Can you live a luxury lifestyle as a nurse?

Nurses General Nursing

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My question is towards nurses that have been in the field for couple of years. I was wondering can you life a nice luxury lifestyle as a nurse? My definition of luxury would perhaps revolve around the ability to own a large 5 bedroom house, the ability to drive a luxury vehicle like BMW or Mercedes Benz, and the ability to take vacations every year perhaps to a different country. Is this too much to ask for as nurse or this beyond the dreams of most nurses and would single nurses be able to achieve this over married with kids nurses?

MAYBE somewhere like El Paso, TX. The house may be large, but it won't be a mansion. You could probably afford a house cleaner there and the car would be up to you. Now, would the large, 5 bedroom house appear to be upscale? No, it would look like a normal stucco house.

My husband makes pretty good money (about 3 times what I make as an RN) and we live in a split-foyer house and drive a 2005 and 2006 car. We invest toward our future and the house is almost paid for. I only share this because I think one can be terribly in debt and appear wealthy. We don't appear wealthy (and we're not), but we probably make atleast 2x what most of my neighbors make. On my pay alone, I would probably be able to rent a townhome and keep my 2005 car somewhat comfortably--that's it!

The vacation, within reason, probably is doable. The car would probably need to be leased or older. If you are young, your perspective on what is considered financial success and/or what you desire may change over time.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
I wish that more people/nurses would have drilled into my head how AWFUL student loans can be after graduation. If I would have known how bad loan payments were going to be, I would've worked more in college and applied for EVERY. SINGLE. SCHOLARSHIP. OUT THERE!!! I try to drill that into every college student I come across. My husband and I would have an extra $1400/month for ourselves and actually be able to SAVE for a house if we didn't have loans. Granted, I'm grateful for the loans, because it's better than serving fries and hamburgers without the opportunities with the student loans, but those bills can be QUITE depressing.

So nursing students if you read this... APPLY for scholarships and grants!!!!!!!!!! Fill out every annoying essay and application form you can get your hands on, because when you graduate, you might be able to enjoy some more of your hard earned $$$$!!! :)

Thank you for writing this because every time I try to discourage people here from "quitting work to focus on school" with their rationale that school loans are "good debt" I either get ignored or hear a load of junk about how easy it will be to pay off those low interest loans with all the money they will be making as a RN. Whatever happened to waiting until you can afford to pay for school, starting at a community college and actually working while in school? I don't get it. :rolleyes:

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I wish that more people/nurses would have drilled into my head how AWFUL student loans can be after graduation. If I would have known how bad loan payments were going to be, I would've worked more in college and applied for EVERY. SINGLE. SCHOLARSHIP. OUT THERE!!! I try to drill that into every college student I come across. My husband and I would have an extra $1400/month for ourselves and actually be able to SAVE for a house if we didn't have loans. Granted, I'm grateful for the loans, because it's better than serving fries and hamburgers without the opportunities with the student loans, but those bills can be QUITE depressing.

So nursing students if you read this... APPLY for scholarships and grants!!!!!!!!!! Fill out every annoying essay and application form you can get your hands on, because when you graduate, you might be able to enjoy some more of your hard earned $$$$!!! :)

I am glad you are saying it and not me. At times I and others have tried warning students about how difficult paying off those loans will be but they just don't want to hear it.
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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I think I would say there is a difference between "a luxury lifestyle" and the accumulation of material goods. For example, doctors. Most of them can afford cars, houses and expensive vacay locations, and yet are stressed out and tethered to their practice/business to the point they don't really enjoy them.

A person who has balance in their life even if they drive a Honda or even a Prius instead of a Mercedes or Lexus and uses time-share and/or frequent flyer miles to get a four-star condo instead of a five- star is "living a luxury lifestyle", and perhaps will live longer because they dialled back their expectations somewhat and told the hangers on in their life where to go.

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

I have a 4 bedroom home. Have 3 car payments and travel 5-6 times ayear which includes one out of country. Its called shopping around, budgeting, saving and not blowing all your money on nonsense. I have had my house since 23 and traveled 2-3 times a year back when I made $15-16/HR. I also don't party/drink.....

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Ok...I just want to add that no you don't need to be an MD or be married to one to have the "luxury" lifestyle outlined. My spouse earns more money than me - but not that much more - and we are able to live in a nice house, travel outside the US twice a year (Asia, Europe, etc), send our daughter to a good preschool, and have enough left over each month to pay down our mortgage and/or invest. No luxury car - not because we can't afford it (we think they are kind of stupid). We have no debt other than our mortgage. My overtime is gravy - we never live off of it.

We did that by: a) working hard; b) living within our means; and c) living within our means.

It pains me to think that people believe you need to be an MD to have a comfortable lifestyle...

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Sure, anyone can live that way, off of any salary. You just have to put in the time, save your money, don't get into debt, and sacrifice a little. Read any rags-to-riches book and you'll see what I mean. Now, if you mean you want to live that way right away, sorry. According to the payscales I've seen, probably not.

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

i live the life of a queen !! i have 6 wonderful kids .. 2 are twins identical girls just turned 6.. my husband is a lawyer.. and we have 2 cats and my mom lives with us.. i work full time .. we live in a old house 100 years it's 8 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms .. i drive a mini van .. lol.. we do have 3 daughters enrolled at Emma Willard in Troy NY which is private and .. and they love it .. i have 5 girls and 1 lone son ..lol.. my children all go to private school and that is our big expense... all our girls will attend Emma Willard as I did. and my son will go to private school when he gets old enough .. he's still my little guy... so i don't live a expensive life .. but the kids don't go without... but we both work and i use coupons for all i can .. yes i am a coupon queen ..lol... someday i will get a red mustang ,, brand new... my dream ,,

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Specializes in none.

The only nurses I have seen that make enough money to live the lifestyle the OP describes without a rich husband are nurses that go into pharmaceuticle sales and rake in about $400,000/yr in commisson....but Im not trying to be a nurse to do sales, Im in it to help peoples lives and do some good in the world, call me crazy but if thats the main concern, there are many other degrees suitable for those who are that money driven (no offense).

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My wife and I are both RN's and have two homes (one for retirement on 5 acres) the other in the city, and we are raising a daughter in private school.

...The price for this is no luxury cars or fancy vacations.

...An unattached single can travel extensively if living relatively frugally.

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Having lots of $ is not just solely based on how much salary you have. Read the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” and you will learn a lot. Good luck to you on your conquest to living a life of luxury! J

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"I only share this because I think one can be terribly in debt and appear wealthy. We don't appear wealthy (and we're not), but we probably make atleast 2x what most of my neighbors make. On my pay alone, I would probably be able to rent a townhome and keep my 2005 car somewhat comfortably--that's it!"

Very true, military nurse! I've seen so many live like this!

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