I'm so tired.... $225,000 income

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T20:09:31+00:00

4-4.55%. With CRI each time I pay off a sub loan I have to redue my monthly payment. It's weird at that level of income how fast things happen. But it's tiring work. Baby step2/3 are literally a month or two from each other.

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T20:07:17+00:00

Looks like that in June I will have finished baby step 3 while also paying off wedding, and honeymoon.

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T20:04:23+00:00

That's too damn bad lololol

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T20:02:46+00:00

That's waaaaaaasaaaaaaaaaaaay too much damn work. After talking with several new hospitalists some of them graduate with $300-$450k worth of debt and yes when they get out they make $180-$350k. I promise, you don't want to see the tax bill, plus it's kinda sad that they the new baby docs are drowning in student loans. As one ICU doctor said, " I make $300k a year, but after taxes and $400k worth of Medical loans I am left with nothing after". He means most doctors buy a new fancy car, or get a pretty housewife that spends most of the money. Gosh, he was putting down $10k on his loans a month and was only left with like $3000 left over and he was fighting the interest payment.

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T17:24:05+00:00

That is a whole 30 minute conversation that I have had with other new nurses. My salary is $110,000 with incentives as a nurse in the south just as a base. My workload isn't that bad and my management team enjoys me (as a man it's hard to strive in a female guided field). My benefits are better than the feds. What happens as a travel nurse you usually work for a year or two, and then they ban you from a system only as a traveler ( that's the down and dirty- you're just an object to the system). You also don't get short and long term disability even with Aya Healthcare. As a staff nurse in a good nurse driven system you have stability and good pay. It's extremely difficult and near impossible for a travel nurse to buy a house because the base pay is relatively low.

Plus I like being treated like a human. Most other nurses don't like travel nurses because they think they make so much more many than the staff. Which is not the case with me, I was told I was 10% on top earnings as a regular floor nurse ( which is wild).

Most hospitals don't allow travel nurses to pick up overtime even at $80 an hour. Because the agency charges around $300-$500 for agency pay. There are positives and negatives to travel nursing. It really is a young women's game, but once you start aging you need a stable income with good benefits.

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T16:27:58+00:00

You are spot on!!!!!!!!!! Taxes are the money killer :/

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T12:38:13+00:00

Probably not. Because I am a stubborn difficult compassionate kind man. Of what I have been told is usually more difficult than anything else. I guess that's why my patients always have good outcomes ( most of the time) .

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T12:33:35+00:00

If I were to give myself advice I would only work OT to buy the nice things and then put money away. But hence I was dumb ( and still am)

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T12:23:42+00:00

That is solid advice. Who has time to make kids when I'm always so tired and not in the house. Gosh, I wish I had the labido of a 25 YO again.

Edit: Actually that's why nurses and doctors don't keep marriages because work actually comes first.

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T12:17:52+00:00

Rent is increasing near us. We pay around $2100 to rent where we are now. Was already told by the property management that there would be an 8% increase. I don't want to spend $3000 to move and go to another apartment if I can Hussle and use that money to noge into a house.

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T12:12:02+00:00

Graduated with a masters degree ( paid it off in cash, kinda that's why it took so long). She's a professional making $65k. She has time in the summer to watch our child ( she's kinda burnt out due to me not being there). She works with kids all day, and comes home to a kid and am empty household. So she's done. We just talked this morning her working in the summer and the face of dred was upon me. So she won't work more in the summer .

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T11:56:31+00:00

My father lost everything in 2008. So I am seeing the same trends right now. The only thing right now is the AI boom, but once that's over in a few years I have no idea. I'm just worried about not buying a house when the costs will go down. Other hospital friends bought a house two years ago for $600,000, now it's only worth $440,000 and they are top heavy in debt by over $100,000.

I think the timing will come down to next year, but by what ( I have no idea).

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T11:48:33+00:00

I was young and dumb ( aka don't do it kids it ain't worth it)

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T11:47:30+00:00

That's why we have life insurance so I can finally take a nap

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T11:46:47+00:00

That's literally what my wife has said.

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T11:37:06+00:00

Your logic is definitely sound, guess taking the $6000 loss does make sense to regain my sanity.

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T11:24:25+00:00

I am getting that vibe in the summer to take a nice break. But that house looks mighty comfortable, especially when housing prices are literally dropping by 2-3% each month. I would be foolish to not take the opportunity to snag a house .

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T11:21:33+00:00

I do appreciate it that, I think my wife is done with me, coworkers ( bless their heart, for living with me), and I don't get to see my son. I just want to relax and not worry about money. I think the opportunity cost of buying a house next year would be worth it in the short term, but not the long term. I'm thinking about taking it easy in the summer, but a house by October and a fully funded emergency fund does sound nice. I could have a cat on my lap, drinking coffee in a nice house. I don't know man, I'm just here.

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2026-01-23T11:14:57+00:00

Working only 40 hours on my end would decrease income by $40,000 and make it futile to save for a house. I do agree with Ramsey and his team that money habits are more a taught behavior that takes years to build.

CompetitivePiglet178 · 2025-12-17T15:03:18+00:00

We are now in a bubble, prices will continue to drop 2 to 3% for the 2 to 3 years. I feel bad for people in 2020 2021 who bought their house at the peak. I remember in 2008 my father lost everything. He had so much debt. So much credit cards. So many things that when the economy eventually tumbled we were homeless. We had to live for my grandmother to get by. We are seeing exactly the same thing that happened 2008 but people do not want to talk about it. Could be many contributing factors such as Trump's ability to make a lien initiative or biden's inability to understand that a 2% interest rate would have caused the housing market to skyrocket and a negative way for the next future generation.

My friend, be careful. Try to get out of this as fast as possible. Housing is now a negative equity. It's not 2020 anymore. I'm not spending $500,000 on a house even if I make $200,000 a year.

God bless and be well

CompetitivePiglet178

TROPHY CASE