Not Good Enough

Although America's headline unemployment rate tends to be the focus of attention, the problems in the job market are plentifold. Not only are millions of Americans having a hard time finding work, with no small number reaching the point where they have exhausted temporary safety net benefits, more and more are being classified as "discouraged," meaning they have given up hope of finding a job and are no longer even being counted as active in the labor force. Many of those who are working, meanwhile, can only find work on a part-time basis, or have little choice but to juggle two or more minimum or low-wage jobs to scratch out a living. But as the following ABC News report, "Recession Reality: People With Good Jobs Need 2nd Jobs," reveals, even those who are employed in positions that might once have afforded them a considerable amount of breathing room feel compelled to try and supplement their income in other ways:

Lawyers, Real Estate Agents, College Administrators All Looking for More Cash

Like a lot of Americans hit by the recession, Robert Stokely found himself in a serious cash crunch earlier this year. After taking a hard look at his check book, 56-year old Stokely approached the manager at a local Wendy's and asked for a job working the counter.

He got it -- a $7.25-per-hour position cooking French fries.

But, unlike many of his counter co-workers, Stokely already had a pretty good day job, one that paid him $93,000 a year. In fact, Stokely is the Coweta County, Ga., solicitor general -- an elected position.

"I make a very good living, I'm not complaining, but last year my cost of living raise went down the tubes, my car payment doubled and I was living paycheck to paycheck," said Stokely.

The father of three didn't need much -- he was coming up short by just a few hundred dollars a month. But he didn't want to go into debt and get behind on his financial obligations so the Wendy's gig seemed perfect, in part, because it was right on the way home from his day job.

"I needed something that was flexible and after hours and when you're working for minimum wage you don't want to spend a lot of money on gas," Stokely said.

From Elected Official to Wendy's Fry Guy

The reaction to Stokely's moonlighting was decidedly mixed. His son thought it was funny but his wife wasn't too fond of the idea. As for the folks ordering a baconator with fries?

"People judge you. I'm an elected official," Stokely said. "Some people definitely did a double take they would ask me, 'What are you doing here?' and I would say right back, 'I'm making money like everyone else.'"

That's all Alex Metricarti is trying to do, too -- make a little extra money. Metricarti has a full-time job as a marketing administrator at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pa., but these days the 40-year-old mother of two also moonlights as a real estate agent.

"The two-job thing is stressful, but it does offer me peace of mind," she said. "I don't have to worry about every penny now or what would happen if someone gets hurt and we got hit with medical bills. In this economy I can't imagine what it would be like if I didn't have a second job."

Moonlighting 101: When to Get a Second Job

Metricarti and her husband both have stable full-time jobs, but neither one of them received a pay raise this year and her husband's company cut both his overtime and his 401k match.

In part, Metricarti said, it's their commitment to providing extra curricular opportunities for their two boys -- Jacob, 12, and Dominic, 8 -- that drives her to work a second job.

When Being a Parent Starts to Add Up

"We don't do anything crazy, but my son is playing football and that costs $175, we go to museums ... it starts to add up," she said.

A typical day in this two-parent, triple-income family has Metricarti getting up early to get the kids off to school. Then she heads to Eastern University for a full day's work. At 5:30 p.m. she rushes home, makes dinner and spends time with her kids before heading out to show a house.

"I didn't expect to be in this position. I definitely don't feel desperate. I feel OK, but I didn't expect to have to be working two jobs at my age," she said.

Metricarti certainly isn't alone. A recent study commissioned by CareerBuilder.com found that one in 10 people surveyed are working more than one job. And many more might be soon. Because the same study said that 61 percent of the 4,400 workers surveyed are living paycheck to paycheck.

Roy Krause, CEO of Spherion, a national recruitment and staffing company has also noticed an increase in the number of people with full-time jobs looking to do a little moonlighting.

"Traditionally, we would see this kind of thing seasonally, at Christmas but now we're seeing a lot more people looking for multiple jobs -- an uptick of as much as 15 percent," said Krause, who added that the numbers are up even more in California.

The workers most affected seem to be in the "light industrial areas," people who work in warehouses packing orders or call centers, he said.

Jon Osman of Pittsburgh, Pa., said thought he would spend the rest of his working life doing something he loved -- selling houses. But the market crashed just as the 45-year-old had two kids in college and two about to graduate high school.

Moonlighting 101: When to Get a Second Job

Although Osman and his wife could pay their bills every month, they were facing an onslaught of college tuition bills.

"We decided to be proactive rather than reactive," he said. "We didn't want to run up our credit cards."

When the father of four examined his options, he realized he needed cash flow -- quick. So Osman began to moonlight as a limo driver.

Killing One Bird With Two Stones

"Their first question was 'What do you want a job for?' I guess I didn't seem like their typical applicant, but I just said I could use the extra money," he said.

He has been driving for the Silver Fox Limo Company for over a year now and said it's working out pretty well.

"I have been working a lot, driving the limo, and the Silver Fox people have been terrific, but I am still working my real estate job," Osman said. "If I do weddings, I bring my laptop with me and I can get a lot of work done sitting outside the church."

He appreciates the steady paycheck that comes courtesy of his limo job, and he likes meeting "interesting people," but said he is looking forward to the day when he can walk away from the limo for good.

"I would prefer to sell real estate, to be honest," he said.

Stokely, on the other hand, still works at Wendy's every once in a while even though his budget crisis has eased somewhat. He said the whole episode has taught him an important lesson.

"I think there was this sense among some people that I'm a lawyer and it's not dignified or something that I would go work at Wendy's, but to me that's the way the American spirit is," he said. "When you need the money, you go work for it."

Comments

[Rocky]

See how the recession is impacting people on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in this Frontline episode: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/closetohome/view/

[Rocky]

See how the recession is impacting people in one of New York's upscale neighborhoods in this "Frontline" episode: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/closetohome/view/

[Erica Smith]

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[Michael]

Rather than live well within their ample means, they took on more work to cover a shortfall? Voluntary debt slavery?

People still don't seem to understand they don't really need all that shit they spend all their money on.

[peggy]

In America, there is no way to ever have enough money. Without pensions, we have to save as mush as a million dollars to ensure a middle class retirement! Then there is the need for an emergency fund - you never know when you will be without health insurance or disabled and on your own. College for the kids? Do the math.

Any single person is also going to need more money than they earn since it takes two paychecks to make ends meet.

We need to wake up to the kind of unworkable, unhealthy, drudgery-ridden society we have allowed to become the norm.

[HSpencer]

What is his mortgage payment? Sell THAT house and downsize. Car payment doubled? Sell THAT or THOSE cars and get one that is paid for. Send kids to cheaper college, or technical school where they might have a chance at getting a job out of it. He says he makes $93,000.00 ? and cannot make it on that? Chop, chop, cut, cut, downsize, and pay off everything, and no more debts except a small house payment at a fixed rate. Does the article say he lives in a McMansion? No. It may be very difficult, but get rid of the McMansion if that is the case. His second job makes him $7.25, the minimum wage. He could double that by quitting the job and focusing on downsizing his lifestyle. and spending time on money management at home. I am glad to hear that he is not saying he is in deep financial trouble like many people are. The majority of people should do some research on themselves, and learn that 2006 lifestyle expectations won't work in 2009-on.

[jogleaso]

At 56, you should no be living paycheck to paycheck. I agree with Peggy. He should sell everything purchase a cheap car and live in a shack and save money for when he is not able to work.

[HSpencer]

@Rocky

Thanks for the video snips you listed. I watched both. The main thing I got from them was the wondering exactly what one of those "hairdo's" was costing them? I think I can safely say it wasn't $10.00. I get my hair cut for $10.00 + a tip. Maybe they should move here.

[robert]

Mr. Stokely how greedy, selfish and insensitive you are! What about the young person who needs a job, any job? Have you seen the unemployment rate among the 18 to 24 demographic? You just robbed one of them to maintain your own ridiculously elevated standard of living. Pathetic and disgusting. Our "civilization" is truly doomed.

[K-Fed]

Been there, done that, and now doing it again (at just shy of 40 yrs old): Working at fastfood on the weekends (8 hour days Sat and Sun for $7.5/hr), spouse and I make ~$120k gross per year in IT full time, mortgage on 3/2 with 2000 sq. ft. house (value of $185k) is $1120/mo. with $108k owed (10 yrs left). We have no other debts, outright own 2 vehicles, pay off credit cards monthly, and save about 30-40% of our monthhly take home and plan on using the part-time money to further paydown the mortgage. I enjoy the mental break of the menial work, plus the exercise of being physically "busy" all day vs. sitting at a desk (although my feet "kill" me afterward). Otherwise, I could sit at home on the weekend and blow through the 120 channels of sh!t on the TV. To each his own (oh, and I get free meals on the weekend, salads are really good these days).

[roger]

started working in 43, 3 to 4 weeks vacation every year,
retired in 88.celebrating 58 yrs of marriage'
Took our 3 kids camping every summer.for us money
was not an end in itself,but a means to enjoy some of the
31025 days of the average life span on this earth.
things where never in the saddle in this family. Good books,
food And wine ,seeing as much as possible of our planet(4 continents
and the blue oceans, if this sounds like bragging,it is,but its
also a piece of advice, every day you add one day to your life BUT
you must also subtract one day,at the end of the journey you will
be asking yourself: What have I done with my life!

[Rocky]

HSpencer: I was wondering about the price of one of those haircuts also. Better we shouldn't ask.

[RueTheDay]

---------------
But, unlike many of his counter co-workers, Stokely already had a pretty good day job, one that paid him $93,000 a year. In fact, Stokely is the Coweta County, Ga., solicitor general -- an elected position.

"I make a very good living, I'm not complaining, but last year my cost of living raise went down the tubes, my car payment doubled and I was living paycheck to paycheck," said Stokely.

The father of three didn't need much -- he was coming up short by just a few hundred dollars a month.
----------------

This makes no sense at all.

His car payment doubled? I'm unaware of variable rate car loans being something that's done. Sounds like he just bought a second car.

Solicitors are generally attorneys. He couldn't pick up some legal work on the side?

He's short by a few hundred bucks a month on a $93k income? Jeez, just cut out some unnecessary spending.

This smells like a publicity stunt.