Amy Marseglia, Nancy Turgeon, and Anne Savino have a lot in common: All three are full-time real estate professionals who also hold part-time gigs that they’ve maintained for some time—and they’re part of a growing number of Americans reshaping the traditional “9-to-5” work routine.

According to a recent survey by background-check company Checkr, 42 percent of those surveyed said they held multiple jobs or had a side hustle, with 52 percent of Generation Z—those between the ages of 13 and 28—doing so.

The primary reason: A single job doesn’t meet their financial needs. Nearly 76 percent of respondents said that, because of inflated costs, their income has less buying power than that of previous generations, according to the survey results.

“Economic uncertainty and the rising cost of living are reshaping how Americans think about work and how many jobs they need to make ends meet,” Checkr said in a statement.

The June 6 nonfarm payroll report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also reveals that trend. As of May, 8.58 million Americans were holding multiple jobs—the highest number in May over the past 10 years, according to the report.

Of that portion, 4.678 million worked a full-time job and a part-time secondary job, while others held two full-time positions or had multiple part-time employment scenarios.

A ‘Red Flag’ Moment

Taylor Kovar, founder and CEO of Kovar Wealth Management and CEO of The Money Couple, told The Epoch Times that there has been a major uptick in people taking on side jobs over the past decade.

“Some people are juggling a full-time and part-time job to stay afloat, while others may pick up a second job temporarily to put toward a vacation, major purchase, or to lower credit card debt,” he said.

“I think technology is making it easier now with a lot of online freelance work or services like Etsy, Uber, or DoorDash.”

Kovar calls this a “red flag” moment for the economy. As a financial planner, his goal is to help individuals and couples reduce financial pressure through better budgeting, debt reduction, and creative ways to increase income.

“This trend also tells me that a lot of families are running leaner than they’d like, with little margin for any surprise expenses,” he said.

An associate broker with William Raveis Real Estate in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, Amy Marseglia moonlights as a grocery shopper for homebound seniors. With more than 20 years in the real estate business, she took on the role of personal shopper during the COVID-19 pandemic, and she is still enjoying the job—and the extra income.

“It’s actually very calming for me,” she said. “It’s just a little job where I go to the grocery store, chat with people, pick up my list and shop.”

Marseglia typically arrives at 7:30 a.m. twice a week and works for a few hours each time. Many of her clients are repeats, so she knows exactly what they’re looking for and where to easily find the items.

“Real estate can be very sporadic, so this opportunity popped up, and while it’s not a huge paycheck, it does get extra money into my pocket in between real estate deals,” she said.

As many published reports have indicated, the residential real estate industry has been stagnant over the past few years, with low inventory and buyers who have been priced out of the market.

A new report from Redfin indicates that almost 59,000 home purchase agreements nationwide were cancelled in May, equating to 14.6 percent of homes that went under contract that month.

This isn’t the first time that Marseglia has relied on a part-time job to supplement her income.

“If the market continues the way it is, I’ll keep the job, or even if the market gets busy, I’ll probably still keep it,” she said.

“It’s a little meditative for me, especially when you have a full-time job where you always have to think about so much.”

Turgeon, an agent with the Gervais Group of Keller Williams Realty in Hyannis, Massachusetts, has been in the business for six years, following a 40-year career in corporate accounting. Her side job is drawing and painting pet portraits, as well as portraits of her clients’ homes.

She told The Epoch Times that it’s a new talent that she discovered just a few years ago.

Using only YouTube videos as a guide, Turgeon started doing drawings and paintings for friends, and her sideline caught on through word of mouth.

“I like the extra money, and I get enjoyment out of this,” she said. “I also love to see how happy people are when they receive the artwork.”

Kovar noted that in many cases, a second job is seen as a way to close a gap or to put something toward savings.

“I’ve had a lot of people tell me they plan to take the side job for six months or so, but what happens in many cases is that the expenses rise to your income,” he said.

“They may start out strong with the idea of putting the money away toward something, but then inevitably their spending habits tend to change with the idea of the extra income.”

In other cases, Kovar said, the side job can be something that people really enjoy.

“If you love what you do, and it doesn’t feel like a job, it’s much easier to continue doing that,” he said.

A ‘Labor of Love’

Some pursue side jobs for joy—something that makes their spare time more fulfilling.

Savino, a real estate agent with William Raveis Real Estate in Yorktown Heights, New York, calls her side job a “labor of love.”

After spending years as a vice president with Merrill Lynch, she became a full-time real estate agent in 2009. In 2012, she and her husband, Larry, took over ownership of the pub at the Mohansic Golf Course in Yorktown.

“Larry played golf there for many years, and the restaurant at the time was pretty dismal,” Savino told The Epoch Times.

“They were looking for someone new to run it, and while we had little knowledge of restaurants, we decided we just had to do it!”

In the beginning, Savino recalled, hardly anyone even walked past the pro shop to the restaurant.

“So, I decided I had to change that,” she said. “I just introduced myself to everyone coming in and suggested they stop in at the restaurant for lunch.”

Seeing an opportunity to grow the business, the Savinos expanded the operating hours and started to book local bands for entertainment.

As a result, business took off, and the restaurant is now one of the most popular places in the region for comfort food, bands, and dancing—with no cover charge.

“It’s been good for the community and also a positive experience for the musicians,” Savino said.

Despite putting in full days as a real estate agent, she is usually there every night. She admits that she’s not in it for the extra finances, but to do something that she enjoys.

“It’s like a home away from home,” Savino said. “We all work very hard, but the staff is our extended family.”