shifts wherever I could and used student loans. I ended up taking a year off to work as an LPN so I could pay for the next year. You are so close. There will always be someone out there willing to share the rent with you even if it's a one bedroom. Last year when we started Dave Ramsey's debt elimination program we downsized big time. Gave my husband's Camaro back even though we had to pay 2k out of pocket but it was worth it to not have that car payment. We moved into the basement of my friends house who was a single mother and for a year we lived in one room with no kitchen or bathroom of our own. I had the duty of cleaning the bathroom we shared with three teenage boys. It was traumatic. But it's been a year since we started and we've hacked off almost 30k of debt. I know the stress that you are experiencing is as well. I wish you all the best.

Dave Ramsey changed my life as well. My husband (then boyfriend) made me read the book. We paid off $90k in 3 years, paid for our own wedding, honeymoon, and paid off our cars. We have been slacking lately, but if you make sacrifices and really live like no other, you can make it work!

I wish you the best OP, you've got to do something to get through this! The other option is to drop our and then be crippled by student loan debt, while still working in a restaurant. That does not sound like a good option. Find a way to get through this last year and you will be forever thankful and in disbelief that you made it. Sell your furniture, sell some of your clothes, sell your tv, trade in your car, keep your heat at 55, eat beans and rice everyday. You can do this!! The other option isn't pretty- you are so close!!