Jumpstart your Emergency Fund & Debt Reduction with a Part-time Job

in Jobs and Entrepreneurship

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Photo Credit:  alexik

Many people think that cutting expense is the only way to build savings and reduce debt. That’s not true. One of the basic principles of personal finance is to spend less than you earn. Most people focus on the former because it can be easier to look at ways to reduce your bills.

The great thing about that principle is that there’s another part: earning more money. If you’re expenses are low and you’re looking to set aside some money; consider getting a part-time job. Some people feel that their schedule doesn’t allow another income.

 If you’re a college student, you worried that it could affect your grades as you struggle to work it around your schedule.  Others are worried that the only part time jobs available are low paying and time-consuming ones. While those are both legitimate concerns, it doesn’t have to be that way.

If you’re willing to spend time, you may surprise yourself with the flexible job and decent pay. I looked for some part-time jobs with flexible hours to help those who are looking for more income.

Spilling Buckets found out about the 2010 Census Bureau’s jobs. Many positions are part-time and the starting pay varies from$10-17.50/hour, depending on locale. 

What is the work schedule for jobs?

Work schedules for census takers typically include from 20 to 40 hours of work per week. Some census operations (such as Address Canvassing) require you to work during daylight hours. For interviewing operations such as Non-Response Follow-up, you must be available to work when people are usually at home, such as in the evening and on weekends. Hours for office jobs are less variable but can involve shift work.

Source: 2010 Census Bureau

Fidelity also has part-time positions open for customer service representatives

Some benefits open to part-time employees:

  • Auto & Homeowner’s Insurance
  • If you are a regular full- or part-time employee, personal property insurance, including home and auto insurance, is available to you at group rates through Liberty Mutual® and MetLife Auto & Home®.
  • Backup Child CareFor times when your regular provider is unable to care for your child, backup child care programs are currently available to regular full- and part-time employees in six sites: Boston, Marlborough, Merrimack, Rhode Island, Midwest, and Southwest.
  • Commuter Benefit ProgramThis program allows regular full- and part-time employees to use pre-tax money to reimburse themselves for their eligible commuter transit and commuter parking expenses.
  • Concierge Services
  • Through LesConcierges, regular full- and part-time employees can delegate tasks on their personal to-do lists. LesConcierges can help plan vacations, find home repair referrals, and handle similar personal services to help you balance the demands of work and home.
  • Employee Discount ProgramIf you are a regular full- or part-time employee of a participating Fidelity company, you can get discounts on popular products and services from over 100 participating merchants through the Corporate Perks website.
  • Mortgage Services Program Regular full- and part-time employees can learn about how to obtain a mortgage from mortgage service companies who can answer your questions about prequalification, the application process and your mortgage alternatives.

You also want to consider being a Tax Preparer at Jackson-Hewitt, Liberty, or H&R Block

If you work or have worked for these companies, please share your thoughts. 

Happy job hunting!

 

This post was included in the Carnival of Debt Reduction hosted by Consumerism Commentary

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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Trevor - 14 Year Old Money Blogger January 2, 2009 at 2:45 pm

Nice and awesome post.

Part time jobs are good for extra income but being too limited in your time and you won’t find many takers.

Reply

2 Craig January 2, 2009 at 3:57 pm

Having a side part time job is something I would like to work on this year. I am trying to start a side blog with a friend for fun. We would take it more as a hobby but of course would hope that it could develop into something that the two of us could have a part time side income from. So much easier than the hours of another job since we both work full time.

Reply

3 Green Panda January 2, 2009 at 4:38 pm

@ Trevor: True, you have to be reasonable with your hours. Some call centers will in 4 hour shifts, would could work for a student.

@Craig: Good idea, having an alternative source of income is a good ‘cushion’. Wish you well on the blog!

Reply

4 Tom Larance January 2, 2009 at 7:49 pm

Excellent idea! Check out our website and firm as well if a part-time job is what you are looking for!

Reply

5 Green Panda January 3, 2009 at 8:34 am

@Tom: Thanks, I hope it can help a reader!

Reply

6 Doctor S January 5, 2009 at 11:49 pm

This has been a huge key for me over the last few months. I found a great source of secondary income that is just fueling me to save it all in a shoebox!!! And it is what I love doing! Refereeing basketball, figured it was time to stop playing in leagues and tourneys are start officiating them! Rewarding as heck!

Check out Doctor Ss last blog post..New Year’s Resolution: Walk the Financial Walk

Reply

7 Green Panda January 6, 2009 at 7:39 am

@ Doctor S: I have respect for those officiating; you have to have a quick mind d good eyes for that. I’m happy you found something that is rewarding and gets you some extra income.

Reply

8 Mike @ TheThriftyLife January 12, 2009 at 9:40 pm

Great post. Many people don’t realize the benefits you can receive by working part time. It’s a great motivational factor to consider that you’re not just earning a paycheck!

Reply

9 Green Panda January 13, 2009 at 7:53 am

@Mike: Yeah, having a second stream of income is great motivation. It is a job you choose to take on.

Reply

10 Tom Larance January 17, 2009 at 7:42 pm

Corporate Concierge Services (www.corporateconcierge.com and http://www.ccshotels.com) may have part time jobs available. Check us out!

Reply

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