Request: Suggestions for a Night / Weekend Second Job to Help Pay Bills (employee, debt)
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I'm looking for reasonable ideas for a second job for quick money for maybe a year or so. I don't really consider anything "beneath me", but I do have some restrictions listed below. I also don't think I'd want to work for $10 / hour unless the job's easy enough to allow me to unwind as well.
FWIW, I'm a software development consultant in the Tampa Bay area making about $150k. My family's able to balance the budget when we're pretty frugal, but the minute we start loosening the belt, our cash flow turns negative. We've had a couple things happen and now need to pay down some debt. Plus, we're tired of not being able to afford simple things like a date at the movies.
Before anyone says anything, I'm well aware that the reason I'm in this position financially and career wise is my own doing and that better long-term options are to get a promotion, switch jobs, start my own business, or start a side-hustle / passive income stream. Some of those things are easier said than done, and we need to stop the financial bleeding before it gets worse. I don't want to wait a year or more for any meaningful money to kick in.
The requirements:
It has to be a night & weekend sort of job so that I can work my main job, M-F 9:30 - 7.
I need to be able to call off some weekends due to responsibilities at my main job.
I need Saturday mornings off in the fall to attend my son's football games.
Ideally, this would be something I could walk away from at a moments' notice without feeling too guilty.
Ride-share, etc. is out because our only reliable vehicle is leased.
Off the top of my head, some of what I can bring:
Obviously, some software development (but not very in-demand stuff, my focus is on a very niche area) and consulting skills
Light IT hardware skills
Managed / lead projects and small teams (never with official hire/fire or budget, but have had some personnel impact and done some budget / employee salary work)
Some presentation and writing skills
Experience teaching in a business setting
Generally pleasant personality, but am not super charismatic or an extravert
Hardworker that takes pride in anything I do
Love of learning almost any new skill, and am generally a quick-learner
If I were in your position I would consider looking into the following:
--IT Help Desk/ IT Support Technician, looking for PT/on-call evenings and weekends help. I would assume anything you found in this area could be done remotely from your home, so you could potentially be around/ available to your family while doing it, and your software development/"light IT hardware" skills/experience would likely appeal to hiring managers. If you don't feel like you have the skills/ certs for this, you could likely easily find a CompTIA A+ certification course (or similar) that would only take a few to several weeks to complete. Because IT is so in-demand everywhere nationally, you might be able to access free training somewhere (but you would not income-qualify for subsidized trainings).
--Human Services roles in residential settings that need evening/overnight/weekend staff. Look for Residential Counselor or related type roles for facilities serving youth or adults that might be struggling with out-of-home placement, disability, mental or chemical health issues. Typically these don't require related college education, and in your area I would imagine would pay somewhere between $15-20/hour. You have to like working directly with people through the 'helping profession', though. These are good for clock in/clock out shift work if you want to do something tangible, in-person, and meaningful.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by heavymind
Why does everyone who posts their salary on this forum magically make $150K a year? Not buying it.
I think the median household income in the US is somewhere around $60K or $70K.
Yes, it was $70,784, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey data for 2021. Probably a bit higher now.
When we moved to another state in 1993 and I started a new business, we struggled for a year until I was able to build up a client base. I took on a part-time job that worked out well for me and that any able-bodied person can do. I was the janitor for an animal hospital. It required coming in when they were closed, so after my business hours Monday-Friday I would work there for two hours. Then on the weekend I could work any time after they closed Saturday, most often Sunday Morning, and that time it was a more thorough 4 hour cleaning. That was paying me $10/hour and that wasn't too bad in 1993.
At the time I had also looked into substitute custodian at the local school district. That paid better and when there was a need all would get an email and you would respond if interested in picking up that shift. They are currently paying $21.82.
I'm looking for reasonable ideas for a second job for quick money for maybe a year or so.
Proximity to home. Easy to go to/from. For someone who already knows you. For someone you worked for in the past.
Something you've done before and know. Focus more on 'supervise & manage' vs doing - accent your maturity.
Why does everyone who posts their salary on this forum magically make $150K a year? Not buying it.
I think the median household income in the US is somewhere around $60K or $70K.
I have no idea why others would post that if it's not true, but that is legitimately my salary (with minor rounding). If you know much about the software and consulting industries, it shouldn't be difficult to imagine someone with nearly 20 years experience in both making that much. In fact, it's rather a lower-end-of-middle salary for that. Bad career moves on my part.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Camden Northsider
If I were in your position I would consider looking into the following:
--IT Help Desk/ IT Support Technician, looking for PT/on-call evenings and weekends help. I would assume anything you found in this area could be done remotely from your home, so you could potentially be around/ available to your family while doing it, and your software development/"light IT hardware" skills/experience would likely appeal to hiring managers. If you don't feel like you have the skills/ certs for this, you could likely easily find a CompTIA A+ certification course (or similar) that would only take a few to several weeks to complete. Because IT is so in-demand everywhere nationally, you might be able to access free training somewhere (but you would not income-qualify for subsidized trainings).
--Human Services roles in residential settings that need evening/overnight/weekend staff. Look for Residential Counselor or related type roles for facilities serving youth or adults that might be struggling with out-of-home placement, disability, mental or chemical health issues. Typically these don't require related college education, and in your area I would imagine would pay somewhere between $15-20/hour. You have to like working directly with people through the 'helping profession', though. These are good for clock in/clock out shift work if you want to do something tangible, in-person, and meaningful.
The human services thing sounds interesting. I actually love helping people. It gets me into all kinds of trouble at my current job, but is also partly what draws me to it in the first place, and it keeps the clients happy. Hopefully there's something nearby!
The IT hep desk thing sounds good too, but unfortunately, I don't have certifications in anything, and no professional background in this sort of thing. I fix stuff on my own computers and sometimes troubleshoot software on other peoples', but nothing CompTIA like. When you say the course only takes a few weeks, how much time are you talking about? I already have about 80 hours per week dedicated to either my job, family, or house, without accounting for random things that come up, so there isn't a lot to go around. My wife will, by the nature of our situation, eat my spending another 15-20 / week working for money that pays bills, but she will struggle accepting that for unpaid study. She could stomach it for a month or so if it will lead to a higher paying part time job.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hemlock140
Yes, it was $70,784, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey data for 2021. Probably a bit higher now.
When we moved to another state in 1993 and I started a new business, we struggled for a year until I was able to build up a client base. I took on a part-time job that worked out well for me and that any able-bodied person can do. I was the janitor for an animal hospital. It required coming in when they were closed, so after my business hours Monday-Friday I would work there for two hours. Then on the weekend I could work any time after they closed Saturday, most often Sunday Morning, and that time it was a more thorough 4 hour cleaning. That was paying me $10/hour and that wasn't too bad in 1993.
At the time I had also looked into substitute custodian at the local school district. That paid better and when there was a need all would get an email and you would respond if interested in picking up that shift. They are currently paying $21.82.
I'll keep my eye out, but I unfortunately know from experience they don't pay much here. My FIL has had 2 or 3 such gigs now - one as an independent contractor where he had to buy his own supplies and work all night cleaning restaurants, and one as a full-time employee of a grade school. For both, the pay was around $10-15 / hour and was long, hard, laborious work that got him injured (just had hernia surgery). I have no problem being a janitor / doing the work, but that level of effort after a full stressful day at my real job and dealing with kids and other crap better pay more than $10 / hour. I'd start considering it around $15ish.
For someone who already knows you. For someone you worked for in the past. Something you've done before and know.
Can't, due to a non-compete agreement. I can't work with / for a current or prospective competitor or client while engaged in my current job or for a year after termination of said job.
Nearly all of my expertise and contacts over the last 20 years are focused around a niche software product targeted at specific clientele. It's a small world that people rarely leave, and everyone in that world is a prospective client or competitor. Most of my software, design, and analysis expertise is non-transferrable outside of that world, and my limited experience in management and transferrable skills are not enough to get $150k+ jobs on their own because people don't want to hire senior level people with no direct experience or certifications in the things they're hiring them for.
As stated, it's my own fault for not managing my career properly, but that's where I am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational
Focus more on 'supervise & manage' vs doing - accent your maturity.
If you're referring to using this to get part-time, second-job work, I'm not aware of any such that focus on management & supervision in the IT world? Where would I even look for one that meet the hours requirements I mentioned above?
If you're referring to becoming a manager at my current company, it's not really an option. We're a small company of about 20 people. The only "management" roles (project managers) would be a step down from where I am, and pay less.
If you're referring to changing full-time jobs to focus on management-related items, see the above section about the non-compete & relevant work experience.
Check with local pizza places to see if they need a pizza maker or a delivery driver. Be upfront about your needs.
He did say the following :
"Ride-share, etc. is out because our only reliable vehicle is leased."
You can still use a Leased vehicle for any of these gig jobs and out of these Uber Eats is probably the best since you don't have to set a schedule like Doordash makes you.
With Uber Eats you just turn on the App whenever you are ready to work and when you had enough just sign off and your day is done. Their only restriction is that you can't work more than 12 hours in a row for safety concerns.
"Ride-share, etc. is out because our only reliable vehicle is leased."
You can still use a Leased vehicle for any of these gig jobs and out of these Uber Eats is probably the best since you don't have to set a schedule like Doordash makes you.
With Uber Eats you just turn on the App whenever you are ready to work and when you had enough just sign off and your day is done. Their only restriction is that you can't work more than 12 hours in a row for safety concerns.
Thanks. I missed that part.
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