The Art of Frumpifying: How I Save Money As A Nurse
"I call it ""frumpifying,"" and while it might be controversial, it’s undeniably effective. Here’s how I do it:
1. Scrubs from the Hospital: I stick to the scrubs provided by the hospital. No designer scrubs for me. Yes, they’re oversized and ill-fitting, but if you look in the mirror and see a soggy bag of potatoes, you’re doing it right.
2. Surgical Scrub Machine: I have access to the hospital's surgical scrub machine. Why wash those c-diff scrubs in the same machine as my pillowcases? No way. I let the hospital foot the bill for that germ-laden laundry service, ensuring every new pair I get has been through a giant vat of scrubs soiled with every bacteria known to man.
3. Vintage Coffee Thermos: My coffee travels in a thermos I bought back in 1995. I also use a Nalgene bottle that goes straight into the dishwasher every night. No hand-washing fancy cups for me. Scrubbing out a straw after a shift? Forget it.
4. Compression Tights: Not trendy socks—I'm talking full-on knee-high compression tights. I go with black, but if you want to out-frump me, opt for white or tan. They’re cheaper than those Instagram-ad socks and more effective, saving future me from varicose vein surgery expenses.
5. Ugly Stethoscope: I use a functional black and silver stethoscope with one ear piece missing. It's a bit uncomfortable and not at all cute, but guess what? No one steals it. I left it on the unit for two weeks, and when I returned, it was still there, covered in dust. I won’t need to replace it anytime soon.
6. Labeling My Pen: I’m a Type A nurse who swears by one specific pen. I unscrew it, label the ink cartridge with my name, and catch pen thieves red-handed if they "borrow" it for more than five seconds. This strategy saves me exactly $1.95 a year.
As I mentioned, the frumpy dumpy strategy is controversial. For some, spending money on work gear is worth it, and that’s great. I choose to minimize this cost so I can splurge on take-out after surviving four shifts in a row. Just kidding—I put that $1.95 straight into my 401(k).
Anyone else have any frump-tastic strategies I should know about?"
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