How soon did you move out after graduating (BSN)?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi, I graduate from a BSN program next year in May and I was just wondering how long it took other new grads to move out into their own place (if they were staying with their parents/had a roommate). Also, what kind of place did you lease/buy? A house or apartment? Did you have a roommate?

I still live with my mother and I watch my younger siblings (which is why I can't get a job during school unfortunately), and while it's nice not to have to worry about expenses, I want my own place at some point; it's getting cramped. I imagined that after I passed the NCLEX and got my first job, I would be staying home around 6 months to a year to save money for my first place (the shorter the better since my mom is irresponsible with money I give her for bills, and she's mildly emotionally abusive).

I'm single, no kids, 1 dog and I have a car that's fully paid for. I do have $20k in school loans though. I live in south east Georgia/CSRA. I just wanted to know if it would be TOO unrealistic for me to look at renting a small/2br houses once I started working? I know that means more for utilities, but I would like for my dog to have a backyard haha.

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Specializes in ICU.

I was already living on my own by the senior year of my BSN program. Had my own apartment the first two years I was a nurse (no roommate) then bought a house. Had about 24k in loans I paid off in 4ish years. Low cost of living area, obviously. There are a lot of financial assistance programs for first time homebuyers — my state paid for the down payment on my house.

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I moved out to get married. I lived with my parents for a few months after graduation and during my first nursing job.

While it is good to plan ahead, first get that job and see how things change. If you are good at saving, living at home is usually the cheapest way to live and gives you a head start in paying off the loans. At the very least you need deposit, first months rent and some savings to move out.

You will also have to have a talk with your mom about who will be responsible for what because things change once you get a full time nursing job and are still living with the family. Who will watch your siblings? Will sleeping arrangements change if you work nights?

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Specializes in Mental Health.

Are you wanting to BUY a house right away? I’d recommend paying off your loans ASAP while you have no bills and then start saving a down payment. I totally get the urgency, but in the long run you’ll be way better off if you get your $$$ sorted out first.

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Specializes in Emergency / Disaster.

FYI - its easier to GET the mortgage while your loans are being deferred BUT that doesn't mean you can afford what you qualify for either. My plan is to get a job, figure out where I want to be, get back into school (so my loans defer again...) and then buy my next house !! Thats how I got the house I'm in how - but I planned for a mortgage that I knew I could afford, not what they said I could afford. I actually bought half the house they said I could and my mortgage is half what I used to pay for rent.

As for leaving home - I didn't even spend my high school graduation night in my house and I've never been home since. As a single mom now though, I can see how your mom depends on you so it would be gracious of you to at least have a conversation with her regarding you moving out when its closer to time for you to do so. Even if she sucks with money, shes going to have to replace you and that won't be free for her and ultimately could affect the littles in your family the most but emotionally and financially.

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It's such a personal decision (no two people are the same...) but here's my two cents.

First, I think it's wise to rent in an area before you commit to a house. Renting allows you to try out different things and places before you make a huge, life-altering commitment. What if you buy a house near your current hospital, and it turns out that you absolutely hate working at that hospital? Are you going to want/need to move again after a year if you relocate to a different job?

If you're looking to buy in an area that's reasonably close to where you live, then I think that's more understandable. However, if you're moving to a new region (or even a new part of town), it can help to rent in order to get a feel for the different neighborhoods and whether you'd want to live there permanently.

I'm also of the opinion that your first year of nursing is challenging enough to begin with, so why add any extra unnecessary stress (including the stress of home ownership) into your personal life?

Regardless of what you decide, I'd highly recommend waiting to rent or buy until after you start your new job if possible. When you're first starting out, it can be really hard to get a sense for exactly what your take-home pay will look like. Yes, you know your base salary; however, your deductions (taxes, health insurance, retirement, parking, union dues) can quickly put a dent in your take-home pay. For instance, my gross bi-weekly pay comes out to about $2800, but my take-home after deductions is only about $1700; that's over $1,000 less per paycheck than you'd expected if you only accounted for base salary and differentials. It may be helpful to spend a few months creating a budget based on your actual take-home and expenses so you know how much home you can afford. I think your idea of staying with your family for at least a few more months is very smart.

I'm sorry about your situation with your mom. I'm sure it's frustrating feeling you have to be the parent in the relationship. Best of luck whatever you decide.

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14 hours ago, Ryohei Tomoyuki said:

Hi, I graduate from a BSN program next year in May and I was just wondering how long it took other new grads to move out into their own place (if they were staying with their parents/had a roommate). Also, what kind of place did you lease/buy? A house or apartment? Did you have a roommate?

I still live with my mother and I watch my younger siblings (which is why I can't get a job during school unfortunately), and while it's nice not to have to worry about expenses, I want my own place at some point; it's getting cramped. I imagined that after I passed the NCLEX and got my first job, I would be staying home around 6 months to a year to save money for my first place (the shorter the better since my mom is irresponsible with money I give her for bills, and she's mildly emotionally abusive).

I'm single, no kids, 1 dog and I have a car that's fully paid for. I do have $20k in school loans though. I live in south east Georgia/CSRA. I just wanted to know if it would be TOO unrealistic for me to look at small/2br houses once I started working? I know that means more for utilities, but I would like for my dog to have a backyard haha.

NOTE: I totally meant looking at a house to RENT. I know I could rent an apartment but all the ones close by are bad/noisy areas in town.

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Live at home for as long as it takes to save enough money to put down a deposit on an apartment (usually first and last months' rent) and have at least SIX months' full living expenses saved and accessible. Continue to help your mother around the house and contribute some $$ to your food/lodging.

Once you have your savings in the bank, get the heck out of Dodge. Your mom probably won't like it, but that's really too bad. Every parent has to face the fact that their birds will leave the nest eventually.

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Specializes in Mental Health.

When you can afford a place without struggling.

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