Americans trapped in side hustle economy as 9-to-5 jobs no longer pay the bills

The typical nine-to-five job isn’t cutting it for many Americans as the cost of living continues to rise.

Even those with full-time careers in fields, such as real estate and tech, are turning to side hustles to cover bills and make ends meet.

“We’re seeing a surge in people turning to side hustles as a way to build financial stability in these uncertain economic times,” Kira Caban, flexible work expert and head of communications for Instawork, told FOX Business. 

At Instawork, which connects businesses with temporary and full-time workers, Caban said the younger generation is driving this trend. 

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Two years ago, about 20% of new signups were between the ages of 18 and 24. That jumped to 40% in recent weeks, according to Caban. 

“For many, flexible work is helping them cover the rising costs of daily essentials and giving them the financial breathing room to still enjoy things like a summer vacation without tapping into savings they may want to preserve in case the economic uncertainty continues,” Caban added. 

A March LendingTree survey showed that 40% of Americans have a side hustle as the cost of living increases. Most of them, about 61% of those who have one, say their life would be unaffordable without it.

“The sad truth is that life is crazy-expensive in 2025, and for many people, their 9-to-5 job just isn’t enough for them to live comfortably,” LendingTree chief credit analyst Matt Schultz told FOX Business.

Approximately a third of side hustlers say they have one due to cost-of-living expenses, while 29% say they need the money for bills and 28% say it’s used for discretionary income. When asked what the driver was for starting their side hustle, almost half of them said the current economy. 

“Even if people are able to pay their bills and stay current on their debt payments, there’s often not much to put towards things like emergency funds, retirement savings and other financial goals, much less toward fun things like concert tickets or a summer vacation,” he added. 

The added benefit of a side hustle, according to Schultz, is that it can help people build emergency savings, pay down debt and work toward long-term financial goals. It can also provide a safety net in case the primary source of income goes away, he added. 

Jenny Turley, a real estate agent in Chatanooga, Tennessee, found herself working three jobs at one point in her life. Quilting was something that helped combat her stress when things got chaotic at work. 

In 2021, after Turley’s husband had a stroke, she leveraged her skills to bring in extra cash. 

“Overnight we went from everything being perfect to now the weight of the world was on my shoulders. After he came home from the hospital , I spent every day, all day, stressing and worrying how I was going to keep us going,” she said, adding that she was worried about how they were going to make it through this event, including financially. 

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“I started spending every night after work in my sewing room trying to keep my mind straight and not worry. Quilting truly at that time was the one thing that kept me sane and kept my mind from going to the worst possible places. That year I just made quilts with no one to give them to, but I started having more than I could hold on to,” Turley said. 

She donated a few to other stroke patients at Siskin Hospital in 2021, and by the following year, she was selling them. Her business is spread through word of mouth on Nextdoor, which is a hyperlocal social networking service for neighborhoods. 

Dani Maczynski, a New Jersey-based tech worker, felt compelled to tack on another gig to pay for life expenses and save for her future. 

When she’s not working, Maczynski is walking dogs for a handful of clients every week or pet sitting, when she will have a dog come to her house, or she will go to the owner’s home. She also offers overnight boarding services a few times each month. 

“Shifting my mindset to see every dollar as a tool for long-term growth has been really empowering,” Maczynski said. “What started as a short-term side hustle has become part of a bigger financial strategy and that’s something I plan to keep building on.”

Still, Schultz noted that side hustles are not a miracle cure and, often, they require a real financial investment and there’s no guarantee they will be successful. 

“None of this means that people should shy away from side hustles. It just means that people should take them with their eyes wide open, understanding what’s involved,” he said.