(NewsNation) — Having a second job used to be associated with greater financial freedom but, for many Americans, side hustles have become a necessity.
No longer just a means for spare cash, side gigs are an important contribution to many household incomes.
Matthew Kallish is among those with a second full-time job. After working a graveyard shift at a New Jersey hotel, he then heads back for another eight hours of work as a mailman.
“It’s definitely a struggle,” Kallish said. “Staying up all night, which is a struggle in itself, and then knowing that you’re coming to work another whole shift at another job.”
More than one-third of people with a so-called side hustle need the work to afford living essentials like rent and groceries, according to a BankRate survey.
“It’s hard,” Kallish said. “With the cost of gas and groceries. Sometimes, at the end of the week, all the big bills are paid but we’re waiting until Friday to go grocery shopping because there’s only so much money to go around — even with both jobs.”
Financial expert Rachel Cruz says Americans struggling to make ends meet should pause investing while paying off debt and sell things they don’t use or need. Skipping a vacation or going one month on “no spending” can help ease the burden.
Burning the candle at both ends shouldn’t be a long-term solution, she said.
“It’s easy to wander into debt and really hard to get out,” she said. “So those two to three extra jobs to keep you afloat to be able to get you out of debt are key. But once you’re out of debt and you have an emergency fund in place, then my hope would be that your full-time job can take care of your living expenses and you can still live below your means.”