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A mom on TikTok has gone viral for her stance on getting a second job to survive as inflation burns holes in Americans’ bank accounts.
The TikTok creator by the name of @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 was viewed more than 1.7 million times and amassed over 207,000 likes and 6,900 comments — Shay says “things out here are getting expensive.”
She goes on to list items impacted by inflation: “Grapes: $7, eggs: $5, homes: half a million dollars, cars: 40 grand (used — and it could be a Mazda, they don’t care).”
But one thing she makes adamantly clear is: “I don’t give a damn how expensive it gets, I’m not working a second job.” Shay says she’s “good until about 5:30” but then her “legs start buckling” and by 6 p.m., her “vision [is] blurry, can’t find my car.”
“I can’t work two jobs,” she says. “So, whoever needs to fix it, please fix it. Because it’s to the point now where working 40 hours a week ain’t enough — but I’m going to make it enough.”
Shay’s stance resonated with thousands of TikTok users, with one commenting: “Clocking out then having to clock in somewhere else 30 minutes later is CRAZY,” while another quipped: “my vision is blurry at 9 a.m. baby!!!”
If your paycheck hasn’t kept up with the cost of living, here are three ways to stretch your hard-earned dollars without working two jobs.
One woman who commented in support of Shay’s video said she refused to sacrifice the time she has with her son by taking a second job. Instead, she said she’s “learning to live simple and stay on budget.”
Sticking to a budget requires constant discipline and mindful spending to bring you closer to achieving your financial goals.
If managing a budget feels overwhelming to you, apps like Rocket Money can simplify the process.
Rocket Money tracks and categorizes your expenses, providing a clear view of your cash, credit, and investments in one place. It can even uncover forgotten subscriptions, helping you cut unnecessary costs and save potentially hundreds annually.
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 base 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 clients can get a 0.65% boost over their first three months for a total APY of 4.15% provided by program banks on your uninvested cash. That’s over ten times the national deposit savings rate, according to the FDIC’s October report.
With no minimum balances or account fees, as well as 24/7 withdrawals and free domestic wire transfers, you can ensure your funds remain accessible at all times. Plus, Wealthfront Cash Account balances of up to $8 million are insured by the FDIC through program banks.
There are multiple ways to supplement your income — without having to work over 40 hours a week. If real estate is on your radar, it can make a great side hustle with less commitment than you might think.
You can tap into this market by investing in shares of vacation homes or rental properties through Arrived.
Backed by world-class investors including Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of vacation and rental properties, earning a passive income stream without the extra work that comes with being a landlord of your own rental property.
To get started, simply browse through their selection of vetted properties, each picked for their potential appreciation and income generation. Once you choose a property, you can start investing with as little as $100, potentially earning quarterly dividends.
Once you’re an investor with Arrived, you’ll gain access to their newly launched secondary market, where investors can buy and sell shares of individual rental and vacation rental properties directly on the platform.
This allows you to buy into properties you may have missed at the initial offering or sell shares before a property reaches the end of its hold period.
