Is it worth it to get a part time job?

For a while I seriously considered a second job. I've had one in the past as a means to earn more money, but I never stopped to think about whether it was worth it. Let's go over some numbers and then you decide if the outcome is worth the hassle.

1.) Time:

If you are already working a full time job, and let's assume it's a 9-5, then there isn't much time left in the day to cram in a second job. If your commute is 20 minutes and you are like me and can get ready in 20 minutes (more realistically probably 40), then you are actually committed to a 9 hour day. If you live alone then you still have time to cram a second job into your day, but with a family I personally don't think it should be done.

You can work on the weekends, and many people do. I would much rather take that time to relax, catch up on household projects, pursue my hobbies, and enjoy this life that we only get one of.

2.) Money:

With a second job comes a second income. If you work on Saturday and Sunday, let's say for a full 8 hours, you would be considered a part-time worker. More than likely you would receive minimum wage or not much more, and again that's work for 8 hours spread over 9. If you are lucky enough to live in one of the states that has upped the minimum wage then that's awesome; most of us are still stuck in states that only offer $7.25 an hour.

At $7.25 per hour, over 8 hours, you'll make $58 dollars per day before taxes. For Saturday and Sunday that's $116. But wait, the tax man hasn't taken his share yet. According to www.neuvoo.com the taxes on $116 a week is $12.24 for a grand total of $113.76. Not too bad, but considering that you have to work every single day it starts to seem like a small amount.

3.) Stress:

The average American worker is stressed already as it is. Overall we are under-payed and forced to cram too much work into our 8 hour workday. In many industries when someone is let go the others around them are forced to pick up the workload with no compensation. Couple that with minimum benefits for maximum work, and a handful of breaks throughout the day and it's no wonder we are stressed out.

Many of us are so fed up with the system in it's current form that we have created alternate forms of income, and exploited resources that the previous generation would have laughed at. We make videos online, become our own advertising agencies, sell products we've never touched, and even work from our computers. All as a way to earn more money to enjoy our lives, in an effort to reduce our stress.

You can see why I started pursuing passive income and made my site. There is nothing wrong with working a second job, as long as the extra income doesn't bump you up to the next tax bracket. I would much rather stay home and do some surveys, work on my site, and write some eBooks. It's worth it to me to make less now, and possibly earn more later. Besides, I like to go fishing too much.