23 year old male. No debt, no dependents. $13,000 in savings.
Currently living in Orlando, FL. Graduated from college a year ago with my degree in Advertising. Took me a few months but I ended up finding a job in Marketing, pay was okay but the income wasn't enough for me so I continued to bartend for two to three days a week on top of my 9-5. It's been a little over a year since I graduated and I'm not really content with my life. Not interested in my current field, and I'm tired of having to work two jobs in order to feel comfortable. Thus, I've made the decision to go back to school for nursing. (My pre-requisites are basically finished, would just need to complete a 16 month cohort and I'll be an RN.) Tuition is very inexpensive, pre-reqs were done at a CC and grants I have should cover the bulk of the tuition, would end up having to pay $500-$700 per semester.
Now, for the 16 months of schooling I have two options. I could live in Orlando, continue paying $1150 a month for rent, (Share a townhouse with a roommate) and do the program locally. If I do this I'd have to work throughout the 16 months, don't have enough saved to last the whole way through. I'd also have to quit my digital marketing job as the classes would conflict with my work hours.
I also have the option of moving in with my parents and do a 16 month program near their house (they live 4 hours away in Southwest Florida). They wouldn't charge me rent, and I would have my own bedroom and bathroom (granted the room isn't the best). Wouldn't need to work either as I'd have a good amount of money saved and no bills.
Now, from a financial aspect it's obvious that I should move in with my parents. However, there's this human aspect that I struggle with. Southwest Florida doesn't have much going on and I feel like I would end up getting isolated pretty quickly. The last few years I didn't do too much due the fact that some traumatic stuff went down and I was also a little depressed (I'm from a Caribbean island and adjusting to life in the mainland was a little rough.) I currently don't have a big social life, never had a girlfriend, certain milestones just passed me by. It would also be weird telling women that I live with my parents at 23. Lastly, after living on my own since 18 it'd be a little hard to go back underneath someone else's roof.
Anyone been in this situation before? Should I keep my bartender job throughout the nursing program, or just suck it up and move back home?
BecomingABetterMan1 1y ago
Are your parent's going to cockblock you?
Normally I advise the route that puts you in the best financial position. But I also find that men tend to become better versions of themselves when put in positions where they have to work hard.
So take some time, think about what you need to be the version of yourself you want to be, then make that decision. Your feelings about it don't matter.
YoungMoneyCashMoney 1y ago
Haha, they wouldn't be cool with me having sex in their house.
You're right, I'll just need time to sort this out. My lease doesn't end until the end of July and the cohort doesn't start until the beginning of August.
No-Stress-Cat 1y ago
Move out of the touri$t town$. Don't throw all that time and money you put into advertising down the toilet. Find an advertising job that will pay you what you want. Look in other states. Once you settle on a job, move to a cheaper town with a suitable commute.
YoungMoneyCashMoney 1y ago
Nah, I think God has made it clear advertising isn't my purpose.
Overkill_Engine Endorsed Contributor 1y ago
The unasked question you need to answer honestly for yourself, not us, is how likely are you to waste your opportunity on distractions if they are available?
The second unasked question, is alternately, how likely are you to take a safety net for granted once you are in it?
Because you can easily fuck this up going in either direction if you cannot be honest with yourself.
YoungMoneyCashMoney 1y ago
Safety net as in living with parents? I'd be out immediately, trust me it isnt that great. In terms of distractions I'm disciplined enough to where they wouldn't get the best of me even if I did somewhat entertain them.
Whatsnext 1y ago
It depends on your relationship with your family. I'd opt to live with family and use the extra time to go learn new things and socialize. Save up a big chunk of money for when you move to your new RN job.
YoungMoneyCashMoney 1y ago
This is the right answer.
EustassKidBreaks 1y ago
I hear you, man. It's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place, trying to figure out what's best for your wallet and your soul. Just gotta trust your gut and go with what feels right in the long haul. Balancing the practical stuff with what lights you up inside – that's the real challenge.
lambOfGod 1y ago
Pay rent. Live on your own. Get in a fight with life. Being on your own will motivate you to do better in life, grow, take risks and grow again. Sure, you can pay for an apartment/house later, by saving or, the best option, by increasing the amount of money you make. Saving will not get you out of poverty while you are young. Earning more money and investing in skills that make you earn more, will.
Also, you can fuck girls whenever you want. Also, it is normal for a man to live on his fucking own. I don't care what autists and incels like Aaron Clarey say (dude is clearly clueless about hooking up and seducing women), he is clearly insane and will have dementia later in his life.
If you have at least 6 months to a year in savings, you are more than good. Most Gen X'ers do not have savings like these even now, in their fucking 50's. Shit generation, yet they preach to youngsters like they're some messian dumbfucks. They are Boomers 2.0
Bottom line, jump in the fire while you are young, you cannot play the safe game of an old man. Let the old be old and die, so that the world cleanses out of them. You are young and you have to be forward and ruthless.
YoungMoneyCashMoney 1y ago
I don't feel like I'm growing in my current situation. By working fulltime I take the risk of failing classes.
coolsocks00 1 1y ago
Go stay with your parents. Save your hard earned money and invest it. While you’re with your parents, dont take them for granted. They wont be around forever.
23 is nothing. You are so far from your SMV peak that taking a year to invest in your skill set while saving that cash is no big deal and a no brainer imo. And it’s not like you cant hook up meanwhile, just worse logistics. In your case, logistics is not the main issue anyway, so you have a lot to work on.
Maturin_nj 1y ago
Easy. Live with parents. Behave. Be easy to live with. Save your money. Don't pay inflated rent. Take any babes to motels. It's the smart move. You'll get a place later on. They'll stillbe there.
YoungMoneyCashMoney 1y ago
You're right
AbusiveFather1 1y ago
why'd you pick nursing though?
YoungMoneyCashMoney 1y ago
The pay and the fact that it's high demand. Not really interested in doing 30+ interviews and having to go unemployed for months at a time every time I get fired/quit a job. I've always been into wellness and a dude that I used to box with was a nurse and told me about it. Also like the schedule of working 3 12 hour shifts with very generous overtime.
Overkill_Engine Endorsed Contributor 1y ago
Yeah in person healthcare is very unlikely to be automated away anytime soon too.
Plus since male nurses are rare that gives you a bit more leverage than normal.
Just watch out for your future coworkers; there will plenty of chances to dip your pen in the company ink, but stability is NOT something they are known for.
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AbusiveFather1 1y ago
so the answer to your question depends on what kind of person you are. some of us are masochists and thrive when life gets harder and deteriorate when life's easy; if you're this kind of person then you should be renting, working, and going to school, all at the same time. but the most sane option would be to live with your family and focus on studying to get straight As so that you could leverage that if you want to advance your nursing education (master's, maybe a doctorate), which as a man you should - because unlike female nurses, you're not going to be bailed out by marrying and becoming a housewife.
also, have you considered PA school? and what's the end goal here - FIRE? i'm kind of in the same spot as you, but in late 20s.
YoungMoneyCashMoney 1y ago
The goal right now is really to change my financial situation. Between my two jobs I probably make a little over $70,000. Granted I'm working 60-65 hours per week to make it. I'd make $75,000 as a nurse working significantly less, and if I really want to hustle I could probably push the high $90k range if I hustle as a staff nurse (travel rates are obviously a lot higher). I'd eventually work my way to being an NP.
Believe me, I am all for grinding but I do need somewhat of a lifestyle change. It'd be nice to have one weekend night off, a social life outside of work etc.. Yes, I could try to find a different advertising job, but I genuinely don't like this field and I'm not really going to find a job that pays more anytime soon. There are a lot of entrepreneurial ventures I'm interested in as well, but I'm just not in the position to pursue them.
AbusiveFather1 1y ago
Me personally, I’m just having my doubts about nursing, since everybody I know that’s been doing it for a few years is basically running away from it and trying to pivot into a different field.
Unless you want to stay in healthcare forever, maybe you could be doing something else that would more directly translate to your entrepreneurial hustle or whatever you would actually be doing for most of your life?
Have you tried working as a CNA first? Even as an NP, 100-150k for the work you do is fucking peanuts, and that’s what it comes down to - how much effort you put in and how much you’re getting for it, because not all effort is weighed equal. Scientists and healthcare professionals are worth shit in this world, unfortunately; for every hour spent in STEM you could be earning multiple times the dollars by selling things or otherwise scamming people in the corporate sector.
AbusiveFather1 1y ago
And earning 100k if you love what you do is absolutely fine: if you only care about numbers and formulas in this world - we’re all going to die anyway, so might as well work for a university for that 100 or 70k. It’s actually the smartest thing you could do - be doing what you want right now, on someone else’s dime. But I fear nursing isn’t like that for the majority of nurses, because the nature of the work in its current state is masochistic, AND they underpay you. Personally, I wouldn’t even be considering nursing if we were living in the 50s where we could easily get any entry level job in any sector and have great job security - this fact gives me pause because maybe I should find something I would actually do and am not forced to do because of circumstances.
Your youth is your strongest asset, just make sure you utilize it to its fullest potential.
whytehorse2021 1y ago
That's a lot to pay for rent. $1150x16=$18,400. I'm pretty sure you're due for an increase too because insurance is getting jacked up and taxes too. You can just buy pussy and a motel room if need be... lol but I'm sure you'll meet tons of hoes in a nursing program.
I didn't even know there was a degree in advertising. If you can get more education for free it may be worth it. Nursing is high demand but go and look at the actual jobs and salaries, don't believe the hype. It's probably $50k with a 16 week program.
YoungMoneyCashMoney 1y ago
16 months not 16 weeks* You're right, my lease ends in July and the landlord hasn't sent over the new offer but I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to raise it. As a new nurse in Florida with an ASN I'd be starting at around $38 per hour working nights.
whytehorse2021 1y ago
Read the fine print. Night shift? 10hrs x 4days? Extra certifications? Years experience? They like to lure you in with these promises of getting rich quick and then pull the rug. Happens all the time in IT.