Cathy Burchett is a computer teacher, a drummer, a retail clerk, a dog walker and a coordinator for events to help at-risk youth.
Like sewing a patchwork quilt, Burchett, 51, has pieced together a variety of jobs to cover her living expenses.
By day, she works in a computer laboratory for the Housing Authority of Kansas City. But that work week is only 27 hours long and offers no insurance, paid holidays, sick leave or other benefits.
So Burchett does what more than 7.5 million other Americans do: She moonlights.
Research compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that in 2005, 3.8 million men and 3.7 million women held more than one job. Moonlighters represent about 5 percent of the U.S. work force, a trend that has remained steady for the last several years.
Young college graduates new to the job market — particularly those in fields such as art, acting and social-service work — have always populated the ranks of those trying to supplement their income by taking second or third jobs. But these days, even some graduates with seemingly marketable degrees find they need to take a second job, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
There are no hard and fast statistics, but veteran career counselors say moonlighting is increasing higher up the career ladder.
Reasons for the two-job lifestyle vary: to pay off bills and meet expenses, to repay student loan debt, to earn extra money, to gain experience in another field, and to build a business or for fun. The holiday season also pushes many workers to tackle second jobs to bring in extra income.
Burchett says she moonlights to make ends meet.
Her day job brings in $1,400 to $1,600 a month, she said. A good moonlighting month will add an extra $500.
But none of her part-time gigs are steady. So she has learned to live frugally.
“I have no credit card debt,” Burchett said. “I drive a one-owner 1986 Chevy Nova. I take my lunch to work, and I cook at home a lot.”
Burchett makes a small house payment on the home she’s owned in Overland Park for 25 years, and she’s managed to set aside $7,500 in savings, which is used for emergencies.
“I take care of my health on a crisis basis,” she said.
Health insurance at $500 to $600 a month is out of the question right now. Burchett, however, is hoping that may change. If the day job could be boosted to full time, the additional wages and benefits would almost double her income, she said.
Just for the fun of it
For some, moonlighting offers a change of pace from the daily routine and a chance to use a different set of skills.
Nancy Merimee, 54, admits there are two sides to her personality. There’s the detailed, analytical self who spends her days in front of a computer, and there’s the outgoing extrovert who spends her nights in front of a classroom.
Merimee works full time as the compensation manager for St. Luke’s Health System. Throughout the year, she teaches a four-hour human resources class one night a week for five-week terms at MidAmerica Nazarene University, not far from her home in Olathe.
Working from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. makes for a long day, but “it energizes me,” she said.
Moonlight is for dreamers
Nearly a third of all moonlighters earn their primary income from self-employment, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
They may hold another job to keep benefits in place or until they feel secure enough to run their own business without a safety net.
“As a business coach, I strongly urge my clients who are thinking of starting a small business to keep their day jobs and the paycheck coming in,” said Carol Birkey, a personal business coach in Liberty.
On weekends and after work, aspiring business owners can work toward self-employment — Plan B, as Birkey calls it.
“Once Plan B is up and running, you will have more confidence in quitting your full-time job,” she said.
Audrey Harman of Overland Park and Robin Clarke of Roeland Park are two moonlighters who envision businesses of their own eventually.
By day, Harman, 44, is a technology development specialist for a telecommunications company.
By night, she is a baker of protein bars.
Harman started Creative Protein Bakery in her home in January 2005. She offers 15 flavors of bars that can be used as meal replacements or desserts. She sells directly to customers who place orders on her Web site or over the phone.
After work and on Sundays, Harman bakes the bars and fills orders for customers who pick them up from her.
“Right now, I break even,” she said. “But I expect the first quarter of 2007 to be profitable.”
Eventually, Harman would like to move the business out of her home and operate full time from a storefront location.
Five days a week, Clarke, 28, handles the marketing for an apartment community management company. Four nights a week, she teaches Jazzercise classes in Mission.
Her Jazzercise earnings are deposited into savings, and Clarke said she could survive without the second job, but “I love what I’m doing.”
Down the road she may want to have own her own Jazzercise center.
Don’t quit your day job … yet
“While you are still working a regular job, it is a great time to pay off as many unnecessary bills as possible, like cars or credit cards, or to start an emergency fund,” said Cheryl McCann, owner of McCann’s Bookkeeping & Tax Service in Liberty.
McCann cautions aspiring entrepreneurs to remember that they’ll be responsible for their own health insurance and retirement plans.
“If at all possible, roll your existing retirement when you leave your company into a retirement plan that is beneficial to the self-employed,” she said.
Many times income from a part-time job can push a taxpayer into a higher tax bracket.
Carl E. Barber, an accountant and financial planner in Overland Park, encourages moonlighters to consider withholding taxes at a higher rate on the second job.
“For example, if you have taxes withheld as married with four exemptions on your first job, you might have your taxes withheld as single with no exemptions on the second job,” he said.
The additional withholding will reduce your take-home pay, but it might save you from owing additional taxes.
Another financial consideration is the cost of working part time, said Sharon Lockhart, a certified financial planner with Raymond James Financial Services in Prairie Village.
“Besides the extra money you will earn, there are the extra expenses — additional commute time and gasoline and child care, as well as chores that you may have to hire done with less free time, such as lawn work or housecleaning,” she said.
If you are considering working part time to increase income, first look at ways to decrease your spending. These include conserving on utilities, shopping sales, resisting impulse buying and keeping a written record of the cash you spend to find areas to save.
“Identify your goal for taking a part-time job and stay focused,” Lockhart said. “Watch out for the temptation to rationalize spending more money on convenience items due to a lack of time.”
Meeting the financial challenges
Retirement plans and health insurance coverage are two financial challenges facing those who hold multiple jobs but no benefits, and for those who are self-employed.
Here are some money management strategies.
While still employed
1. Pay off credit cards and cars.
2. Start an emergency fund.
3. Create a personal budget and a business budget.
Source: Cheryl McCann, owner of McCann’s Bookkeeping & Tax Service in Liberty
Getting health insurance
Here are some plans offered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.
1. BlueSaver
A health savings account
Lower premiums with higher deductibles
Plans available locally: $71 to $218 a month with a $2,500 deductible
2. Short Term Security
A short-term medical plan
Good only for six months at a time
Can be renewed once
Plans available locally: $32 to $143 a month with a $2,500 deductible
3. RateSaver
Catastrophic coverage
No drug coverage
Individual pays for office visits and other routine care
Plans available locally: $55 to $205 a month with a $2,500 deductible
Note: Rates are for healthy Kansans between the ages of 30 and 64. Missouri rates are slightly higher.
Source: Mark Borserine, chartered benefit consultant with the Wellington Group in Lenexa
Planning for retirement
1. Individual retirement account
Simple IRA and simplified employee pension (SEP) IRA plans offer easy record-keeping, simplicity and the ability to defer larger sums.
2. Keogh plans
Defined contribution and defined benefit plans available; require more extensive record-keeping.
3. Solo 401(k)
For single proprietors; generous contributions may be made.
Source: Sharon A. Lockhart, certified financial planner with Raymond James Financial Services in Prairie Village
Did you know?
7.5 million Americans hold more than one job. That’s about 5 percent of the U.S. work force.
@ For more resources compiled by the Johnson County Library, go to KansasCity.com and click on Business.
Doing twice as much in half the time
Long hours are the rule rather than the exception for moonlighters.
With little time to devote to doing laundry, paying bills, buying groceries or sleeping, those who hold multiple jobs need to implement time-saving strategies.
Here are some tips from Ruth St. Pierre of Creative Business Resources in Pleasant Valley.
•Less time means less stuff.
“Clean out, give away, streamline,” she said.
St. Pierre recommends the rule of “1 to 3 and 3 to 1.” If you’re a pack rat, eliminate one thing for every three you keep. If you’re serious about decluttering, get rid of three things for every one you save.
•Tote a to-do box.
“Carry a box in the car with greeting cards, address book, toss-away reading, bills to pay, stamps,” she said. “You can finish several items while waiting for kids or sitting in stalled traffic or in a busy waiting room.”
•Shave time to save time.
“It’s much easier to find ways to ‘shave’ a few minutes off the time it takes to do routine chores,” St. Pierre said. “This works at home and at work.”
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