How the hell does anyone make money? (especially in NJ)

Slyder190 · Dec 16, 2014

I got my BA in communications years ago. Most expensive piece of toilet paper I ever bought. Luckily I put myself through my final two years of school, so no loans. I have been going back for nursing part time paying out of pocket the last couple of years cuz I couldn't figure out anything else with decent odds. I tried PT, but it was a tough biz. I cannot sell to save my own life. No bullshit. Not to sound like a whining pussy, but guys on here doin well for yourselves, how did you make it. What were your degrees if any? I am now fourty and its too late to go back for some degrees cuz I am too told to break in to a company and work my way up, besides the fact no would want to hire me even if I got a new degree tomorrow. Every day I drive to my job passed all these well to do towns and neighborhoods and wonder what the hell all these people do for a living? I don't even want to live extravagant, just be comfortable, start a nest egg and sleep easy at night. I don't believe in living beyond my means and buying everything I possibly can with loans stretched as far as they can go.

Successful people....talk to me. Just want to pick your brains. Feel like I wasted so much of my life. Shoulda learned trades like most of my cousins, but my stupid ass went to college instead. Wish I got into LE. It's my belief that maybe 15% of college majors earn money. Beyond that in my opinion the whole college/loan deal between the two devils (schools and banks) is the biggest scam going in America today.

mitochondria · Dec 16, 2014

so what ya been doin

xxxLGxxx · Dec 16, 2014

39 have an mba in banking and finance from FU. Fordham university

my Job at that time paid for my degree. So no loans. Everything I got i did on my own through perseverance and doing the best I could do.

Slyder190 · Dec 16, 2014

mitochondria said:
so what ya been doin

Well after I got my degree I was a job hunting machine. Couldn't find a job that either wasn't commission or paid a living wage. I was bartending and making a pretty penny doing so I just stayed with that so I could continue to pay for the little things, like rent. Eventually made my way to personal training but just couldn't make a living at it after a few years so I went back to bartending full time, working a few different gigs to make ends meet. Finally decided to go back to school for nursing. Had to move back in with my parents after being out for more ten years or so to do it. Put some money away the first year and then went back to school, paying as I go, which I am still doing now. My situation is absolutely pathetic for my age, we can put that right out there up front. Just trying to do what I have to, to survive and make my way.

OrionLabs · Dec 16, 2014

A DVD Dealer

LOL

chgolatin2 · Dec 18, 2014

Slyder190 said:
I got my BA in communications years ago. Most expensive piece of toilet paper I ever bought. Luckily I put myself through my final two years of school, so no loans. I have been going back for nursing part time paying out of pocket the last couple of years cuz I couldn't figure out anything else with decent odds. I tried PT, but it was a tough biz. I cannot sell to save my own life. No bullshit. Not to sound like a whining pussy, but guys on here doin well for yourselves, how did you make it. What were your degrees if any? I am now fourty and its too late to go back for some degrees cuz I am too told to break in to a company and work my way up, besides the fact no would want to hire me even if I got a new degree tomorrow. Every day I drive to my job passed all these well to do towns and neighborhoods and wonder what the hell all these people do for a living? I don't even want to live extravagant, just be comfortable, start a nest egg and sleep easy at night. I don't believe in living beyond my means and buying everything I possibly can with loans stretched as far as they can go.

Successful people....talk to me. Just want to pick your brains. Feel like I wasted so much of my life. Shoulda learned trades like most of my cousins, but my stupid ass went to college instead. Wish I got into LE. It's my belief that maybe 15% of college majors earn money. Beyond that in my opinion the whole college/loan deal between the two devils (schools and banks) is the biggest scam going in America today.

The whole degree concept is not "only" geared for job seeking but perfect fulfillment and goal setting. Many unsocial a have Masters degree, PHD degrees and don't bitch and moan about not doing this or that, they are quite content with obtaining a "higher" degree of learning. Now grant it that if you take a negative attitude toward anything in life, even higher education and you embark on a college degree just because you believe or think they you will earn more money or be more successful in life well guess what??? You are setting yourself up for failure. They are means of getting your education paid off, such as giving to your own country, serving in the military, or having even your own job pay for it. Absolutely nothing in life comes easy, NOTHING!

In life you have to prepare yourself for plan A, B, D etc etc it is my personal believe that having a degree is NOT a waste of money but a personal enrichment that could NEVER be taken from you once you have it....

ALLEX · Dec 18, 2014

Bridge maintenance.

I have a couple of friends who live in Newark and make 54 bucks an hour doing that. During summer, they usually work as many hours as they can handle.

They even get paid 500 bucks per week to stay home during winter.

biffnbash · Dec 18, 2014

I think I fall into the category-

Job, commercial construction manager- 6 digits
Side Business, RE development- residential- more digits

Two tips-

1. Find what you love to do and also find a set of balls

2. Find a way to make money and everything else will fall into place with a little common sense

Edit.
agreed with something above- the biggest skills set you can have - people skills

chgolatin2 · Dec 18, 2014

Slyder190 said:
I got my BA in communications years ago. Most expensive piece of toilet paper I ever bought. Luckily I put myself through my final two years of school, so no loans. I have been going back for nursing part time paying out of pocket the last couple of years cuz I couldn't figure out anything else with decent odds. I tried PT, but it was a tough biz. I cannot sell to save my own life. No bullshit. Not to sound like a whining pussy, but guys on here doin well for yourselves, how did you make it. What were your degrees if any? I am now fourty and its too late to go back for some degrees cuz I am too told to break in to a company and work my way up, besides the fact no would want to hire me even if I got a new degree tomorrow. Every day I drive to my job passed all these well to do towns and neighborhoods and wonder what the hell all these people do for a living? I don't even want to live extravagant, just be comfortable, start a nest egg and sleep easy at night. I don't believe in living beyond my means and buying everything I possibly can with loans stretched as far as they can go.

Successful people....talk to me. Just want to pick your brains. Feel like I wasted so much of my life. Shoulda learned trades like most of my cousins, but my stupid ass went to college instead. Wish I got into LE. It's my belief that maybe 15% of college majors earn money. Beyond that in my opinion the whole college/loan deal between the two devils (schools and banks) is the biggest scam going in America today.

The whole degree concept is not "only" geared for job seeking but perfect fulfillment and goal setting. Many unsocial a have Masters degree, PHD degrees and don't bitch and moan about not doing this or that, they are quite content with obtaining a "higher" degree of learning. Now grant it that if you take a negative attitude toward anything in life, even higher education and you embark on a college degree just because you believe or think they you will earn more money or be more successful in life well guess what??? You are setting yourself up for failure. They are means of getting your education paid off, such as giving to your own country, serving in the military, or having even your own job pay for it. Absolutely nothing in life comes easy, NOTHING!

In life you have to prepare yourself for plan A, B, D etc etc it is my personal believe that having a degree is NOT a waste of money but a personal enrichment that could NEVER be taken from you once you have it....

richiec · Dec 18, 2014

Slyder190 said:
I got my BA in communications years ago. Most expensive piece of toilet paper I ever bought. Luckily I put myself through my final two years of school, so no loans. I have been going back for nursing part time paying out of pocket the last couple of years cuz I couldn't figure out anything else with decent odds. I tried PT, but it was a tough biz. I cannot sell to save my own life. No bullshit. Not to sound like a whining pussy, but guys on here doin well for yourselves, how did you make it. What were your degrees if any? I am now fourty and its too late to go back for some degrees cuz I am too told to break in to a company and work my way up, besides the fact no would want to hire me even if I got a new degree tomorrow. Every day I drive to my job passed all these well to do towns and neighborhoods and wonder what the hell all these people do for a living? I don't even want to live extravagant, just be comfortable, start a nest egg and sleep easy at night. I don't believe in living beyond my means and buying everything I possibly can with loans stretched as far as they can go.

Successful people....talk to me. Just want to pick your brains. Feel like I wasted so much of my life. Shoulda learned trades like most of my cousins, but my stupid ass went to college instead. Wish I got into LE. It's my belief that maybe 15% of college majors earn money. Beyond that in my opinion the whole college/loan deal between the two devils (schools and banks) is the biggest scam going in America today.

Slyder, you would be appalled at the amount of debt that many of these "well to do" people have accumulated trying to keep up with the Jones'. THAT is pathetic! I have a BA in public administration, got it in 2008 when the economy tanked. It's a degree that can get me in the door with pretty much any government agency: local, state federal. But there was a hiring freeze throughout the country, even in my home town where I grew up and knew EVERYONE in the local gvt. Anyways, my mother was a state farm agent and I went to work for her, talk about embarrassing. Got an opportunity to get my license and open my own agency, with a partner. He was the "financial" guy and I did the grunt work. 50/50 split. SUCKED!!! Worked 160 hours the first month, made $200, that's $1.25 an hour! As time progressed, I made more and more to the point where I am doing fine. I'm not making a boat load, but I pay all of the household bills and my wife helps bring in money for savings.
Find what you like to do. Don't try to have what everyone else has, be happy with what you do have. My wife and I live modest lives as we are paying down our debt from younger years, should be debt free (except for mortgage) in 1-1.5 yrs

bigpapa · Dec 18, 2014

I have and undergrad in Business Management and an MBA in Finance & Accounting. I make alot of money for someone who is 27 years old, but i still have a tough time. living in connecticut is a drain on the wallet. it is awful. taxes are incredbly high. between all of my taxes that come out of my paycheck, it is around $1000 twice a month. so much i could be doing with that money.

i was fortunate though that i do not have any college debt. My parents paid my undergrad tuition, which wasn't alot due to academic grants i received and i also lived at home. i was also fortunate that i had an employer that paid for my MBA. that was one of the things i looked for when job hunting.

it is hard but i am slowly accumulating some wealth.

Slyder190 · Dec 18, 2014

Bigpapa and Chgolatin.....well everyone who replied for that matter (because I value all of your opnions)....I don't know what I love in my field because I could never take an entry level paying job and afford anything with the pay. When I graduated I was already out of my house paying rent and bills and what not. I love the gym and told myself get certified and take a shot at being a trainer so I would never have to look back and think coulda, would, shoulda, what if?.......Just couldn't make a living at it, and being lousy at sales didn't help. I took my shot though. Nursing I decided because it keeps me on my feet and around people and because it seemed like the only degree that might possibly present employment opportunity. I hope to get my ASN and get hired somewhere that will cover some if not of my tuition to keep going for my BSN (MSN may be a distant thought). If not I will put myself through school working towards my BSN as well. I can find work with an ASN though at least at some point most likely. I thought about going back for finance or something similar, but going part time and being 40, I kinda wanna graduate before I am 80. And who is gonna hire someone so old any way by the time I did finish? Nursing is like a do or do deal pretty much at this point I guess this is my mid life crisis because I am looking back at such a bad education choice and thinking of all the years I wasted not knowing any better. Is what it is.

ThinkTank · Dec 19, 2014

I think nursing is a great career in NJ. I do not know a nurse who is out of work or doing poorly in compensation.

You have two routes - college or private schooling. 2 years of private schooling will have you earning around $50-$60K with an LPN, then you can bridge towards the RN. Additionally, you may luck out and find private duty work which is often looking after the elderly and involves a lot of sleeping

Embrace it.

richiec · Dec 19, 2014

Also consider this, there are MANY hospitals giving $10-15k signing bonuses for nurses. We are a very sick country and need nurses, that field is in high demand

TrinityD · Dec 20, 2014

if you consider coming to california, salary starts at $100K and goes to $200K+ as an RN

if you want to get your masters as a nurse anesthetist(you literally do the job of an anesthesiologist,except you're not an MD), it can go up to $300K

i would never work as an RN on the east coast. they can assign one RN up to 16-18 patients IIRC. in california, it's a 4:1 RN to patient ratio. i don't know how it's even possible to watch more than 4-6 patients in certain settings(ICU,ER). RN's on the east coast must literally be getting tortured...

-trinity (RN)

richiec · Dec 20, 2014

Not like that in all areas Trinity, most ICU and ER have a large nurse staff. On a regular floor in a hospital it'd be different, but triage is much different

heavydeadlifts · Dec 20, 2014

TrinityD said:
if you consider coming to california, salary starts at $100K and goes to $200K+ as an RN

if you want to get your masters as a nurse anesthetist(you literally do the job of an anesthesiologist,except you're not an MD), it can go up to $300K

i would never work as an RN on the east coast. they can assign one RN up to 16-18 patients IIRC. in california, it's a 4:1 RN to patient ratio. i don't know how it's even possible to watch more than 4-6 patients in certain settings(ICU,ER). RN's on the east coast must literally be getting tortured...

-trinity (RN)

What you have heard is a ridiculous rumor, I am a RN on the east coast in a Cardiac surgery ICU at a level 1 trauma center teaching hospital that has been awarded magnet status and has the most beacon award winning units in the country

I usually have a 1:1 ratio and rarely have 2 patients, as all of them are very critical. Our step down units and general floor units will never assign more than 4-5 patients that require the "simplest" care to one RN

I have also worked in a smaller community hospital in an ICU and have never heard of, and have never seen what you described

In a little under a year I will finish my FNP program and will have it "made" practicing at my hospital and telling residents and fellows what to do all day

heavydeadlifts · Dec 20, 2014

TrinityD said:
if you consider coming to california, salary starts at $100K and goes to $200K+ as an RN

if you want to get your masters as a nurse anesthetist(you literally do the job of an anesthesiologist,except you're not an MD), it can go up to $300K

i would never work as an RN on the east coast. they can assign one RN up to 16-18 patients IIRC. in california, it's a 4:1 RN to patient ratio. i don't know how it's even possible to watch more than 4-6 patients in certain settings(ICU,ER). RN's on the east coast must literally be getting tortured...

-trinity (RN)

Also your liberal ideas on the evolution of autism make perfect sense now knowing you're from California and seeing how you will believe the wildest of rumors [emoji6]

(I'm joking around with you if you can't tell)

Deleted member 121863 · Dec 20, 2014

Nursing has a good outlook anyplace in the country because the countries demographics... an aging baby boomer population. Bro its never to late. My wife went back to school at 35 y/o. She has a year left to get a BS in biology/genetics then she`s going to 4 more yrs of naturopathic medical school. She wants me to go back and get a BS degree in exercise/wellness then I can do consultations for TRT/supplement/exercise/nutrition plans (for everyday people, not BB pro`s), she can write the scripts, and she run her own business too.