As people continue to pay high prices for groceries, food, gas and much more, more Americans are considering getting a second job to help make ends meet.
A trip to the grocery store hurts a little more these days. Marcus Yarbrough and Kylara Griffis usually spend less than $100 for a week’s worth of groceries. It now costs them about 50% more to make food at home.
Kylara tells ABC15 she’s thought about getting a second job.
“I have. I know that we’ve, we work long hours and we try to figure out if we even have extra time to make more, and it’s hard because it’s like okay, I can cook dinner and then I have to go to bed to start my job again the next day. I don’t have enough time to get another job unless I work on the weekends,” she said.
Kylara is one of many considering another job to help with high costs.
According to a study by Qualtrics, a software technology company, of more than a thousand full-time workers surveyed, 38% of people say they have already looked for a second job and another 14% plan to do so.
“It does make sense to me that some folks who are disadvantaged and find themselves not being able to have their incomes cover the costs of rent and goods and services, you know, might be looking to pick up some extra employment opportunities,” said Dennis Hoffman, a professor of economics at Arizona State University.
Hoffman said it will be pretty easy for people to find a second gig, especially since there are many openings and not enough people to fill them. Then, holiday season is near, which means more jobs will open, Hoffman said.
“Employers evidently can't seem to find enough people to do work for them. There's a huge, unprecedented imbalance between jobs available and people willing to take them. We are headed into a slowdown, but an unbelievably strong labor market,” Hoffman said.
Zak Waldschmidt, who works for DoorDash, said he wants a second job to help take care of his family.
“I'm headed back to Wisconsin just because things are kind of cheaper out that way. Even out there, It seems like you have to have an extra income just to get by in that. I just want to provide the best life for our kids so I'll do what I can in that,” he said.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in September, nearly 7.8 million Americans are working more than one job. That translates to about 5% of the total workforce.
