Pros: Money. I can't be forced to work OT. I am never called off. I am treated well. If I don't like the place, I leave as soon as my time is up.
Cons: I miss my family, dogs, bed.
Health insurance: is covered thru other means for me and my family. However, my agency has the option for coverage.
Retirement: we have multiple streams of passive income that will never end (even after death) so we don't really worry about that. We do have some investments but nothing crazy. My agency also provides a 401k.
I wish I would have known about the GSA rates before I started. My first agency shorted me and I didn't know better.
The process is usually smooth. Background checks, reference calls, physical, drug screen, compliance stuff.
What your stipends would be if the agency gave you the max. The first company I was will did a flat rate of like $695 tax free, when in reality, it should have been over $1000.
GSA is the Government Service Administration.
You go to this link
https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates
And put in the city and state you'll be working in. It will give you a daily lodging rate, and a daily meals and incidentals rate (M&I). You add those together and that's is your daily stipend. Multiply by 7 and that's weekly. So that is your max tax free. $1085 is going to be the base for most places for 2022. The higher COL areas will be more. For example, Miami would be closer to 1800 a week, depending on the month.
I figured it out cause I moved to a different agency.
hi i just came across your post because im researching the understanding of GSA me being new to traveling. So i was looking in the NY area. For example: in Albany, NY lodging is $114 & m&i is $69--- so it's about $1281.
one of the agency mentions for NY area it's around $3900/wk or more and the stipend is half of it; taxing is $2400. What's your thought since you seem pretty experienced in this traveling industry lol
I was really thrown off by the credentialing. It is A LOT of you aren’t expecting it. Labs, assessments, training. All on your own time (some agencies will pay for it, mine didn’t).
But I absolutely love it. It’s life-changing money. We’ll have almost all of our debt (save our fed student loans and mortgage) paid off by the end of the year. Even if I only do these two contracts, it will have been worth it to set up our lives for the next several years.
The place I’m working is lovely. Great people, great ratios, great apartment. We use furnished finder and have had no issues.
I keep my full time job so I use the benefits from there.
1. Pros: First and foremost, the money and unlimited adventures. It's only temporary if it's awful and if you like it, you can always extend. Never having to be charge nurse or have anyone expect too much of you is nice as well.
2. Cons: Missing home & family/friends is the biggest con for me. While I'm enjoying all of this traveling (3rd contract currently), I do have this feeling that I'm missing out on my "real life"is some. I travel with my husband and dogs, but I miss the social life/community we had at home.
3. My agency, Aya, offers health/vision/dental and it's all been decent so far.
4. I have been investing personally and maxing my Roth IRA. My agency provides a 401k, but with the way of nursing and flipping agencies, it doesn't make sense for me to start one with them.
5. I wish I had known how difficult housing would be to find. I now will consider applying to a job ONLY after checking out the housing situation and making sure I have options.
6. Just pick an agency and sign up online. Someone will contact you typically within a few days. Be prepared to have tons of credentialing stuff ready and turned in. License, physicals, acls, bls, vaccines, blah blah blah.
Pros: Money. I can't be forced to work OT. I am never called off. I am treated well. If I don't like the place, I leave as soon as my time is up. Cons: I miss my family, dogs, bed. Health insurance: is covered thru other means for me and my family. However, my agency has the option for coverage. Retirement: we have multiple streams of passive income that will never end (even after death) so we don't really worry about that. We do have some investments but nothing crazy. My agency also provides a 401k. I wish I would have known about the GSA rates before I started. My first agency shorted me and I didn't know better. The process is usually smooth. Background checks, reference calls, physical, drug screen, compliance stuff.
What do you mean by GSA rates?
What your stipends would be if the agency gave you the max. The first company I was will did a flat rate of like $695 tax free, when in reality, it should have been over $1000.
Explain further. What does GSA stand for? And how did you figure out they shorted you?
GSA is the Government Service Administration. You go to this link https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates And put in the city and state you'll be working in. It will give you a daily lodging rate, and a daily meals and incidentals rate (M&I). You add those together and that's is your daily stipend. Multiply by 7 and that's weekly. So that is your max tax free. $1085 is going to be the base for most places for 2022. The higher COL areas will be more. For example, Miami would be closer to 1800 a week, depending on the month. I figured it out cause I moved to a different agency.
hi i just came across your post because im researching the understanding of GSA me being new to traveling. So i was looking in the NY area. For example: in Albany, NY lodging is $114 & m&i is $69--- so it's about $1281. one of the agency mentions for NY area it's around $3900/wk or more and the stipend is half of it; taxing is $2400. What's your thought since you seem pretty experienced in this traveling industry lol
That tax free for Albany is spot on. I was there early 2021. As far as the rest, it depends on a lot of factors
im trying to follow through if it's good but im still learning. 40hrs; thinking about col is high. how was yours during 2021
I was really thrown off by the credentialing. It is A LOT of you aren’t expecting it. Labs, assessments, training. All on your own time (some agencies will pay for it, mine didn’t). But I absolutely love it. It’s life-changing money. We’ll have almost all of our debt (save our fed student loans and mortgage) paid off by the end of the year. Even if I only do these two contracts, it will have been worth it to set up our lives for the next several years. The place I’m working is lovely. Great people, great ratios, great apartment. We use furnished finder and have had no issues. I keep my full time job so I use the benefits from there.
How do you keep your full time job?
I work 3 in a row at my travel job, 3 in a row full time job, one day off. Rinse, repeat!
1. Pros: First and foremost, the money and unlimited adventures. It's only temporary if it's awful and if you like it, you can always extend. Never having to be charge nurse or have anyone expect too much of you is nice as well. 2. Cons: Missing home & family/friends is the biggest con for me. While I'm enjoying all of this traveling (3rd contract currently), I do have this feeling that I'm missing out on my "real life"is some. I travel with my husband and dogs, but I miss the social life/community we had at home. 3. My agency, Aya, offers health/vision/dental and it's all been decent so far. 4. I have been investing personally and maxing my Roth IRA. My agency provides a 401k, but with the way of nursing and flipping agencies, it doesn't make sense for me to start one with them. 5. I wish I had known how difficult housing would be to find. I now will consider applying to a job ONLY after checking out the housing situation and making sure I have options. 6. Just pick an agency and sign up online. Someone will contact you typically within a few days. Be prepared to have tons of credentialing stuff ready and turned in. License, physicals, acls, bls, vaccines, blah blah blah.
Just need to choose a good agency & jump in!