Hotel Living For Travelers
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Medical Travelers Can Avoid Leases, Live Well
When my wife and I began traveling as part of her work, we found the most difficult part of the traveling was finding suitable living accommodations. About seven years ago my wife graduated from college with a degree as an Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA). She was offered several positions with rehabilitation centers nearby in the city we were living in at the time, but she is a cautious person and is always looking for the best deal.
She had heard about medical contractors, called travelers, who would sign on with a staffing company that would find her a position with a rehabilitation center looking for a person to fill a need. It could be in a place nearby where you are living or in another state altogether. There are tax benefits for those travelers who work more than 50 miles away from home.
The nice aspect to being a traveler is that you get to really experience another part of the country while working there. That is where the living accommodation problem comes into play.
As a medical health contractor, a staffing company will only pay you up to a certain limit, and that limit is the most a rehabilitation center is willing to pay for a contractor. Let's say the limit is $30 an hour. As a traveler working in one state but having your domicile in another entitles you to tax breaks. You won't get $30 an hour, unless that's the way you want to get paid. The staffing company will take that $30 and divide it up into various portions. One part is tax-free money, one part is for housing, one is for per diem and another may be for health insurance, and another will be for your "hourly rate."
I don't care what the staffing company recruiter tells you they will offer you, if they give in one area they take from another. The $30-pie is only so big and you will pay, one way or another, for everything they offer. One other important factor is that the $30 is not all the rehab company is paying. They also have to put out a little extra to pay the staffing company, so the total bill might be more like $45 to $50 an hour for assistants and even more for higher professionals such as therapists, nurses and doctors.
The pay can get confusing. If you are away from your home the staffing company will charge the rehabilitation center that wants to hire you enough to cover the cost of lodging, food allowance, an hourly pay and even offer health insurance for example. These benefits may total $30 an hour. I think I should point out that if you, as a traveler and an occupational assistant or physical therapy assistant, are not making a total of $35 an hour with your housing and other benefits, you need another staffing company.
Therapists usually get about $45 to $50 an hour. Nurses are in big demand and may get even more. You just have to check with a recruiter for whichever staffing company you are checking into. Frequently, the amount of pay depends on the location you are trying to get to.
Areas of the country that people really want to go to, like beaches or large cities with lots of nightlife, the available jobs go very quickly because they are in high demand. We wanted to go to the San Diego area recently and was told, "That's where everyone wants to go. Those jobs are few and they go quickly."
The point of all this is that you want to keep as much money as possible in your pocket while traveling the country. You can let the staffing company find the accommodations and set you up with a place to live, but I tell you that they will suck the life out of your pay. Unless you are completely debt free you will find it hard to live on what is left after the staffing company gets your housing for you.
We did that a few times because we found it hard to find furnished apartments that furnished everything including utilities, phone and electricity. Corporate apartments that did that were cost prohibitive charging a minimum of $2,000 a month or more.
But we finally found a viable solution for medical health travelers who still want to have enough money after paying for living accommodations to explore the new area they are living in and that's what this lens is about. Keep in mind that the information is good regardless of your medical discipline.
She had heard about medical contractors, called travelers, who would sign on with a staffing company that would find her a position with a rehabilitation center looking for a person to fill a need. It could be in a place nearby where you are living or in another state altogether. There are tax benefits for those travelers who work more than 50 miles away from home.
The nice aspect to being a traveler is that you get to really experience another part of the country while working there. That is where the living accommodation problem comes into play.
As a medical health contractor, a staffing company will only pay you up to a certain limit, and that limit is the most a rehabilitation center is willing to pay for a contractor. Let's say the limit is $30 an hour. As a traveler working in one state but having your domicile in another entitles you to tax breaks. You won't get $30 an hour, unless that's the way you want to get paid. The staffing company will take that $30 and divide it up into various portions. One part is tax-free money, one part is for housing, one is for per diem and another may be for health insurance, and another will be for your "hourly rate."
I don't care what the staffing company recruiter tells you they will offer you, if they give in one area they take from another. The $30-pie is only so big and you will pay, one way or another, for everything they offer. One other important factor is that the $30 is not all the rehab company is paying. They also have to put out a little extra to pay the staffing company, so the total bill might be more like $45 to $50 an hour for assistants and even more for higher professionals such as therapists, nurses and doctors.
The pay can get confusing. If you are away from your home the staffing company will charge the rehabilitation center that wants to hire you enough to cover the cost of lodging, food allowance, an hourly pay and even offer health insurance for example. These benefits may total $30 an hour. I think I should point out that if you, as a traveler and an occupational assistant or physical therapy assistant, are not making a total of $35 an hour with your housing and other benefits, you need another staffing company.
Therapists usually get about $45 to $50 an hour. Nurses are in big demand and may get even more. You just have to check with a recruiter for whichever staffing company you are checking into. Frequently, the amount of pay depends on the location you are trying to get to.
Areas of the country that people really want to go to, like beaches or large cities with lots of nightlife, the available jobs go very quickly because they are in high demand. We wanted to go to the San Diego area recently and was told, "That's where everyone wants to go. Those jobs are few and they go quickly."
The point of all this is that you want to keep as much money as possible in your pocket while traveling the country. You can let the staffing company find the accommodations and set you up with a place to live, but I tell you that they will suck the life out of your pay. Unless you are completely debt free you will find it hard to live on what is left after the staffing company gets your housing for you.
We did that a few times because we found it hard to find furnished apartments that furnished everything including utilities, phone and electricity. Corporate apartments that did that were cost prohibitive charging a minimum of $2,000 a month or more.
But we finally found a viable solution for medical health travelers who still want to have enough money after paying for living accommodations to explore the new area they are living in and that's what this lens is about. Keep in mind that the information is good regardless of your medical discipline.
Table of Contents
Apartments, Credit Checks, Leases, Oh My!
Credit checks remain last area of legal discrimination
One of the reasons you need lodgings with apartment style amenities without a lease is because the rehabilitation center, hospital or clinic to which you will be assigned has a lot of power to end their contract. In some instances it can be as short as telling your company they want you out that day. In others they have to give a two-week notice or even a month's notice. But nearly all apartment complexes make you sign a lease agreement that you will stay a certain number of months. Most of them are at least 6 months or longer.You will have to plunk down first month's rent and damage deposit. Sometimes you have to put down first and last month's rent and damage deposit.
But you can immediately see the problem; If you are given two weeks notice but still have two or three months left on your lease, what do you do? What your options are depend on the contract. Sometimes there is a buyout clause. We had one where we had to give two-month's notice, regardless as to whether we were leaving early or staying the full time, plus $1,000. If we didn't give the notice, and just left, we were required to pay for the rest of the time on the lease.
In other words, if we were leaving three months early, we would have to give notice, pay $1,000, and pay the apartment rent for two months or pay the rent for the rest of the contract. To me that seems unfair and awfully expensive. This is just an unfair financial device used to maintain a certain level of income for the apartment complex at the expense of the renter.
The apartment leasing agents may tell you that by getting a lease they are offering you an apartment at lower than "market rates," as if the apartment was some kind of mutual fund. However, I have yet to find one that will give me the apartment at "market rate" without a lease.
Also, there are very few furnished apartments anymore. You will more than likely have to rent some furniture while you are there. And don't forget, if you want cable, that's more money you have to fork over. Furthermore, you need power to the apartment. That means you have to go down to the local utility company, fill out the forms, and pay the deposit - usually around $300.
Leases vary by apartment complex. One apartment complex I called on recently was very accommodating. Normally they have six-month leases but would do a three month lease considering my wife's circumstances. Also, if she was given notice to leave, because they hired a permanent worker, the only penalty would be the loss of the $250-deposit. Not bad. So, if you are set on an apartment, see if you can negotiate the leasing terms and explain the problem with the short-term notice.
One last point that really irritates me about apartment renting is the credit check. This is the last bastion of a society that has for the most part put into written context, if not practice, the elimination of discrimination. However, the credit check leaves it alive and well and growing like a cancer.
Why do apartment complexes need a credit check? We are not buying the place.We can't hitch it up behind the car and make off with it. I don't care if a potential renter left every place before now owing rent. If they meet the financial requirements, they have a job, they should be given a place to live. Where are people supposed to live if their credit is not up to par, or incorrect? Ever try to get some false information changed on a credit report. You have a greater chance of getting Republicans and Democrats to agree on a bill. And the reasons behind sub-par credit are immaterial. People are being denied housing based on numbers. That's what the first and last month's rent and damage deposit are for; to cover any problems in the rent.
So what do you do to avoid some of these apartment living problems if you're a traveler? Try living at long-term stay hotels. By this I mean hotels that offer cable, wifi, work desk, dining table comfortable sitting chair with foot stool, a nice bed and weekly maid service and most importantly, a kitchen with a full size refrigerator and stove.
Read the next module to find out where these places are and how to find them.
Let The River Bring You That Special Item
Take a look. You may see something you can't live without.
The great aspect of shopping here is that you can do it from the safety of your arm chair. I have especially picked out items for travelers that may come in handy, or you may find interesting. While you are traveling this is the time to develop a hobby, study a particular subject or bone up on the history of the various areas you are visiting.
Hotel Living Offers Travelers Many Benefits
Maid service, kitchen, cable, no lease - what more do you want? Okay, gym membership too.
But if we had signed a lease on Saturday and found out on Monday there was no assignment, we would be stuck with a lease of six months or more. In Florida you have to live in a place for over 6 months or the landlord gets charged a higher tax rate by the state. In Texas it's only 30 days. We were saved by a hotel.
Not all apartment property managers are as Draconian as some we have found, such as in Ocala, FL. If you are determined to live in an apartment, you will do better if the property manager is the owner. The large chain owned and operated apartment complexes offer little flexibility to the business traveler.
There are some managers who are willing to work with you on the leasing, you just have to explain your situation, and make sure you know what the penalty is if you have to break the lease.
But for travelers I feel the best bet is a long-term stay hotel with a full kitchen. For me, the kitchen is the most important aspect of hotel living, and the hotel I like the best are the hotels of Extended Stay America and their affiliates. Hotels within the Extended Stay chain include Extended Stay Deluxe, Homestead Studio Suites, Crossland Economy Studios, and Studio Plus Deluxe Studios.
The price will vary upon which hotel you are trying to stay in and the location. For example, a popular beach vacation location will be more expensive than one located in a city that is not necessarily a vacation destination.
The hotel rooms will vary in size and amenities depending on the hotel, but at Extended Stay America, we got a large room, with a full kitchen, queen-size bed, full refrigerator, cooking utensils, weekly maid service, work desk, dining table, wifi and cable TV. Many rooms had a nice flat screen TV. One benefit not often mentioned is that many of the hotels are affiliated with a health club and hotel guests get free use of the gym. In Waco, TX we got to use Gold's Gym, and in Clearwater, FL, we were able to use Bally's up until a large chain gym bought out the one we were using.
This is not too bad if you are the type of person who doesn't need a lot of room. As a traveler you should be traveling light anyway. If you are traveling with a spouse this style of living will test your compatibility with each other. But it will all be worth it when the occasion comes and you get a call from your staffing company telling you that your contract has been cancelled and you need to leave in two weeks or possibly even than day.
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First Aid For Hotel Traveling
First aid kit important for medical travelers on the go
When living in a hotel and traveling light there are some items that you really need to have on hand. The first thing you should do after you move into your new hotel, or even if its an apartment, is find out where the nearest hospital emergency room is located and where is a nearby walk-in clinic.If you need emergency care you don't want to waste time looking for a hospital. In the same thought, if you need to get checked out by a doctor for an ailment that is non-emergency in nature you will want to know where a good walk-in clinic. It's also a good idea to know where the nearest police station is located.
One other item you need in your travel bag of tricks is a good first aid kit. The following is a list of the basic top eight items you will need to keep on hand to treat minor ailments.
First on the list is something to ease pain such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen to mention a few of the many over-the-counter pain relievers. Always read the directions and take the appropriate dosage.
Next, tweezers always come in handy for removing splinters or other small objects that may get into your skin. Remember to disinfect the tweezers before and after use.
This brings us to our next items to have on hand when living in a hotel, disinfectant. This can be in the form of alcohol swabs, gels or sprays as long as it is a disinfectant.
From time to time you will encounter something that will bring about itching and a rash or an insect bite. To help relieve the itch and reduce inflammation keep some hydro cortisone cream on hand. Generally it can be found in a 1 percent topical cream but it can be in a stronger formula if you need it.
Next, if you have a wound you don't want to touch it with dirty hands. Barring access to soap and water you will want to use some hand sanitizer and latex gloves. If you are allergic to latex, you can get non latex gloves.
In your cornucopia of medical supplies it's a good idea to have bandages, gauze and adhesive tape. These are great for covering minor wounds and scrapes.
After you have cleaned the wound but before you cover it, you will need to have in your handy dandy medical bag - antibiotic ointment. It can also come in a cream and can be used to prevent infection, promote healing by keeping area moist, and keep the bandage from getting stuck to the wound as it heals.
And last but not least you may want to keep on hand some antihistamines to help counteract mild allergic reactions. If you have serious allergies you will want to carry epinephrine that can be injected. This can be a life saver in incidents of severe anaphylaxis. This occurs when a deadly reaction occurs comes about as a result of an insect sting or food allergies.
Finally, most of these items can be purchased already put together in a nice kit with a case to hold it all. Or you can purchase these items separately and store then in an inexpensive clear plastic bag. Have a nice stay in your new hotel.
Get In On The Bidding Before Its Too Late
I've picked out some great items for travelers living in hotels
When you're living in a hotel you won't have a lot of room for storage, so choose your items carefully. Some things you buy you will want to hold onto. Others, you may be able to resell or give away and take the tax break donation.
Be Prepared
Even in the best hotels you can have bugs, or the maid service may miss cleaning some areas. To cover this always carry these items.
- A good bug spray
- An all-purpose cleaner with bleach
- and a disinfectant and room deodorizer
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Finally, You Get To Say Something
Let me know what you think, good or bad
I've been doing all the spouting off so far. Now it's your turn. Say what you think, just don't try to make me sign a lease
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Tipi
Mar 10, 2012 @ 8:31 am | delete
- Wow, this is great information. I would love to travel and see the country, and the world.
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JoshK47
Jan 30, 2012 @ 4:51 pm | delete
- Some excellent information here! Great work!
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