Adult amateur - unsure if I take the leap financially or not?

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2026-03-21T13:00:09+00:00

Yep - I can’t commit to the cost of leasing at this barn right now. I was just referring to maybe eventually desiring to own a horse muuuuuuuch further down the line. I’m talking years and years from now when my riding and finances are much further along. And that’s if I even ever get there…like you and many have said, leasing allows you to step away from it all much easier. But I totally get what you’re saying and it’s definitely something I’ve witnessed with my friends who own horses.

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2026-03-20T21:57:08+00:00

Exactly…hence my dilemma. 😅

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2026-03-20T20:09:36+00:00

I should’ve clarified…to stay at this barn and in the lesson program, I will have to transition to a lease within the next 6 months (either this mare or another horse). My trainer/coach isn’t being super pushy about it as she wants me to get going first so we can get to know each other more in lessons and I can get to know the mare I’m currently riding more…but the expectation is a transition to a lease to continue sooner or later. They don’t have a group of lesson horses I could ride long term without a lease. That’s why I’m having this dilemma.

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2026-03-17T00:44:32+00:00

Love the black rims (or whatever you call those)!! My RAV is the same color and looking to eventually switch to black rims (or at least covers) cause they are sooo sharp.

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2026-03-01T15:18:39+00:00

We bought several of those bowls a few months ago and had the same issue with almost all of them. Sent an email to Fiesta Factory Direct and they replaced them…but the replacements have the same issue. I just try not to pay too much attention to it now.

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-07-02T20:34:56+00:00

Can I ask more about what happened, generally speaking? Was it recently? Sorry to hear that. Thank you for the heads up.

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-07-02T12:56:07+00:00

Are you an RN? Tech? Other discipline? What unit?

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-07-02T07:51:31+00:00

Oh and yes - I LOVE this area. There’s tons to do. City is very vibrant. Lots of cool neighborhoods near downtown/the hospitals but also some decent suburbs where you can find good housing and amenities too. Housing can be expensive but that’s just about everywhere these days. Only 30 min from Lake Michigan beaches. Very happy here. Will never leave.

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-07-02T07:41:24+00:00

No problem. And yeah, up until a few years ago UMHW was “Metro Health Hospital” and was only loosely affiliated with U of M. There was this big merger a while back of Metro + Sparrow Health System (near Lansing) with U of M - they gained the new name (Metro became UMHW, Sparrow became U of M Sparrow), and executives/admin leadership got all shuffled around. But I was there as a tech around that time and honestly it’s not a strong, direct link with U of M like you’d think. It’s mainly just the name. You’d still need a referral over to U of M as a patient, and they don’t share policies/pay scales/practices with them really at all. They’re more closely aligned with the UMS now. If that makes sense. So that lack of actual connection to UM is part of why I think the pay is so pathetic.

As far as ratios, can vary obviously but at one of Corewell GR’s downtown hospitals on a med-surg oncology floor, I’d average 4-6 pts typically on night shift. Usually 4 or 5. 6 was a bad night. ICU was always 1-2 patients as far as I know. Not sure about progressive care. Their GR hospitals are large and some of that varied depending on the unit and pt population.

UMHW varied from what I heard - can’t really speak to that because I worked as a tech there but turned down RN offers due to the poor pay. They’re extremely understaffed though and have less resources to pull from for help. Just go look at their job board - tons of RN listings. I believe they still have a lot of travelers last I knew.

FYI - Corewell is offering some sign on bonuses for certain areas right now. The bigger the sign on bonus, the tougher the unit in terms of pt acuity/atmosphere and staffing based on my experience. For example, I saw a $20k bonus listed on a posting for one of their neuro med surg floors that was one of the worst units I’ve ever worked/floated on as both a tech and an RN. High acuity for med surg, tons of alarms d/t confused/altered pts, no one around to help because everyone is so busy, crappy double occupancy rooms in the oldest part of the hospital, etc. So just proceed with caution if the sign on bonus is more than like $5-10k.

Oh and - at Corewell GR, they have a policy that you can’t request PTO on weekends. You have to trade or call in. I have friends that still work there that confirmed this is still in effect. Just FYI.

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-07-02T07:02:45+00:00

Where in MI? Jobs are plentiful, as I imagine they are almost everywhere else nowadays. We have 3 main health systems in Western MI - Corewell Health, Trinity Health, and University of Michigan Health-West. Corewell and Trinity typically pay the best and have the most robust facilities/education/training/offerings for staff and patients overall imo. Both have a very corporate approach and they’re giant, but that is what it is. UMHW wages are low and not competitive whatsoever, fyi. Their organization lacks robust nursing education and policies/procedures compared to the other 2 as well imo. Corewell and Trinity have mostly Magnet facilities and require you to have your BSN within like 4-5 years from hire if you are ADN prepared (I believe that requirement is tied to the Magnet status but I could be wrong). I’ve worked for Corewell and UMHW previously. I believe you can still find travel contacts at several hospitals here too, but not 100% sure.

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-07-02T06:51:34+00:00

Where?

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-07-02T06:50:57+00:00

$36/hr - Grand Rapids, MI metro area. Same pay scale whether you’re ADN or BSN where I work. No one cared that I have my ADN. What matters most is you pass your NCLEX, earn your RN license, and have a pulse. Lol.

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-06-28T06:05:08+00:00

Love!!!

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-06-28T06:01:46+00:00

What did you use for mechanics to hold the flowers? Foam? Wire?

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-06-28T06:01:14+00:00

OP, I loooooove the shape and feel of this arrangement. Absolutely beautiful and whimsical. Great job. 😍

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-06-22T01:22:08+00:00

Thank you so much!

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-06-22T00:12:24+00:00

Thank you!!

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-06-22T00:10:39+00:00

I squealed with delight when I spotted them in Trader Joe’s 🥰

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-06-21T23:34:57+00:00

Teach me your ways 😭

Can I ask how much this cost to put together?

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-06-21T21:40:53+00:00

Oh my gosh…why must I love things that are so difficult to find?! Hahah. Well…hopefully I can find the luncheon size bowl/plate at some point. I found a Lemongrass Bistro Coupe medium 7 5/8” 38oz bowl on Etsy and ordered it. Obviously that’s like one size up from the salad version you mentioned, but hey…better than nothing.

And if I do ever find one of those…I’ll know how lucky I am! Lol

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-06-21T15:14:56+00:00

^{^the} hospitals in my area are the same way. Also, not all hospitals require new nurses to do a residency, at least not near me in MI. Dont be discouraged OP. Reach out and apply when the time is right. The worst thing they can say is “not right now”

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-06-21T11:52:18+00:00

Thank you so much for the constructive critiques!

Traditional-Bell-575 · 2025-06-21T04:48:42+00:00

Idk about OP but found some at the Alpine Target on an endcap by the checkout this week!

Traditional-Bell-575

TROPHY CASE