Here’s a tongue twister for you: are you a registered nurse, only recently registered? If you’re like many graduate nurses and you’ve just finished school and quit working a day job in anticipation of finally getting to focus on your career, you might be doing a bit of financial catch up; after all, nursing school and the licensing examination weren’t free. The good news is, you can expect to earn 40K or more in your first year of full-time employment – that’s a good salary, and every penny of it worth managing wisely. When it comes to money matters, financial analysts at Wall Street Journal have got your back, bringing 4 fundamentals in money management to the attention of graduate nurses, and RNs like you, new to a profitable career path. #1: Assess your biggest liabilities. Look at your student loan or mortgage, and talk to the lender about refinancing at a better rate. Institutions like Sallie Mae are accustomed to negotiating smart option catch up plans, and may suggest low interest only payments until you’re back on your feet. As for mortgages, lenders know they have to stay competitive, [+]

Because you stay busy as a travel nurse, financial analysts recommend the more hassle-free approach of automatic, consistent contributions to your travel nurse job benefits, such as IRA and 401K savings plans; reading the fine print on your next credit card statement is a good way to get started. See if they offer a Retirement Rewards Program! Here’s an example of how it works at Fidelity Investments Retirement Rewards (American Express): you earn 2 points for every dollar charged on the card; once you rack up 5,000 points—equivalent to $2,500 in charges—Fidelity will funnel $50 into your IRA as a current year contribution. The Ameriprise Financial Mastercard offers a similar program. Considering that 78% of Americans under prioritize their retirement savings, reward programs like these seem like a good way to go—the only caveat: pay off your balances on time, or suffer the ding of a higher (than traditional credit cards) interest rate. Travel nursing jobs pay well. The U.S. Department of Labor reports earning potential for RN’s as anywhere from the upper 50’s to 110K per year; good news for nurses looking to salt away ample retirement funds. With the goal of staying in [+]