Hello! Today I’m sharing a fantastic post from my friend Lindsey at And the Kitchen Sink. She has paid off nearly $20,000 of debt in one year and is working toward financial independence. Juggling multiple jobs can be exhausting, but it can also be immensely rewarding.
When I walked across the stage at my college graduation, I never imagined I would end up working four jobs. I graduated with no student loan debt and expected to step into a debt-free post-grad life. A little over a year later, we’re not drowning in debt—but we are working to pay off a new-to-us car.
I landed a full-time salaried position straight out of college writing proposals for a large company. Within a month, I realized how much I disliked working for a big corporation.
I often felt underutilized, and the job clashed with the core values that brought me to journalism. I studied journalism to tell true stories and give voice to real people, not to craft polished corporate messages that felt disingenuous.
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I knew I couldn’t be picky about my job.
Even though I disliked my corporate role, I had little real-world experience and couldn’t be selective about paychecks. I felt drained and conflicted each morning when it was time to go to work. I wanted a creative outlet, but I couldn’t afford to lose my steady income.
Out of that need for creativity, And the Kitchen Sink was born.
I had read stories of people who left full-time jobs to blog and build businesses. Inspired, I decided to start my own blog as a place to be creative and share my experiences. I didn’t know exactly what I’d write about at first, but I knew I needed a space where creativity was welcome.
Over the last year I’ve embraced a more intentional, frugal lifestyle, and it has brought me great satisfaction. We chose frugality, and that choice positively changed our lives. And the Kitchen Sink became the space where I shared both failures and successes to help others on their frugal journeys. There’s a misconception that frugality is only for those who are poor or that it means no fun. I used to believe money equaled happiness, but I learned that frugality can be a conscious choice to live more simply—sometimes out of necessity, sometimes by design.
My blog became my first side hustle, and I’m glad I started it. I spend about 20–30 hours per week on blogging—creating posts, managing social media, promoting content, and working with a graphic designer on printables. Running the blog has expenses that initially came from our monthly budget. We planned for the blog to be supported by our budget until it generated enough income to cover its costs and eventually allow me to consider blogging full-time.
After living together six months, we planned to stay in our one-bedroom another year to save money. Then the lease renewal arrived: staying would cost an extra $100 per month for no added benefits. The property manager wouldn’t negotiate, and suddenly we had only two months to secure finances and find a new home. Less than a month before moving out, we found an ideal apartment with no unnecessary rent add-ons and no pet rent. It increased our commute slightly but otherwise was a great choice—except it lacked a washer and dryer, which our old unit had included. We hadn’t prepared for this expense, and our budget wasn’t ready for a washer and dryer purchase.
We charged the washer and dryer to a credit card and planned to use my tax refund to pay it off. A month after filing, the IRS requested additional information, delaying my refund and leaving us uncertain about when we’d receive the money.
Amid the stress of the appliance purchase, my second side hustle began. I hate accumulating debt and wanted to become debt-free quickly, so I took a staff writer position for a blogger to help pay off the washer and dryer. As a staff writer I produced articles and sourced or edited stock photos. That role required about 10 hours per month.
When my tax refund finally arrived, we paid off the washer and dryer without interest, as planned. I kept the staff writing job and invested its earnings back into my blog.
I also began freelancing, which became my third side hustle. Freelance assignments usually take 2–3 hours each, and I typically take two or three per month. Freelance income helps fund the blog, covers budget shortfalls, and supports savings goals.
Money from my side hustles has been used to pay down debt, prevent budget overruns, and even fund vacations. After about eight months of side hustling, I don’t see myself stopping soon. The extra income and creative outlets are rewarding, but the workload is substantial—combined, my jobs average about 60 hours per week, roughly 240 hours a month.
I manage side-hustle tasks during downtime at my full-time job and complete some work in single focused sessions. I reserve weekends as my rest time, usually dedicating only an hour or two to the blog. I wouldn’t recommend working four jobs to everyone, but there are distinct benefits.
1. An outlet for creative energy
Corporate writing is often tightly regulated. In my salaried position I rarely produced original work. My side hustles gave me a place to share experiences and write freely.
I’ve always needed to write, and that need wasn’t met by my corporate role despite its title.
Before blogging, I felt unfulfilled and like I wasn’t living my purpose. The creative outlets provided by my side projects helped change that.
2. Extra income is valuable
If it weren’t for paychecks, I wouldn’t have worked so much. Passion alone doesn’t pay bills. Side hustles are a practical way to earn extra money—especially useful if you’re paying off debt, overspending, or building savings.
For example, money from my side hustles covered a shore excursion on our recent cruise—an unplanned treat funded entirely by side-income.
3. Discovering what I enjoy
In college I tried numerous internships to figure out what I enjoyed doing. My side hustles have played a similar role in my post-college life.
Through varied projects, I’ve learned which subjects I enjoy writing about and which topics interest me most. Freelance research and writing introduced me to new subjects I’d previously dismissed.
These side jobs bring satisfaction and purpose. A year ago I never imagined working four jobs, but life takes unexpected turns. If you’re considering a side hustle, I recommend trying it—you might find it changes your life for the better.
About the Author: Lindsey is a North Carolina native who transitioned from big spender to intentional frugality. She focuses on living more meaningfully by prioritizing experiences over possessions. Lindsey writes about practical frugal living and its benefits, believing frugality is a choice anyone can make to improve their life.
Do you earn extra income? How has it changed your life?
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