5 ways you can maximise your income when locuming

As a young health professional looking for locum jobs, you may be seeking to give your resume a boost while enjoying the extra perks, such as flexible schedules, better pay, and a chance to sample life in a new city. For older professionals, the benefits of flexibility and better pay still make locuming a great career choice. If you’re on the lookout for new locum opportunities, here are a few tips to make locuming work to your advantage and improve your chances of finding the best locum jobs:

Look beyond London and explore other locations

London has a very high cost of living. If you want to stretch out your salary, consider moving to a nearby town or village. Before you settle on a new position, consider finding an agency that specializes in your area of work, and let them help you find a position that fits all your preferences, including affordable costs of living. By expanding your search, you may discover that there are other locum jobs in the UK that offer even more attractive compensation packages.

Prioritize affordable accommodation options

One of the key challenges when taking on locum jobs is finding affordable accommodation. Choose an area that provides reasonable accommodation options. There are many letting and estate agencies, but some of these can be difficult to secure a short-term rental with (six months or less). You can discuss shorter-term accommodation with the hospital as many offer free or cheap nearby accommodation, even if it’s only for a short period of time. As you familiarize yourself with the city, you can start looking for affordable places.

Consider rural locum jobs and the extra perks they offer

Not everyone dreams of practicing in a rural setup, yet there are still people living there who need medical attention. Rural practices offer unique challenges as they are most likely understaffed and with fewer resources. However, they provide a challenging work environment that pushes you to become an even better physician. The scenery is also worth the trade-off, and you get to be part of a community and make a difference. This is in addition to increasing efforts to get GPs from countries such as Australia and New Zealand to come and join rural practices in the UK.

Save money with voucher and discount apps

Look at voucher and discount apps to save where they can. You can use voucher apps to save money in restaurants, attractions, and even transport. There are many voucher apps available, so do your research in advance to find ones that accommodate your location.

Live like a local, not a tourist

London, as well as many other UK cities, attracts an abundance of tourists. To keep costs down, the trick is not to act like one. If you move to London, don’t go thinking you can watch a West End show every Saturday and still have enough to fill your cupboards! It’s important that wherever you go, you live like a local, buy local and this way you’ll keep the costs down.

Get started

If you are considering taking up locum jobs (or going 100% locum), we can help you find a position that suits your needs. Get in touch with us today and we will be happy to offer guidance as you prepare for the next chapter of your career. By following these tips and expanding your search, you can maximize your opportunities and find the best locum jobs in the UK.