I heard on the radio this morning that some people are working part-time jobs in addition to their full-time job because costs of well, just about everything, have risen due to the pandemic.
What? Work more hours? Sacrifice my physical and mental health just to make ends meet? I don’t think so! I am at the point in my life where I want to work less and have more personal freedom. But I still need to eat, feed my cats and maintain my house and automobile. This “discovery” got me wondering…
I am curious as to how many people have taken the time to carefully review their monthly expenses to figure out ways to cut back on costs rather than getting a part-time job?
I get it – everything is more expensive. I’m affected just as much as everybody else. I go to my local supermarket, which is a low end supermarket (not Walmart) less expensive than Giant and Acme, and the prices are still considerably more than they used to be.
In my humble opinion, if you need to work a part-time job just to make ends meet, then you’re living beyond your means. Yes, I know it is a blanket statement and I do not know everyone’s situation but I am confident that statement is accurate for the majority of people who felt it necessary to take on another job.
Off the top of my head I can think of the following ways to save money or cut costs:
THE FOUR BIG EXPENDITURES FOR MANY PEOPLE
- CABLE – Cut the cable!! You don’t need cable!! There are many cheaper alternatives to cable (e.g. Hulu, Netflix, Roku, Fire stick, etc.). And then there are the free viewing options: Pluto TV, Tubi, Freevee just to name a few. Besides if you’re working two jobs you don’t have time to watch TV anyway.
If you won’t cut the cable at least cut back on the channels that cost additional money. But I still stand by my first recommendation – cut the cable!!
- INTERNET ACCESS – Reevaluate your monthly Internet fees. Verizon and Comcast are the two top providers in my area. They are constantly offering deals, trying to outdo each other. Maybe it’s time you switch your internet provider – I saved $30 a month when I switched two years ago.
Oh, and buy the router/modem – stop renting it (see my post on renting the router).
- MOBILE PHONE – Reevaluate your monthly cellular bill. The top three or four cellular phone companies are constantly trying to get customers to switch providers by offering better rates. Perhaps it’s time to change your cell phone provider even if you don’t get unlimited data. And what do you need unlimited data for anyway? You are working two jobs and barely have time for TV.
FYI – I have never used the full amount of data on my cell phone and I have a limited data plan.
- SUBSCRIPTIONS OR MEMBERSHIPS – Revaluate all your subscription expenditures. It is so easy to forget that you are paying for something if it gets automatically charged to your credit card or deducted from your bank account.
- Do you have a gym membership that you barely use?
- Do you have a subscription to a music service? You don’t need it.
- Do you subscribe to a daily newspaper or monthly magazine that you don’t read? Do people read newspapers or magazines anymore?
- Do you have any service or expense on automatic payment that you would rather work a part-time job for than live without?
Oh, and if you’re still holding on to that home phone, reevaluate whether you truly need to. That’s an easy cost that can be eliminated.
Stayed tuned for more ways to avoid getting a part-time job to make ends meet.