Was anyone poor before becoming a nurse?

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Maybe that wasn't the right way to word it. I know everyone complains that rn's don't make enough money, but were any of you here poor before becoming a nurse? I have been married for almost 9 years, stopped working full time 5 years ago when my oldest was born. My dh owns a construction company which has been on a downward slide for about the last two years. I am working parttime, going to school at night, staying home with my 3 year old twins (my 5 year old is in kindergarten), and babysitting my friend's 1 year old full time. We are so broke right now though. I mean not being able to grocery shop, shut-off notices, the whole nine yards. My dh has hardly had any work and it just sucks. I have wanted to go back to school for so long. I just can't get finished with school quick enough. I feel like it is really going to change our lives so much when I am done. Has anyone else here been in my situation? How did things change for you when you finally did become a nurse? Just looking for some inspiration.

"I ate a lot of 4/$1. ramen noodles."

Ahhh.... What would we have done without cheap packages of ramen noodles LOL. We're still "poor" but at least we don't have to live on things like ramen noodles or boxes of mac and cheese anymore. I used to buy ramen noodles by the case - individually you could get them for about ten cents a package - a cheap lunch. 4 for $1 boxes of generic mac & cheese. Brings back memories. Better days are ahead for all of us :wink2:

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Specializes in Psych.

Broke - I'm an out of work teacher married to a cop who's paying child support on two kids - and we have two together. He makes 11 dollars a month too much for us to qualify for anything, but pays 500 in CS - which isn't taken into account. Yes, we're poor.

yes, it will be better when I'm done with school - even if I only make 30K a year, which is the lowest I made teaching full time.

Steph

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Specializes in Cardiac/Tele/CVICU.
Before and during nursing school, I was so broke, I couldn't even afford to pay attention. I had two small children and a worthless husband.

I work in the ICU now as a 0.9 (That's 9 nights per 2 week pay period) I DO NOT come in on my nights off. At the end of December, I earned over 120,000.00 for 2008. I repeat..... I DO NOT come in on my nights off, and I have not worked a double shift at all in 2008.

Folks, it is possible in Northern California....... Wanna hear the kicker? There's two empty night shift positions in the ICU, and they've been empty for the past THREE MONTHS!

Do you work 12's or what? No way could I work that many 12's in a 2 week period.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Yes, I was poor until I became a nurse, barely getting by, and needed some government assistance to get through school, which was my gateway to a better life. I'm very thankful for the good life that nursing has helped me obtain, and grateful that I live in the United States where people flock to get a better life.

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Specializes in Home Health, Case Management, OR.

I wouldnt say we are poor by any means! My husband brings in around $45,000 a year to support the both of us. We have no kids and have found a nice duplex that we rent for dirt cheap! We still have the money to do things, but we don't go out like we used to. I don't really care about fancy cars, mansions and name brand purses, so when we add my future nursing salary, even if it is $30,000 to start we will be quite comfortable. I can't wait to start paying my credit cards and loans off with my paychecks! It will feel so good to be debt free! Then I can start a whole new debt by purchasing a home haha!

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Specializes in Family Practice, Mental Health.
Do you work 12's or what? No way could I work that many 12's in a 2 week period.

I only work 8 hr shifts. I used to work twelves. They killed me. I didn't know whether I was coming or going. Especially working full time 12 hr shifts at night. I've been working nine 8 hr shifts per two week pay period over the past year.

Once you've been as poor as I have been, you never forget. I could probably work less. I'm married to a wonderful man now, after being on my own for 9 1/2 years after "The Idiot". (i.e. "Ex-Husband"). I'm sure that we would be fine financially, it's just that I always think in the back of my mind "What if something happens?". Like I said, you never forget. There was a time when I lost 50 pounds over a short period of time because there was not enough food to feed me in addition to my two children. My kids got used to me saying "Mom's just not hungry tonight."

Maybe someday I'll feel more comfortable about 'taking it easy' and working only 5, 6, or 7 days per two week pay period, but I haven't forgotten about being that poor yet.

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Just looking for some inspiration.

I was so poor growing up I had holes in my shoes. Luckily, I only had to walk a mile to school, not 20 like my dad, or so he said. I was so hungry much of the time so I picked up coke bottles on the side of the road and bought a .22 cal used rifle for $7.50 and hunted rabbits and squirrels to eat. Me, my brother, a cousin and the school janitors boy were the low guys on the totem pole in high school. Three days after graduation, I was in the ARMY training to blow up people, then trained as a medic to get my start in healthcare.

Now, I travel all over the world...Greece and Thailand in the last month, pay no taxes, live in a free three BR house, pay $600 a year for a new Toyota, including all gas, oil, maintenance.

But, having little can be the best time of your life...

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Thank you to everyone who responded. I am really looking forward to finishing school and starting a job. It seems like it will never get here though. I sometimes feel like the only person in the world who is stuck in this situation, so depressing, embarrassing, etc. Hearing everyone's stories was so reassuring.

Thanks again.

Carrie

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Specializes in Ortho/Uro/Peds/Research/PH/Insur/Travel.
You want to see poor, go to 3rd world country.

We got life easy here in the USA.

I was in the Peace Corps. I have a pretty good frame of reference for TRULY poor.

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Wandering - joining the Peace Corps is a really big dream of mine, I'd love to hear your input (if you could PM me that'd be great)

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Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

I have to say that my husband and I make a very comfortable living in nursing. As we both have been nurses for over 30 years, we are at the top of our pay grade. We work in Seattle which is a union environment for employees at all levels. Housing is expensive here but otherwise it is the same as other areas. My husband works in the neuro ICU at Harborview and I work at a small community hospital in Edmonds, a small area outside of Seattle. Neither of us work full time. We have been able to max out our 401K contributions and neither of us plan to retire until we are in our 70's. It disturbs me greatly to hear about what all of my fellow nurses are having to deal with in their work environments. Some of what I have read on this forum is just so unsafe. I have never been pro union. I came from Texas where nurses were not unionized but I can tell you that being up here in a union environment has been a very positive experience. It has kept our salaries up and has assisted us with establishing reasonable staffing standards. I feel very fortunate to be here.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
Hate to say it, but I am poor even as a licensed nurse...LOL...

Funny how that happens. Sometimes I scratch my head and wonder "why am I so broke???". LOL

I think we raise our standard of living to our income. In my case the divorce, leaving me with the house all alone didn't help either.

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