Contemplating getting a 2nd job.....

[Chea]

I was wondering if I should attempt a temp agency. I work midnights at the hospital as a tech. I was thinking a few hours during the day a few days a week would be a help.

I've been comtemplating and was DISTURBED to find that TJ Maxx only pays $6 an hour! Wouldn't even be worth the constant temptation of spending my pennies and more there!

[homesteadmamma]

I always say before attempting to take on a second job, always make sure its worth it. You need to look at how much time its going to be, how it will affect your health, your time spent with your dh and your family if you have one.

Sometimes its better to look at ways to CUT BACK than it is to take on a second position. Are there areas where you can become even more frugal, such as in the grocery department.

[canadian gardener]

Day care costs, clothing costs, transportation costs

and worst of all, is the loss of time and energy spent on frugality stuff.

Remember that when you save a dollar, that is an after tax dollar, which you don't have to pay half to the tax man, nor pay bits for work clothes, gas, second car, daycare or baby sitting.

When you work for someone else, the tax man takes half right off the top and then all the work related expenses, and LOSS of frugality in cooking, cleaning and gardening, second hand store and sales type shopping plus managing a pantry.

OK you've managed with a second job already in the night as a temp tech. Don't know how old the kids are but I'm assuming your dh is home to watch them and you are using the family car in the night to come and go.

Day job is a whole nother situation.

You have all day now to rest up, manage the kids, run the home in a frugal way, cook and clean etc. But take you out of that equation and what you take home may not even cover the extra expenses.

Remember to factor in what the accountants call lost opportunity costs which in your case are all the little frugalities you have the time and energy for now.

And remember that when you save a dollar doing them, it's an after tax dollar (you have to work to make 2$ for every 1$ that you save) without all the work related expenses. (make that 3 or 4$ that you'd have to work to earn to replace that 1$ that you save thru frugality)

It's a difficult concept because it's dealing with invisible money. The stuff you saved.

[Michele Annette]

Chea, I toally agree with HomesteadMamma and Margery! I worked an extra part time job along with my current full time job two years ago. I worked the job for six months from Octover 2002 to April 2003. I owed everything I made at that extra job in taxes over those two years!! I had made roughly $1200 in that time and I owed it all back! After much after that I vowed to never do that again unless I am in DIRE NEED of funds. It was a total waste of my time...kind of like having a "credit card" in a Job form.

Good luck with what you decide to do for you though. If you feel that stongly about getting the extra job, then I hope it works out for you!