Set Financial Goals That Free Up Your Time as a Nurse

In 2023, Monica and I brought in about $300,000 while working less than 20 hours a week each. We could have earned twice as much if we worked 40 hours a week. We chose not to, because our biggest goal is time, not just money.

These numbers are from January 2024, when this was first written. Pay changes every year, so check current rates in Map My Pay.

What we earned in 2023

Short weeks are easy to get used to. Here is why we don’t work more.

Time is worth more than money

I look up to Myron Golden. He can explain hard topics in a way few people can. He teaches people about the value of their time compared to money.

In one talk, he says the idea that “time is money” is a lie. In his words, “Time is more valuable than money.” If you run out of money, you can always get more. You can’t get more time.

He makes the point with a simple test. Say someone offered you a million dollar check today, but you had to give up your life to take it. Nobody would take that deal. We already know time is worth more than money.

This is why I push nurses to use their license and skills in new ways. I want you to spend less time at the bedside and more time at the beachside.

Leverage your talent, not your time

It’s a new year, so go big. Set yourself up for a life where you can take two, three or four weeks off at a time. You shouldn’t have to worry about losing your job when you come home.

To do this, do what every nurse I’ve interviewed is doing. Use your talent, not your time, to make money.

Here is what I mean. Monica and I earned about $300,000 this year, and $35,000 of it was business revenue. We earned less from our jobs, but our business made up for it.

How our business income grew

We have worked on our YouTube channel and the Nurses to Riches brand for three years. In 2021 and 2022, our business income was nothing to brag about.

We made $0 from sponsors in those two years. But in 2022, we started selling spreadsheets on our website, and our income began to climb fast.

In 2023, we brought in an average of $2,903 a month. That came from two sponsors, more spreadsheet sales, more consults and the ads that play in our YouTube videos.

Our business revenue has gone up three to ten times year over year. Most of this income takes less of our time to earn. We can run the business from anywhere in the world, and we can take a break anytime we want.

This is what you should aim for too. For a closer look at our job income, read how nurses can work 20 hours a week and earn six figures.

Our goals for 2024

In 2024, we planned to build a course and mentorship program for nurses who are tired of trading time for money. It is for nurses who are fed up with bad working conditions and want out of the rat race.

The first step is to pack up, leave your state, and move to a California city with a fairly low cost of living near a high-paying hospital.

We planned to lay out each step. That means leaving your state, finding the California city that works best for you, and getting licensed. It also means moving your things, settling in, and learning California law and your hospital’s rules so you can earn the most. You can already find a lot of this in the dozens of videos on our YouTube channel.

Our other goal is to bring in at least $6,000 a month from our business while still working less than 20 hours a month. We also hope to get to a point where I can move to a per diem role.

Set your own goals

Write down your goals for the year and get to work. If you need help picking one, read how to make this your most successful nursing year.

Written by Jason, RN. I went from $37 an hour in New York to $143 an hour in California and paid off $128K of debt in under a year. I share our numbers in the Nurses to Riches newsletter and on YouTube.