Rising living costs and stagnant salaries are affecting families across the country. As a result, more and more Americans are looking for alternative ways to earn an income.
Almost a third of American workers need a side job to pay the bills. Even with this added stream of revenue, many individuals are still finding it difficult to stretch their salaries through payday.
Here’s how moonlighting culture has changed the course of employment in the United States.
Salaries aren’t Keeping Up with Living Costs
Certain industries, such as service and education, are especially impacted by the disparity between what employees make and what they need to survive.
Side jobs are becoming increasingly popular among teachers.
Many teachers don’t work while school is out for summer break. So, they find additional jobs to make up the difference.
Tutoring, sports coaching, summer school, and even ride-sharing services are popular secondary employment options among this group.
For larger cities, this gap is even wider.
Those who want to live in more expensive metropolitan areas face even more hurdles.
The average salaries for industries such as education, hospitality, and childcare are fairly consistent across the country. This means that people generally make the same amount, whether they live in an affordable area or not.
People Want to Pursue their Passion
Artists, musicians, business owners, and creative minds often turn to their side hustles to fund their passion projects.
Many workers place a higher value on their dreams and goals than on the weight of their paycheck.
In most cases, it takes some time to get an idea off the ground. Many famous artists, writers, and inventors had to struggle through hard times before they made it big.
Instead of saving up by spending years at a conventional job, many workers are choosing to split the difference through moonlighting.
Flexible, hourly jobs are popular with this group of workers. Many choose to juggle a few different jobs to create a schedule that accommodates their lifestyle.
Workers Have More Options
Side jobs are no longer limited to weekend bartending and waiting tables. With the growth of the digital sphere, many industries have changed the way they do business.
Food delivery services like UberEats source third-party delivery drivers to work with different restaurants.
Assistance apps like TaskRabbit pull workers from a pool of qualified professionals. As someone who completes the tasks, all you need is a smartphone and a relatively open schedule.
This shift in workforce organization has proven to be beneficial for American employees.
Now, no matter a person’s schedule or lifestyle, nearly everyone has a way to make money on the side.
Remote Jobs Provide Flexibility
If you’re looking for a side hustle, you just need to take to the internet to find one.
Because of the schedule flexibility, delivery apps, ride-share services, online content platforms, and even virtual tutoring sessions are a few income streams that are gaining traction.
Many professions can now be executed entirely online.
Accountants, marketing managers, IT support providers, and graphic designers are just a few examples. If you have a skill that translates online, you can make a living from your laptop.
For those who are tethered to an office or brick-and-mortar business, it’s still possible to make extra money online.
Online marketplaces like Etsy allow users to sell homemade goods, which helps many Americans turn their hobbies into a lucrative side business. Online media platforms like UpWork and Fiverr give creatives a place to market and sell their services.
This, in addition to the country’s growing need for supplementary income, creates a unique marketplace outside of the traditional 9-to-5 workday.
Despite the thriving state of our economy, workers are struggling to get by. Flexible work hours, additional earning potential, and room for advancement is enticing workers to diversify their income streams. Even with additional jobs, Americans have to get creative to make ends meet.
