I’ve heard stories of countless travel nurses who went on the road not for the adventure, not for the chance to expand their careers, but simply to pay off debt. While it’s true that being a travel nurse offers an opportunity to increase your income (sometimes very substantially), it isn’t necesarily a wise idea to head out on the road to overcome some past bills. Here are a couple of reasons why:
- There will always be extra expenses on the road. These costs include deposits for housing, unexpected car
repairs and more. - Chances are, any time off you take from work will be unpaid. This means, as a travel nurse, you might get burned out faster, leading to possible mistakes that could be costly.
- If you’re a travel nurse in a metro area, the cost of living is usually higher. You need to account for that as you weigh your travel nurse assignments.
You should have your bills under control BEFORE you head out on the road as a travel nurse. Having any debt managed and under control will let you enjoy the people you meet and the places you see, as well as give a boost to your travel nurse income.
Nice post, but this is not necessarily true. Most companies pay for housing and some also offer per diem allowances to offset any increase in the cost of living.
A good way to keep your bills under control while on the road is to have as many as possible sent to you online. This way you know exactly how much is due and when. If you move every 13 weeks or so, it can take a while for your mail to get to you.