Categories: Scrubs

4 essential financial tips for travel nurses

Image: Steven Puetzer/Photodisc Collection/Getty Images

In a tough economy, you want to be sure you’re getting the most out of every nickel. Here are four tips to help you streamline your finances as a travel nurse, whether you’re at home or away on assignment, courtesy of financial expert, Joseph Smith:

1. Take advantage of any retirement matching programs offered by your agency.
These programs are “free money,” so contribute at least enough to utilize all of the matching available.

2. Use online bill payment and banking.
It takes too long to forward credit card statements. Most credit card companies offer incentives if you receive your statements and pay your bills online. Online banking helps you keep track of your account without lengthy phone calls and helps avoid overdrafts.

3. Keep emergency funds set aside.
Gaps between contracts can be stressful when there is no money to pay the bills or get to the next destination.

4. Learn to use debit cards and credit cards wisely.
The mobile lifestyle is much easier when there is no cash to tow, but many travelers are not used to relying on credit cards, and the balances can quickly inflate.

Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith worked for three years as a travel respiratory therapist and started traveltax.com, a service that caters to the travel healthcare professional. TravelTax, LLC, is well known in the travel healthcare industry and serves a substantial number of domestic and international mobile professionals and their staffing agencies. Joseph conducts numerous tax seminars for travelers and recruiters throughout the nation, and is a regular contributor to tax articles in a number of national publications including Healthcare Traveler and Locum Life. Visit traveltax.com for a wealth of free information for the mobile professional.