Money to spend

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Hello all,

I posted this orginally in the PDA forum, but I haven't gotten any responses and I'm open to non-PDA ideas, so I thought I'd post it here.

I've got a scholarship for school that gives me a certain amount of money each year. Whatever I don't spend, I lose. I can use this money for anything that I can justify as a school expense. I just found out that I've got about $660 left for this year and other than a few little things, I'm out of expenses.

This is not enough for me to buy a new laptop, so I was thinking about a nice palm. I've got a Sony Clie that is a few years old, but honestly, I don't use it all that much. I've got ePocrates on it and that's about all I use. Truthfully, I use the drug books that are laying around the nurses station half the time because I don't feel like carrying the palm around for as little as I use it.

But, I was thinking, if I could get something nice with Wi-Fi where I could use hotspots rather than pay a monthly fee (I'm looking to spend $0 of my own money here!) that might be nice. Our school is all free Wi-Fi and there are tons of other places around. It would be nice to get online to look things up (not to mention email etc.). That would have applications beyond clinicals/work. I could use it for school in general and for personal use as well.

I'm open to non-PDA related things as well. I don't need a new stethascope and my future employer requires certain scrubs based on the unit you're in (which I won't know until next year) so stethascope and scrubs are out for now.

Ideas?

Bryan

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

What about bandage sissors, NCLEX review books(as a test study aid), organizational tools(binders, highlighters, etc...)....Do scrub pants have to be a certain color too? Good penlights, could you justify NCLEX app fees? Just go wild...i guess.

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Hi,

Wal-Mart has Dell laptops for 499.00, i just brought one last week, and it has wi-fi capabilities, i believe they are on sale online as well. Good luck. :)

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Specializes in LTC.
Hi,

Wal-Mart has Dell laptops for 499.00, i just brought one last week, and it has wi-fi capabilities, i believe they are on sale online as well. Good luck. :)

Or maybe even a higher end USED laptop? A good Littmann steth is also worth its weight and a good BP cuff; facility ones wear out fast.

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What about bandage sissors, NCLEX review books(as a test study aid), organizational tools(binders, highlighters, etc...)....Do scrub pants have to be a certain color too? Good penlights, could you justify NCLEX app fees? Just go wild...i guess.

All good ideas, but...I've got a slew of bandage scissors from when I worked in the ER (drug reps). NCLEX review stuff comes out of next year's money, an actual course I think. I've got a bunch of binders and all that other stuff that I've saved over the years (my problem is I'm too thrifty! Actually, because of shopping around online, I saved 50% on books, one reason I've got so much left!).

I'm pretty sure that I'll end up with this much left over next year too. The expenses for next year are about the same as this year (except I've already bought the books, so I'll save there, but the NCLEX review will make up for it.) If I really couldn't think of anything, it wouldn't bother me, except that I owe two years of service regardless of how much of the money I spend. If I'm working two full years, I want to spend two years worth of money!

Bryan

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Or maybe even a higher end USED laptop? A good Littmann steth is also worth its weight and a good BP cuff; facility ones wear out fast.

Maybe I'll look into laptops just to see what I could get. I've got a good steth. And, when I graduate, my first choice is newborn. If I can't get that, I want to work adult ICU. So, if I'm going ot by a new steth, it'd be nice to know which kind...

you can see my dilemma!

Bryan

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Specializes in LTC.
Maybe I'll look into laptops just to see what I could get. I've got a good steth. And, when I graduate, my first choice is newborn. If I can't get that, I want to work adult ICU. So, if I'm going ot by a new steth, it'd be nice to know which kind...

you can see my dilemma!

Bryan

Do they allow "room and board" as a school expense? :)

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Do they allow "room and board" as a school expense? :)

Sadly, no...I asked!;)

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lol, I would get an iphone

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Specializes in Intensive Care and Cardiology.

Would you be able to use gas money as an expense?

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You can definately get a laptop for that money. I got mine for $348! If you can, try to avoid getting Windows Vista as an OS It is the WORST version of Windows EVER!!!

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Specializes in ICU.

I just got an awsome HP laptop last night at Sams Club for $335! (it has the swivel monitor that folds flat and has the notepad pencil thingy..whatever.. It retails for $1100!)

My sister in law works there and she called me up when she saw it and I RAN there! Apparently it was a return because the original purchaser wanted a bigger monitor...so the box was opened and such. For that kind of money, and a full return policy I had nothing to lose! So you can look around for deals like that. (It works perfectly and I love it!!)

I think a bigger expense like that would be worth it.

Kim

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