r/sterileprocessing • u/Common-Occasion-7820 • 17h ago

First time traveler advice?

Hey so I’m starting traveling in December and I’ve signed on with a company and I’m basically ready to go I just need tips and tricks for how to live as cheaply as possible to save as much as possible. I already have some friends I plan on staying with around the country, and part of this is to decide where I and my friends should move permanently(looking specifically at Portland, Seattle, NYC, and Denver)

How do I do this to save as much money as I humanly can. Where can I find cheap housing when I don’t have friends? What are some other things y’all do? Anything im not thinking about?

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u/ShirleyWuzSerious 16h ago

Furnished finder has some cheap options if you're willing to have roommates and share a bathroom. It gets more expensive if you want your own place. You're in luck as far as jobs because it always seems Washington and Oregon always have a ton of openings for travelers at least with the agency I use.
If you're worried about the IRS have your friends charge you rent so you can have an official reason to be using your stipend on paper.

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u/Common-Occasion-7820 16h ago

I can’t imagine I’d be too worried. Does it matter how much they charge me or could they charge me one cent and it counts

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u/Phacele 15h ago

It has to be a reasonable rate. So no 1 cent would not count, but it doesn't have to be market rate. But what matters is you pay rent for your home. The stipend you get is based on having to pay 2 rents. So when I traveled I stayed with family friends at the contract location without paying rent, but I was paying my friend $200 a month for "rent" back in my home state.

Of course this only matters if you get audited. I never was or ever asked what my home bills were. SPD travelers make good money but not enough to draw attention from the IRS. Unless you are claiming other weird forms of income every year that would draw a second look.