Raises/Cost of Living

[Nursonegreat]

does anyone have info on what "cost of living" is? is it different for each state? and what kind of raise is normal? a % or an actual amount. thanks guys

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

We usually get 3% a year if your of averange to good performance. Some people get less, some get 4%. I get 0% because I'm "maxed out" salary wise for my current job description (staff nurse). Occasionally we'll get a "market adjustment", meaning if other hospitals are outpaying us, we might get an across-the-board raise. This happened about 3 years ago and the year prior.

I don't know about "cost of living". Right now here in Florida we're feeling the sting of a much higher cost of living due to double digit increases in insurance rates. Personally my homeowners went from $2200/year to $28600/year and that's low compared to some other folks. Other people had their insurance canceled. I was also told my my mortgage company I was rezoned from a non-flood to a flood zone and they demanded I get flood insurance, which has added an additional $900/yr to the $2800. This in a hurricane free year that has seen record profits for the insurance company, but their claim they need the money for "future hurricanes".

Also because of the real estate boom and concurrent rise in housing we're feeling the sting of higher property taxes.

All of this is felts by renters and business owners, not just homeowners. At the cost is spread out on just about everything you consume here.

So our cost of living here has skyrocketed without concurrent rises income.

That's all I know is what I live. Hopefully someone will come along and answer your question in a more general way, or provide a website.

Good luck.