Should You Get a Second Job?

Do you ever feel like the income you earn at your job is limiting? If you have a big financial goal that you’d like to meet quickly or feel like your money is still tight after budgeting properly and watching your spending each month, you should know that you can always earn more money.

Normally, I would tell anyone who wants to earn extra money to establish a side hustle by doing something that they are passionate about and enjoy. In reality though, side hustles take a lot of time and sometimes money to get you to the point where you are bringing in a solid income regularly. Plus, some people may not want to market any of their hobbies or skills to others to earn extra money.

If you want to earn money quickly and not have to worry about investing extra time, money and effort aside from your regular work hours, you may want to consider getting a second job.

Before you finalize this decision, here are some important factors to consider along with tips to help balance your life while working both jobs.

Consider a Second Job as a Last Resort

Most people will not describe working two jobs as ‘fun’. The extra money coming in might be great, but it can take a lot out of you. This is why working a second job should be considered a last resort and only a viable option if you absolutely need the money or experience to improve your life.

Before searching for another job, check to see if you’ve lowered all of your expenses and cut back on a few of your wants.

Determine Your Time and Energy Limitations

Working a second job can take up a lot of your spare time. If you choose to work two jobs, you must consider how many hours you have to dedicate to the extra job per week along with how you can reorganize your schedule to accommodate the extra work.

Certain responsibilities around the house may have to be taken care of at a different time if you work six or seven days per week.

Working every day is doable, as long as you get the proper amount of rest. Going non-stop without rest can make you irritable and exhausted which can make you unproductive at work.

Determine how much rest you will need and still try to squeeze in some time for relaxation during the hours that you are not working. It may seem like a juggling act at first, but knowing your limits will help you set realistic expectations and not feel stressed out.

Calculate Whether the Pay Will be Worth It

Some part-time jobs do not pay very well depending on the industry. So, if you’re planning on working part-time somewhere to help bring in some extra income you should narrow down how much you’d like to be compensated for work.

The more money you earn, the less hours you will have to work so avoid getting a minimum wage job even if it’s easy because you might not feel like you’re earning enough money to justify the extra hours you are putting in.

Now it’s time for the tips.

Establish a Strong Support System

You’ll need to establish a strong sense of support from friends and loved ones if you plan to take on a second job. You will most likely need help with juggling various different tasks along with working, especially if you are a parent.

Explain your goals to increase your income to loved ones and see if you can outsource certain tasks to them and split responsibilities around the house with your partner. Having the extra help will be extremely beneficial to you at this time.

Only View Your Situation as Temporary

I worked two jobs for a few months back in college. Even though I wasn’t working full-time at either of them, it was still a stretch between working, going to school and raising a child. Eventually, one of my jobs started to annoy me after a while and I left.

Having multiple streams of income to depend on is great. But over time, you may start to get burnt out or your circumstances may change and you won’t be able to work two jobs anymore. This is why you should consider your second job as a temporary situation. Narrow down your primary goal for working two jobs, work toward it, get what you need, and then get out of that situation and cut back down to one primary job.

Have you ever worked two jobs before? What advice do you have for someone who is considering it?