Where to Start for Paying back Loans

[Lygwedasa4]

I will be graduating with a BSN in June of this year with $55,000 in student debt. I'm a little intimidated as to where to start career-wise to try and get it all paid back as I live in Utah just south of Salt Lake and am pretty well-grounded here since my husband is part-owner of a framing company based in the area. My problem is, I've asked around and the average pay for new grads around here is about $22-23/hr, which I feel is not going to do much to pay off my loans very fast. Does anyone have any ideas as to other ways to bring in some more money with my degree given my circumstances? such as work-at-home nursing jobs that are part time and don't require previous experience?

[caliotter3]

Once you get some experience, get some more work. Extended care home health provides flexibility, four hours to as many as 12 or 16 hour shifts, one or two times a week or whatever other schedule works out. Routine care for stable patients provides supplemental work for lots of nurses who have hospital jobs. It doesn't hurt to inquire with your local agencies.

[Emergent, RN]

Two words: Dave Ramsey. You live in Utah, he is popular in the LDS community. I advise you to seek out a course at Financial Peace University.

[llg, PhD, RN]

The most important thing as a new grad is to get your career off to a good start, on solid footing. So take a job at a respected facility and get a good orientation and stick with that job for at least a year. If it is in a hospital or LTC, you should have some opportunities to work a little overtime to earn some extra cash. After you have a year of solid experience, other opportunities may become available to you to add to your income by picking up a 2nd job somewhere else.

But don't make the mistake of taking on too many responsibilities, too soon as a new grad. Focus on doing a good job in that first job, building solid skills and a good reputation. Keep your eyes on the ball there and don't drop the ball by being distracted by other jobs. If seen lots of new grads make that mistake and derail their careers barely out of the gate. Remember, overtime hours at your full time job are paid at a higher rate (usually "time and a half") -- which is more than you will make working for another employer. You can make more money per hour by working overtime at job #1 ... than working job#2.