Moonlighting: The Second Job to Reduce Debt

Yes, I finally found a second job in order to subsidize my debt reduction project. It's a step I've considered for several months. But, until now, I was more focused on securing an entirely new position altogether; one that would replace my current full-time occupation and feature a higher salary. Times being what they are, though, it seems this second, part-time job is a better alternative.

While my second job doesn't entail fighting bad guys or private detective work, it does necessitate a little searching and finding. It's a contract position that involves monitoring website performance for a development company. In fact, just finding the job itself required some searching. Basically, I was looking for employment that would satisfy these primary criteria:

• Part time, few, and flexible work hours
• Something I can do at home
• Competitive compensation
• Allows me to use some of the kinds of skills I'd like to further develop

Right now, many of you are probably thinking that those criteria describe the kind of second job you are trying to find, too. That's not surprising. If I had a penny for every time I heard someone say they wish they could work from home, I'd be relatively debt free. Perhaps that is why there are approximately 327 million results in Google for the search phrase "work from home". Those of you who've investigated such opportunities know that the potential to work from home is one of the great lures of online scam artists. You've seen their ads. They promise big results for relatively easy work.

So, how, you ask, does one manage to find supplemental income obtainable from home at one's leisure?

Start small. You are not looking for a new career at this time. It is a second job to help pay down personal debts. I wasn't looking for a fortune. I just wanted something fair and supplemental. Some income, after all, is better than none.

If you haven't looked already, I suggest that you start with the job postings on Craigslist.org. Since it is free for employers to post open positions on Craigslist, it is an ideal venue for finding lower priority opportunities like the kind of work-at-home-contract employment we want. Sure, free posts also entice the scammers. But, they are easy to filter. Check the boards every day. Check in different categories. Genuine opportunities for part-time, at-home work get picked up pretty quickly.

A second job is not for everyone. As you might expect, moonlighting will make you extra busy. And, if you have a family, you'll be hesitant to subtract even more of your daily free time. (That is partly why I put off applying for a second job. I have a wonderful wife and two adorable sons. Lately, though, I've been waking especially early each morning. So, I expect to get much of my supplemental work done then) An article on Bankrate.com offers some excellent suggestions for determining whether a second job will be a good idea for you. I'd suggest reading that and thinking long and hard about your wish to get a second job. Only you can decide if the price of your credit card debt is comparable to the price of your free time.

If you also have a second job, or are in the process of finding one, I welcome your comments on this post. Being that I'm just starting this part-time position, I'll be interested to know how those of you in similar situations have fared with supplemental income going toward your debts. Thanks for reading.

In Debt,
Ed Ness