@Sbrooks1 wrote:I wish float was an option, but I have to have health insurance. Definitely can cut my spending and have already cut up the cards a few months ago.
Look to see what out of pocket health insurance costs; it probably isn't as good as what you have now but you may not need the usual level of hospital insurance that I've seen in the past.
I won't beat a dead horse but I'll simply state that you aren't lacking for hustle, you just need to apply yourself in a different role. I did 80 hrs/wk for much of last year (and more in some cases, less in others) and am about to go back to that again... but I also get paid for virtually every hour I work.
Being any sort of manager / director is bad mojo if you are salary without an alternate form of compensation... corporate America solves this with higher level bonus tiers but work hours that are pointless financially just isn't healthy financially or mentally. I struggle with that and I just have to look at my brokerage account from last year to remind myself why it's worthwhile; on the flipside I wind up looking at my Personal Capital app way too much as a crutch so I can empathize with you on that.
Anyway you have a plan and I suspect you'll pull out of it in time, the question simply is how much time and pain do you go through to get to the other side.
Oh, if you have any equity from appreciation in the last 3 years and are under 80% LTV (some will go to 90%), open up a HELOC and use that to airstrike any high APR debt you have. Easier and cheaper than refinancing.
@Sbrooks1 wrote:My job doesnt really pay that well. I could make more as a staff RN than being a Department Head. I do not get any OT and my annual raise is only at the max 2% ( that is all the hospital allows). House was purchased for 174500 3 years ago and car is a Kia Optima, just purchased last March. When I look over my spending it is a whole lot of Wal Mart, Amazon and vet bills. Rarely eat out and lunch is always leftovers.
It is odd that you said you would make more as a staff RN than as a manager. My ED department manager stepped down from her position 3 months ago for the exact reason you mentioned. She was salaried working 60+ hrs a week which included having to work as house supervisor and covering open shifts on the call schedule. I work as a staff RN 48 hrs, sometimes 60 hrs a week and I made considerably more than she did with overtime, shift differentials, incentive pay and call back pay.
The hospital would not let her go back to a staff position full time so she left to work for another hospital. She just came back a couple of weeks ago as PRN and wants to work one or two shifts a month. She is much happier and in a better financial position than she was as a manager.
I wish you the best of luck and happiness.
I don't think its allowed to say the name but I use a computer program that lets me link most of my accounts so payments and all that. I can break down what I am spending to different time frames. Helps me keep track on what I am spending within a 30 day window (my pick). That way I can see what I am spending and intaking. It gives me a nice little pie graph with the amounts next to it. That way I can see if I can trim the fat. Love it. I have my bank accounts linked. My investment portfolio. 401K. Loans. Cards. Utilities. Some I have to manually enter. So worth it though. That may help you a bit on curbing spending and setting goals on debt payments and accruing savings.
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