- Jane, a Gen Z graduate, started working two jobs during college to pay rent and save for a mortgage.
- She told Business Insider that being overemployed was having a negative impact on her health and well-being.
- Jane said if you can achieve FIRE by your early 30s, it'll be worth the hard work.
This essay is based on a conversation with Jane, a 25-year-old overemployed worker in Canada. She asked to use only her first name to protect her privacy. Business Insider confirmed her identity and occupation. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I work two jobs a day. One is a 9 to 5 job and then I work a customer service job until 10pm. Now I work twice as hard so I can get my work done early. My goal is to retire early, hopefully in my 30s.
I started working two jobs in 2021 while attending college majoring in Sociology and Business.
There have been plenty of remote work opportunities during and after COVID-19, which I don't think I would have done if I had to commute between two jobs.
I am inspired by the FIRE community
I discovered the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early) on Reddit and I started documenting my FIRE journey on TikTok, hoping to show that there is another path to retiring at 65.
My idea is to frontload the investment in my 20s and hope for a return in the future. I want to be financially independent and “work is optional”. In this economy, it may no longer be possible to fully retire and never earn money again.
But it might mean I can have a period where I can take a career break or work less.
During college, I worked 40-hour shifts on top of my 9-to-5 job.
When I started working two jobs in college, one was a 9-5 marketing job and the other was a customer service job, which is what I still do today. At the time, I was working 30-40 hours a week in customer service on top of my 9-5 job. I would take appointments for customers. If there was a problem with the heating or the toilet, I would book a technician or a plumber. With my marketing job, I wouldn't be so stressed because I would be worrying about projects all night.
I also had a lot of homework. My marketing job was flexible, so I could do my university studies during my lunch breaks and free time. In reality, remote office jobs rarely make it to 40 hours a week.
I had physical symptoms due to stress.
During that time, I was extremely stressed and was determined to continue seeing friends and going to the gym, so I sacrificed sleep – I was only getting 4-6 hours of sleep a night.
I had a constant headache and it was really painful.
I was living in a rental property and felt like I needed to prove I could continue paying rent, and I also wanted to buy property, but with an income I would be able to secure a mortgage in 2021. Having a FIRE mentality helped me see it through.
I got through all my schoolwork, but in some ways it ruined my college experience. If I had more time, I would have put more effort into my major. But investing in real estate back then was beneficial. Looking back, the trade-off was worth it.
I continued working two jobs after college.
It felt natural to continue working two jobs after I graduate in 2022.
If you can't get a high-paying job right from the start, like people in STEM jobs, the least you can do is work harder.
I got a new job as a Marketing Specialist, also a 9 to 5 job. I kept my customer service job, working 65 hour shifts for two weeks, 5pm to 10pm and weekends.
I had two days off a week from my side hustle. I didn't want to work weekends. I wanted one day a week to sleep in. But it's not hard to switch between two jobs. Customer service is not as mentally draining as marketing. It's not stressful. It just takes time.
I live frugally
I have a strange relationship with money and am working hard to improve it. I've made $47,000 CAD between both jobs so far this year. That's about $34,000 plus fees and it fluctuates. I save about 70% of that every month. I invest most of my savings. Not everyone can do that, but having financial literacy in my 20s and starting investing early was important to me.
I also live at home with my family and rent out a property I bought while in college.
When I don't spend money I feel stingy, but when I do spend money I feel guilty, like I should be saving it for something bigger instead of buying drinks for lunch or dinner.
I struggle to keep up with my hobbies
I used to do rock climbing and painting, but I don't have time for my hobbies. I try to meet friends in the evenings and on weekends when I have days off. But after working all day, I often just want to stay home and relax. I could go to the gym or take a walk during my lunch break, but often I just want to take a nap or play on my phone instead. I just want to do something passive.
In the winter, the sun would set at 6pm and there were days when I would look out the window and realize I hadn't had any sun or exercise all day.
I cut my hours at my customer service job to 55 hours over two weeks and stopped working Sundays in May so I could have more time to get outside and exercise. I still feel exhausted.
My family are proud of my ambition but I think they wish I didn't work so hard – I live at home and they know how it affects me.
There are a lot of smart people in my community. I feel pressured to catch up with them. My older brother is a smart guy, so I sometimes compare myself to him and feel pressured.
My motivation to continue outweighs the burnout. I know it's not good for my mental and physical health or sleep, but I'm so focused on my goal that I'm willing to sacrifice that for a few more years.
If you have two full-time jobs and would like to share your story, please email Ella Hopkins at Email:.
