Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commissions or income through links in the content below.
A mother on TikTok has gone viral for her stance on getting a second job to survive while inflation puts holes in Americans’ bank accounts.
TikTok creator @shayjo21, or simply Shay, posted a now-viral video with the caption: “$100,000 a year is the new $50,000 a year #fixitjesus.”
In the clip, which has been viewed more than 1.7 million times and racked up more than 207,000 likes and 6,900 comments, Shay says that “things here are getting expensive.”
He goes on to list the items affected by inflation: “Grapes: $7, eggs: $5, houses: half a million dollars, cars: $40,000 (used, and it could be a Mazda, they don’t care).”
But one thing he makes resoundingly clear is: “I don’t give a damn how expensive it is, I’m not going to have a second job.” Shay says she’s “fine until about 5:30,” but then her “legs start to bend” and, at 6 p.m., her “vision is blurry and she can’t find my car.”
“I can’t have two jobs,” he says. “So whoever needs to fix it, fix it. Because we’ve gotten to the point where working 40 hours a week isn’t enough, but I’m going to make it enough.”
Shay’s stance resonated with thousands of TikTok users, with one commenting, “Checking out and then having to clock out somewhere else 30 minutes later is CRAZY,” while another joked, “my vision is blurry at 9am baby!!!”
If your salary hasn’t kept up with the cost of living, here are three ways to stretch your hard-earned money without working two jobs.
One woman who commented in support of Shay’s video said she refused to sacrifice time with her son by taking a second job. Instead, he said he is “learning to live simply and stay on a budget.”
Sticking to a budget requires consistent discipline and conscious spending to get you closer to achieving your financial goals.
If managing a budget feels overwhelming, apps like Rocket Money can simplify the process.
Rocket Money tracks and categorizes your spending, providing a clear view of your cash, credit, and investments in one place. You can even uncover forgotten subscriptions, helping you cut unnecessary costs and potentially save hundreds a year.
For a small fee, the app can also negotiate lower rates on your monthly bills, making it a valuable tool for keeping your finances on track.
Maintaining financial discipline can be tricky, so consider reducing your reliance on credit, which means you need a bank account that benefits you.
The Wealthfront Cash Account, which can help you build an investment foundation through a combination of high interest rates and ease of access.
A Wealthfront Cash account can provide a base variable APY of 3.50%, but new customers can get a 0.65% boost over their first three months for a total APY of 4.15% provided by program banks on their uninvested cash. That’s more than ten times the national savings and deposit rate, according to the FDIC’s October report.
With no minimum balances or account fees, plus 24/7 withdrawals and free domestic bank transfers, you can ensure your funds remain accessible at all times. Additionally, Wealthfront Cash Account balances up to $8 million are FDIC insured through program banks.
Read more: Warren Buffett used 8 solid, repeatable money rules to turn $9,800 into a $150 billion fortune. Start using them today to get rich (and stay rich)
There are several ways to supplement your income, without having to work more than 40 hours a week. If real estate is on your radar, it can be a great business with less commitment than you think.
You can take advantage of this market by investing in vacation home stocks or rental properties through Arrived.
Backed by world-class investors including Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in vacation and rental property stocks, earning a passive income stream without the extra work that comes with owning your own rental property.
To get started, simply browse their selection of vetted properties, each chosen for their appreciation and income-generating potential. Once you choose a property, you can start investing with as little as $100, which could pay quarterly dividends.
Once you are an investor on Arrived, you will gain access to their newly launched secondary market, where investors can buy and sell shares of individual and vacation rental properties directly on the platform.
This allows you to buy properties you may have missed out on in the initial offering or sell shares before a property reaches the end of its holding period.
With access to over 400 properties in 60 cities, this new way of marketing real estate opens up flexibility and opportunities to gain access to more properties each quarter.
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
