# How do you make your money?



## Jakesr4f7 (Apr 23, 2008)

It's safe to say that most EMTs and Paramedics don't make much scrilla.  Every medic I've met has told me about the odd jobs and second jobs they've had to hold down over the years to make a decent living.


So, what do you do?


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## emtwacker710 (Apr 23, 2008)

well, right now I'm in school during the day, on call for my vol. fire and ems agencies outside of school, I work part-time at a local panera bread and also part-time (soon to be full-time once summer hits and I quit panera) at the Great Escape Theme Park and Lodge as an EMT.


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## paramedix (Apr 23, 2008)

I do special standbys and try to get involved in different projects. It is true, every bit helps. 

I also do freelance photography from time to time and sell my photos whenever possible.


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## KEVD18 (Apr 23, 2008)

fine a penny, pick it up


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## Epi-do (Apr 23, 2008)

I married a man who makes much more money than I do.


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## uselessmedic (Apr 23, 2008)

I work 2 full time EMS jobs


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## CFRBryan347768 (Apr 23, 2008)

Construction, if your good at it mucho $$$$


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## CFRBryan347768 (Apr 23, 2008)

KEVD18 said:


> fine a penny, pick it up



all day long youll have good luck


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## rescuepoppy (Apr 23, 2008)

Keep a small printing press in the basement.


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## JPINFV (Apr 23, 2008)

Loans. :beerchug::beerchug:


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## ErinCooley (Apr 24, 2008)

Epi-do said:


> I married a man who makes much more money than I do.




WORD!!!:unsure:


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## Kazz (Apr 26, 2008)

I'm a full time student, Midnight shift University Police dispatcher, an EMT student at a college 30 mins down the road, and I work for the School's newspaper.


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## AnthonyM83 (Apr 26, 2008)

Did someone already mention amateur night at the boom boom room?


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## fortsmithman (Apr 26, 2008)

I'm a member of a volunteer service.  My regular job is a supervisor at a local store where my duties range  from security to first aid to supervising cashiers.


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## ffemt8978 (Apr 26, 2008)

Redneck Retirement Planning - aka the Lottery.


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## MMiz (Apr 26, 2008)

I teach middle school English.  The only thing better than one low-paying job is two!


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## firecoins (Apr 26, 2008)

MMiz said:


> I teach middle school English.  The only thing better than one low-paying job is two!



EMS is alot safer than middle school English.


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## Ridryder911 (Apr 26, 2008)

Wow, very few paid medics.... 

I make my fortune in EMS as a Paramedic, and do the nursing gig to pay the bills... 

R/r 911


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## firecoins (Apr 26, 2008)

Ridryder911 said:


> Wow, very few paid medics....
> R/r 911


give me a few months


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## apple2gs (Apr 26, 2008)

Male preschool teacher


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## Arkymedic (Apr 26, 2008)

Ridryder911 said:


> Wow, very few paid medics....
> 
> I make my fortune in EMS as a Paramedic, and do the nursing gig to pay the bills...
> 
> R/r 911


 
LOL Rid. We both know you don't make :censored::censored::censored::censored: working EMS in OK.


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## emtd29 (Apr 26, 2008)

Cable Guy. (and NO My name ain't Larry. or Jim Carrey)


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## Epi-do (Apr 26, 2008)

Ridryder911 said:


> Wow, very few paid medics....
> 
> I make my fortune in EMS as a Paramedic, and do the nursing gig to pay the bills...
> 
> R/r 911




Now that is funny!  If only you could truly make a fortune in EMS...  Alas, wishful thinking.  I still wouldn't trade my job as a civilian EMT with the fire dept for anything in the world though.


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## m33kr0b (Apr 26, 2008)

My pet squirrel gets my money for me... Not sure how he gets his however. h34r:


http://picasaweb.google.com/joshuatrumpie/GoofyStuff/photo#5141883153983526802

Sorry, could not figure out hotlinking with picasa


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## AZFF/EMT (Apr 27, 2008)

fulltime ff/emt and medic student. Work part time on a private amb if I need any money. Wouldn't trade my job for any other.


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## Anomalous (Apr 27, 2008)

Driving the great iron horse across the fruited plain....


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## firecoins (Apr 27, 2008)

apple2gs said:


> Male preschool teacher



your a what?


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## ErinCooley (Apr 27, 2008)

Ridryder911 said:


> Wow, very few paid medics....
> 
> I make my fortune in EMS as a Paramedic, and do the nursing gig to pay the bills...
> 
> R/r 911



I will be a f/t paid EMT tomorrow when I accept 1 of 2 offers in the morning that I've been mulling over for a week.  I will (hopefully) be a paid f/t medic in about 2 yrs.  I'm starting school next quarter but will be doing core stuff for a bit.


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## emsbambi (Feb 27, 2014)

paramedix said:


> I do special standbys and try to get involved in different projects. It is true, every bit helps.



How do you get involved in standbys? and special events as an EMT-B


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## Handsome Robb (Feb 27, 2014)

I pull down 50 a year base salary with a 48 hour work week so I actually make pretty decent money as a Paramedic, especially with no state taxes. We get annual raises that bump you 2-3 k yearly until we top out at 63k a year. If you're an FTO and consistently have interns and new hires you can get close 70k/year without any OT but you'd have to have a new hire or intern on every one of your shifts and already be topped out on the pay scale. I work for a private agency contracted under a Public Utility Model. 

But with that said, I like nice things so I work on cars on the side. Usually charge 20-30/hr (depending on if I like you or not) plus parts then just have my friend look up the time in AllData at his shop and bill it at that despite how long it takes me like any shop will do. I've had people :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored: and change their minds because it's "too expensive" only to come back in a day or two with the parts because they went to a shop and got quoted 3-4 times the hourly I quoted them. Just do simple stuff, brakes, oil changes, spark plugs. I don't really have the capabilities to do diagnostics beyond pulling codes and I don't do heavy line work, because I don't want to deal with dropping transmissions and what not on my days off in my driveway. At the house I grew up in we had a garage with an air system, BendPak 10k two post lift, a boat load of tools, it was the dream home garage. I miss it. I'd do pretty much anything when I lived there because I had the lift, a cherry picker, the air tools, a motor lift a transmission lift. All the goodies.


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 27, 2014)

I've been averaging about 65k as a medic, plus I still do some consulting on the side, write an occasional article and do the odd project work for old clients... that's another 10 or 15k. My wife is a vet, so between us we do okay. No sales tax here, low cost of living and a decent retirement. Honestly, the medic gig is easy money and covers my insurance. It gives me lots of free time to do the other stuff I'm interested in.


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## titmouse (Feb 27, 2014)

Save. Try to pick up extra shifts, do not live extravagantly beyond your means.


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## unleashedfury (Feb 27, 2014)

Got involved with a nurse,,, and started a printing press... at my house in the witness protection program.. Hope the mafia doesn't find me h34r:

J/K. I work full time and go to school pretty much full time. I do odd jobs like working on cars mainly for just play money and hobby I am a "RETIRED" automotive tech, so that means I take the jobs I want and avoid the ones I can. I still hate working on my own cars cause the cash register doesn't ring for me doing that. 

EMS in the right gig and location as previously proven in this thread can rake you decent dough, You just can't underbid your services. Private companies often prey on newbies cause they know they want experience and they can pay them peanuts, if you feel there is better than beating your head off the back of a ambulance for 70 or more hours a week between 2 jobs. There probably is get well educated stay on top of your game and stay above the pack you'll find a good job.


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## Medic Tim (Feb 28, 2014)

I work in a medical clinic ( oilfield). Base pay out here is usually 110-130+ k a year. The company I work for has nurses and EMT-P/ACPs in the same pay bands. Some companies provide flights a well. For the most part we have no expenses as food and living quarters is provided for us. I work 2 weeks on 2 weeks off 12 hour shifts. I live on the east coast an work in northern Alberta. We also have expended scope in a few clinics. Antibiotics and suturing for example. We do the occasional transport or intercept but for the most part we are it. the closest hospital can be anywhere from 1-5 hours away. Trauma Center even further.


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## MrJones (Feb 28, 2014)

Spending over 20 years in the military guarantees that I get a check every month until the day I die. Medic is my 2nd career and effectively covers the 'nice to haves' after my retirement check covers the 'have to haves'.


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## Luno (Feb 28, 2014)

*US Army Medic*

Since I stopped contracting, I went back to working for Uncle Sam, I also work ski patrol in the winters.


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## joshrunkle35 (Mar 1, 2014)

Full-time firearms instructor. Part-time medic.


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## CFal (Mar 3, 2014)

Ski Patrol


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## STXmedic (Mar 3, 2014)

I go to work once every four days. I'll teach every now and then if I'm feeling frisky.


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## Handsome Robb (Mar 3, 2014)

STXmedic said:


> I go to work once every four days. I'll teach every now and then if I'm feeling frisky.



Hey, no one wants to hear about how big your hose is. 

or your salary


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## Anjel (Mar 3, 2014)

I would like to hear.... ;-)




Robb said:


> Hey, no one wants to hear about how big your hose is.


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## Handsome Robb (Mar 3, 2014)

Anjel said:


> I would like to hear.... ;-)




Hey Justin is pretty, I'll give him that


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## STXmedic (Mar 3, 2014)

:rofl: Oh boy... :lol:


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## Handsome Robb (Mar 3, 2014)

Don't tell your wife...

Speaking of which, she needs to talk some sense into homegirl lol


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## STXmedic (Mar 3, 2014)

Robb said:


> Don't tell your wife...
> 
> Speaking of which, she needs to talk some sense into homegirl lol



She still going crazy on you? Anjel, why is your kind so nuts? :lol:


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## Anjel (Mar 3, 2014)

STXmedic said:


> She still going crazy on you? Anjel, why is your kind so nuts? :lol:




Ha we can't be perfect. We're nuts but have some pretty cool parts.


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## STXmedic (Mar 3, 2014)

Haha that is very true


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## DrParasite (Mar 4, 2014)

Robb said:


> Hey, no one wants to hear about how big your hose is.


Oddly enough, while not one wants to hear about how big your hose is, I've had quite a few women want to see how big mine is.

Maybe you are just in the wrong crowd?


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## alphamikefoxtrot (Mar 4, 2014)

I work in a 'square job' (office) FT and am currently in school part time for Basic at a program about 45 minutes away.  Makes for 3 exceedingly long days in the week but well worth it


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## titmouse (Mar 4, 2014)

Exotic dancing.


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## STXmedic (Mar 4, 2014)

titmouse said:


> Exotic dancing.



Hey, that's what Robb does! I'll never forget the first time I saw him on stage... magical...


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## Handsome Robb (Mar 4, 2014)

DrParasite said:


> Oddly enough, while not one wants to hear about how big your hose is, I've had quite a few women want to see how big mine is.
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe you are just in the wrong crowd?




Touché sir, touché lol



STXmedic said:


> Hey, that's what Robb does! I'll never forget the first time I saw him on stage... magical...




You don't tip very well for it being so magical


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## Anjel (Mar 4, 2014)

Apparently I need to make a trip out west.


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## STXmedic (Mar 4, 2014)

Anjel said:


> Apparently I need to make a trip out west.



Yeah you do! He only charges $5 for private sessions! Gotta love NV


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## cfd3091 (Mar 8, 2014)

Full time Fire job and 2 part time EMS gigs.


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## carmean4 (Apr 2, 2014)

*Transporter*

Im a medical transporter in a hospital part time. 
I am using the job to get my foot in the door as an ER tech, ER techs get paid a little over double what an EMT on a rig will make.


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## DeepFreeze (Apr 30, 2014)

I'm also a full time Firefighter, EMS is my side gig. I used to do more road shifts, but now I'm getting into teaching (CPR/Lectures) a bit more (just thinking about the 5-10 year plan). That and i don't want to get a back injury on my side job. 

Kudos to all the Full time EMS providers, that is a tough living.


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## Anjel (Apr 30, 2014)

I'll add something constructive I guess... I'm currently working 2 full time EMS jobs. Doing about 169 hours a pay period. 

That's just until I finish the FTO time at job 2. I'll go full time there and part time at number 1.


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## Prudy (May 3, 2014)

Half-time paramedic (600$/ month), half-time disaster manager in local EMS (400$/ month). Welcome to Central Europe income :wacko: 

But beer cost 1,5$ in bar


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## Summit (May 3, 2014)

ICU RN, outdoor ed



CFal said:


> Ski Patrol



Well that covers 6 months... do you go south?


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## SSwain (May 6, 2014)

Mild mannered mechanical engineer by weekday...even milder mannered EMT-B nights and weekends.


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## rmabrey (May 6, 2014)

Full time medic is my only job and I get by. A couple oart time giga in the works, but thats more to have a foot in the door than it is for the money


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## TransportJockey (May 6, 2014)

2 168 hour shifts per month as a ground 911 critical care medic. And I'm applying to do my IC course to teach on the side for some extra cash. Plus I'm trying to get a PRN ER or flight gig


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## lido (May 8, 2014)

Full time paramedic.


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## Tigger (May 8, 2014)

I'm fulltime at a county ambulance district, which I could probably survive off without anything else. 

On the side I work very PRN at the local AMR op. Due to some contract changes there are very few shifts open so they have no reason to put me through the ambulance orientation, so I get stuck driving the detox/wheelchair van. I work sports standbys at the college I graduated from last year too.

I'm debating picking up another PRN ambulance gig in a casino town nearby since AMR never has openings. Sounds like a relaxed place but I kinda want to "diversify" at some point.


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## 9D4 (May 8, 2014)

I work at an inbound call center full time. Were actually an answering service.
Not my favorite place, but not many 19 year olds are making 15/hourly and getting 40 every week with OT available pretty much every week.


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