For 6 years I was an ICU nurse, having worked strictly COVID ICU for the last 2 years. My parents always told me how much they were proud of me during this time even though I was still struggling mentally and financially, getting no sleep, working in horrible conditions, and unknowingly developing PTSD. I finally had enough and quit nursing one day with no back-up plan. I view my nursing career as a net loss because even after working 6 years straight including OT (some of it mandatory OT) I still have over $20,000 in student loans except now I have PTSD that has made it hard to hold down any job, let alone a healthcare job which is the only field at all I have any experience in (I’ve never even waited tables). If anyone tells me they are considering nursing, I tell you it is likely the biggest mistake you will ever make. I could go on about why but that is for another post.
After I quit and needed money, I tried something people often joke about but many people don’t actually give a chance: onlyfans. It has now been exactly a year of my onlyfans career and I have made about $30k more than I would have nursing, am saving money for the first time in my life, paying off debt, and working towards buying my first house. Also I can work however much I want when I want and focus on my physical and mental health. Nursing took away any shame and now all I care about is saving and paying bills and shockingly this is my highest earned income I have ever had.
My parents know how I make money and they didn’t cut me off or anything like that (not that I get anything from them financially, I just mean socially). Overall they are supportive still, don’t get me wrong. However, they constantly suggest jobs I could do instead. Almost all involve more school or trade school for a job that would end up earning me less than half as much as I am currently making, which I told them. I will not go back to school unless I find something I’m passionate about (I highly doubt I’ll be passionate enough about anything to go further into debt for a low paying job).
It’s just crazy to me that onlyfans is the only job I can hold down where my income matches my effort and allows me to live comfortably. I’m not embarrassed at all (even if they are)!
Thanks for reading.