Second jobs are awesome. Second jobs allow people additional income to buy the things they need or want or allow them to pay down debt. I added the pizza delivery driver because I just came across a great blog about a man who is paying down debt though delivering pizza on the weekends. What is inspiring to me is that the author wants to start a life of ministry and knows he cannot accomplish that goal unless he pays off his debts. The blog shows you how much he makes each time he delivers pizza as well as what his net worth is each month. Click here to check out his blog.
It seems to me that most people....at least the people I meet with who live in Indianapolis and the surrounding areas....don't have second jobs. Many of the people I meet with have financial difficulties (this is common when you are a bankruptcy attorney). But very few have second jobs. I have been thinking lately about why so many Hoosiers forego picking up a second job when they have financial issues.
I think the number one reason is likely pride. In our present economy, there are many professions who simply aren't making enough to make ends meet. They are not unintelligent people; they certainly understand that increasing their income would help cover their household expenses. However, if we are using pizza delivery as an example, they are worried about how they would be perceived by their friends/family/neighbors if they added a second job such as delivering pizza. I get it. I don't think there is a second job that you could have that would be much more of a "red flag" that you were experiencing financial problems than delivering pizza. I am sure it would be embarrassing if your next door neighbor ordered pizza and you showed up in your pizza delivery hat at their door.
But even though I can certainly see how this would be embarrassing.....I don't understand WHY this is embarrassing. If you look at the logic of the situation there is really no reason that getting a second job to make ends meet (or even to get ahead) would or should be embarrassing. But in our society at present I do believe that this is socially unacceptable behavior. The conclusion I have come to is that you simply cannot worry about what others think. You must do what you have to do when it comes to your personal finances and if Suzi down the block wants to talk about it then great. At least you will be able to pay your bills at the end of the month, pay for your kid's soccer uniform or put some money away in the rainy day fund.
Another reason I believe many people opt not to find a second job is that they think that the pay will not be worth the time spent. I have certainly seen examples of people working for a net of almost no money or sometimes even negative money in my practice. For example, many people who are self-employed so enjoy the freedom of self-employment that they continue to dump their savings into a company month after month, year after year until they are forced to shut it down because there is simply nothing left. This would be an example of negative money. In addition, if you have to spend $50.00 on gas to make $60.00 net and spent 8 hours away from your family it is not be worth it. However, it is certainly possible to find a second job that is worth it. Sure, most will not make the same amount of money that they make at their full time job....but it is not uncommon for a person to make enough money each month to cover their mortgage or rent payment from a second job. I'd say that is worth it.
The last reason is that people in our fast-paced society really value their down time. I agree that no one really wants to take his or her Saturday and work all day only to come home exhausted. We would all much prefer to watch a movie, go for a walk, or just hang out with our families. But my own personal opinion is that if you are wrestling with money issues that you really cannot enjoy those times without the thought of how you are going to pay for this or that creeping into your head.
So by now I think you can gather why I think second jobs are awesome. But I will say that, unfortunately, there are some financial situations where even second jobs are not going to change a person's circumstances. I have had clients with over 100k of medical bills or who made $75,000.00 more per year more than they are making now for the past 25 years and have a mortgage based on their prior income. I have had clients who have suffered the worst runs of financial luck you have ever seen. Unfortunately, there are some times when a person needs to get a fresh start under the bankruptcy code. Whether it be through Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 I would be happy to discuss both bankruptcy and non-bankrtupcy options with anyone living in or near Indianapolis, Carmel, Zionsville, Fishers, Noblesville, Tipton, Kokomo or Anderson. Just give me a call at (317) 575-8222 and we can set up an appointment to meet at the Halcomb Singler, LLP, office in Carmel.
Halcomb Singler, LLP, is a debt relief agency. It helps people file for bankruptcy under the bankruptcy code. No attorney-client relationship with the firm of Halcomb Singler, LLP, is created through this blog. Also, please note that Erika Singler is an attorney licensed in Indiana and does not seek to practice law in any jurisdiction in which they are not properly authorized to do so. The information contained in this blog is general in nature and should not be relied upon for the circumstances of any individual(s) or businesses.
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