The most common second jobs and how much you can make doing them

PITTSBURGH — Many Pittsburghers are taking on a second job to help make ends meet.

According to Bankrate.com, the number of people working two jobs has doubled since the consumer financial service company started keeping score in 2017.

“I do think a lot of people have that kind of feeling that one job is not enough anymore,” said Ted Rossman, Senior Industry Analyst at Bankrate.com.

Rossman says most people surveyed have two jobs out of necessity and that inflation is driving it.

You’ll find Amy Manofsky taking care of customers at Strange Roots New Kensington Taproom. But only a few times a month. It’s her second job.

Her 40-hour-a-week, primary job is working remotely, building online corporate trainings.

“When you’re trying to make sure that you pay all of your bills on time, save money, and just have a little bit of fun on the side too, sometimes your one salary doesn’t always cut it,” said Manofsky of Natrona Heights.

Amy is part of 39% of Americans whom Bankrate.com says have a secondary income source.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows 8.7 million people had multiple jobs in December 2023.

This is something Bankrate.com tracks. The number of people working two jobs has doubled since it started keeping score in 2017.

“I do think a lot of people have that kind of feeling that one job is not enough anymore,” said Ted Rossman, Senior Industry Analyst at Bankrate.com.

Rossman says most people surveyed have two jobs out of necessity and inflation is driving it.

“It just seemed like the far and away #1 answer was ‘I just need this money to get by,’” said Rossman, “and to come up with extra money for day-to-day expenses.”

For Amy, the second job gives her the freedom to save and pay off student loans.

But she doesn’t just have one, second job. She actually has 3.

Amy used to be a teacher, so she also grades cyber school assignments.

And she plays base guitar in a local band called Midnight Lights

Bankrate.com says the most common side hustles for men are landscaping and home repair. For women, its childcare and crafts. Ride shares, food delivery, and pet sitting also made the list for both.

The technology-based gig jobs have made making extra money and getting extra hours, easier, said Rossman.

“Some people feel that they need to put in 80, 90, 100 hours a week just to make the rent and cay payment,” he told us in a recent interview.

But Rossman says that can lead to burn out so knowing when to pull back is important.

“A key component for me is time management,” said Manofsky. “I create a daily to-do list and I block off chunks of time in my calendar just to make sure that I plan a bed time every day.”

Second jobs bring in an average of $800 a month, according to Bankrate.com.

Amy makes a bit less than that. So, is it worth it to her?

“I would say if they were jobs that I didn’t enjoy, it wouldn’t be worth it. But since I enjoy all of them, and they’re associated with a lot of my hobbies, then its worth it for me,” said Manofsky.

If you’ve been thinking about getting a second job, Rossman suggests following your passion, like Manofsky, even if it doesn’t pay all the bills now, it could turn into something. He says you could also repurpose your existing skills in a new job.

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