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Vet Nurse - Wages - Supporting Self


tiff-689
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So here's the deal..after years of being unhappy in an office job i decided to look into vet nursing. Many people told me to go for it, others advised me not to based on the long hours and very little pay factor. A few months ago this didn't matter much to me, so i bit the bullet and have enrolled to study it next year.

However, my circumstances have now changed and i've been sitting here all morning having a panic attack about what i should do. I was previously living with my partner in his house but we were having problems and i have now moved back in to my parents with one of the two dogs. I don't really have any expenses other than fuel, dogs food etc. right now.

I've been told to expect an annual salary of around $32,000 working as a vet nurse. But my questions is, now that i am on my own (i would love to look at buying my own house in a few years)..can i survive on a vet nursing wage??? Considering all the bills, food expenses, insurance costs etc.

Sure, things with my partner could work out or i could meet someone else (who knows what will happen in the future) but i need to think independently. As much as i want to do this course next year..i just don't know if i should be anymore? :S:S

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Guest donatella

32,000? Man oh man you'd need to LOVE your job to live off that wage.

Not sure what it costs to live in WA but I'd not be able to survive off that in Brisbane

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I don't know pays and stuff of vet nurses, besides hearing they are low, but I am in a similar boat as you. I work an office/IT job I don't enjoy and looking to get out.

Unfortunately, that means starting over and being single with a mortgage, I can't afford to take much of a dive in pay unless I REALLY love it as I only have me to support me. I would probably have to sell my house and move home for a while if I had a job that paid that low (and yes there is a job out there I have in mind that I would love to have and probably would sell up for a shot at it). I honestly don't think you'd manage a mortgage/bills/etc. on your own with only 32k so if you really reeeeaaally want to be a vet nurse, and you're single, expect to make sacrifices with the way you live.

Sure I could meet someone in the future too, who knows what the future holds, but I need to take care of myself like it is always just going to be me so if the future doesn't pan out the way I'd like it, at least I looked after myself and didn't need a partner to survive :)

Good luck with your decision!! I know how tough it is so I do wish you the very best! thumbsup1.gif

Edited by RubyStar
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Regardless of what happens with your partner, I personally believe it is important to be financially independant (or at least have the ability to do so if required). You don't want to be stuck in a relationship because you can't afford to get out.

It is one thing to take a big pay cut to start at the bottom and then earn more as you move up. However, my understanding is that vet nurses don't get big pay rises with experience, so you might be on a similar pay for life.

It is easy to say "do what you love" however we all need to pay the bills somehow. No point having a great job if you can't afford to fix the car if it breaks down, are constantly stressed about money etc.

If your office job hadn't been bad, what would you have wanted to do?

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Yep... That salary is about right.

I wouldn't be able to pay a mortgage/live on my wage without my partner. If anything happens, I would probably have to live far out and rent a house.

Vet nursing is a messy, hard, often thankless job.

You must deal with angry, cranky, upset clients who will yell at you and constantly make snide comments about them paying for a room in your clinic.... There are a few awesome clients though who make up for that! :)

Saying that, I love my job and I would keep it if anything happened.

You can make a fair bit more money doing overnight/emergency work too :)

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Im exposed to lots of vet clinics through my work, and it seems if you want to get a bit better pay and responsibility then also completing a small business admin course will help. Pay gets upped quite a bit if you look for Practice Managers positions.

Learn how to do pay rolls, basic book keeping, have a good understanding of OH&S.

You might not walk into the role, but have the addition qualifications, work your butt off and you might be the first person in line for that position when it next comes up. I think many vets like the additional skills, as it often means you are looking for a career and just might hang around for a number of years.

I've met practice managers on $50k +

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Regardless of what happens with your partner, I personally believe it is important to be financially independant (or at least have the ability to do so if required). You don't want to be stuck in a relationship because you can't afford to get out.

Couldn't agree more :)

It is easy to say "do what you love" however we all need to pay the bills somehow.

Also people should keep in mind that what we love doing often changes with time and experiences. What I'm doing now was my "dream job". Yawn!! I'm only still in it because I need to pay the mortgage and doing something else that will pay a comparable salary means going back to study (which is what I hope to do next year).

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Do you need to own your own home? In today's market and ongoing expenses I know of a lot of people who are opting to rent..

I guess it's also how high you set your expectations as in price of mortgage, price of rent you want to pay..

Who know's what the future will bring, why not take a chance maybe a handsome dog owner will walk through the door lol lol.

I really don't know why a single person with no children could not live on that wage you just need to lower your living lifestyle no more $$$ on materialistic things I guess..

Life is too short do want you want...

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Think many of us have had to make that decision over the years - do what we love or make a reasonable living in a job you tolerate. I made the decision to make a reasonable living - it pays the bills, keeps a roof over our head, pays for our furkids and allows us to do a bit towards etc. When my husband became disabled it was even more important. I am now 50 and should hopefully retire with decent super in 10yrs or so. Do not regret my decision though I do miss the life style I turned my back on.

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The thing is, i have never known what i want to do in life. I have always loved animals and even in my current office job, i bore everyone to death talking about my pets all day long.

I don't lead an extravagant lifestyle and am certainly not the materialistic sort. I have always been very cautious with my spending and very rarely splash out and buy myself anything new. But $32,000 is a very low amount of money! I currently earn $42 and all i do all day is sit at a computer. I got so caught up in the excitement of going back to studying next year that i have all ready quit my job (this is my last week), so if i don't do the course next year i will still need to find a new job.

Do i need to buy my own house? I guess not but i suppose i've just always believed that renting is dead money.

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When my parents go away vet nurses come in and stay at their place and mind the dogs and water the garden. Mum pays about $50.00 a day from memory to them. The vet nurses come from the local vet practice that the dogs go to. Normally it's the same girl but if she isn't availble one of the other vet nurses substitutes. It's another good source of income for the vet nurse, I wouldn't imagine looking after cavaliers Katie and Kyra would be too onerous for anyone, although other places might have more boisterous animals, and Mum is pleased especially because Kyra is very old and Katie a nervy girl that a vet nurse is looking after them. The vet nurses still go to work as normal of course.

Just a thought for a bit of income to add to your vet nurse wages. Money does not equal happiness (I'm in a pretty low paid job because I like what I do) but then you do need a reasonable amount of income to live on.

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If you already have a car and no loan (assuming based on your OP which said you only have to pay for food, fuel, dog) and no outstanding credit card debt then there is no reason you cannot live on 32k a year. That is a net pay of approx $550 p/w, which is low, but if you really want to do it and will love it then it is worth it. You just need to make up a budget and stick to it and make sure you don't stretch yourself beyond your means. As someone else pointed out emergency and 24 hour will pay a bit more. I also like the suggestion of getting an Manager/Admin based qualification as well so you can go for Practice Manager roles down the track.

If you can afford it then go for it.

I have gotten myself into some money troubles and because of that I am stuck working where I am until I dig myself out, but when I do I will be moving onto something I am currently training for a really love.

Edited by Keira&Phoenix
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Tiff, I did the same but had to give it up. I was getting a little over $16 am hour as a trainee and was told that was good..... I couldn't pay my mortgage now with that.

I was also over office work and went down that route but they definitely take the piss, the wages are shocking for what I think is a difficult job at times.

By all means go for it, but do up a budget first and see if you will be able to live on it. Also keep in mind there's lots of after hour and weekend work in vet nursing, at least on most places, and you feel a little undervalued!!

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I have recently taken up a casual job (which pays $20 an hour) at a cattery which was my plan for a little bit of income whilst studying next yr. I don't have any credit cards or loans and do have a bit of money saved up. I am lucky in that my parents are happy to have me living with them as long as i need to be, but at the same time, i like my independence and i imagine if i needed to rent it could be difficult as i have my dog Abbie.

In regards to getting a business qualification, i do currently have a bachelor degree in marketing..which could maybe prove handy in future.

I really don't know what to do though :( go with the heart or the head? :S

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I didn't realise it was that low :( its such an important job too, involving lots of messy and heartwrenching work.. I got paid that many moons ago when I was 17 and was an accounts assistant (which is hardly a valued job). It's not very fair if that wage is correct!

Depending on what your current office skills are and hours, could you do the vet nurse course, and work at your current job - then upon course completion aim for practice manager jobs?

Best of luck! :)

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