Watch on your mobile device >>
Just a few days ago when President Obama addressed Congress with his aggressive $450 billion plan to improve the jobs outlook in America the feeling was upbeat despite bipartisan push and pull that typically occurs on such occasions. Surprisingly, the general consensus is a positive one and that is a good thing for most Americans who are struggling to get by in this economy.
But like so many other proposed bills coming from the White House, no one knows the extent of which the plan, if approved, will be implemented – and how soon. So in the meantime, we will just have to keep on keeping on and get by in any way we can. And one of the age-old traditions of dealing with it when the day job just isn’t cutting it is moonlighting.
Overcoming Financial Hurdles By Moonlighting
There is a new breed of moonlighting these days, though, that looks further into the future for those embarking on new endeavors to stay financially afloat throughout this challenging time. Now more than ever, people are starting up their own businesses, independent consultant work and other entrepreneurial enterprises. In fact, only two days ago if you were to search the word “moonpreneurs” on Google, you would have found nothing – but after this article appeared on DailyFinance.com, there seems to be a lot of buzz about it. Moonlighting entrepreneurs -- or aptly coined “moonpreneurs” are people interesting in pursuing their own long-term interest to pump up the cash flow as a means to supplement their existing jobs.
Freelancing Picks Up Speed
Just ten years ago, though it was very much there, the company Elance was a barely-known enterprise. Now there are over a half-million contractors registered on the site, working for companies and individuals also registered on the site. In the past decade, people looking for avenues of extra income, globally, have found innumerable success through this online project and jobs portal.
Independent consultancy is also picking up in industries ranging from finance to fitness, organizational planning to catering – you name it – cater to a carefully built clientele; one that works well with smaller businesses or individuals.
How Does One Go About Becoming a “Moonpreneur”?
Depending on your talents, there are myriad ways to approach your part-time self-employment. There is a plethora of areas that many people are tapping into ranging from freelance writing, editing and translation to web development and graphic design. Legal consultancy and financial planning are also areas that work well under the freelance model. The benefit of pursuing a business in these disciplines is that they have the potential to grow independent of your day job and they can ultimately provide a fair amount of stand-alone income. Second jobs are not entirely taken on by a lot of people for the sake of financial peace of mind – they are also sometimes a way to practice a hobby or do something that they love. Excellent examples are comedians like Dan Nainan, artists, musicians – and the possibilities are limitless.
~
The concept that touches people from all backgrounds is highlighted in the DailyFinance.com article that mentions engineer-turned-comedian Daniel Nainan who moonlights as a comedian to supplement the income from his day job. Nainan says, "The average American who works full-time watches something like 30 hours of television per week. Cut back on television and partying and you'll find the time to spend on a second job."
With some careful planning, diligence and dedication – and of course a skills set that is marketable, you can succeed at building your own secondary stream of income to help get you through these strained financial times. Who knows where things will lead in the future?
