A growing number of Americans are now relying on side hustles to pay for everyday living expenses, a recent survey found.
According to Bankrate, 41% have taken on a side gig, compared to 31% in 2019.
“And even though at your primary job, there's a good chance that your wages have gone up, wage growth has been in the neighborhood of 5% over the past year with inflation running at more than 8%, said Ted Rossman, a senior industrial analyst for Bankrate.
Men earn nearly triple what women are from their side hustles, and men also said they're less likely to need that money for regular living expenses. Just 33% of men say they use side income to make ends meet, compared to 48% for women.
On average, side hustles provided $1,492 in added income for men, compared to $571 for women.
Rossman said the side hustles that pay off the most for people are anything home-based like making and selling things online. He said side gigs from home don’t require extra time or money driving, like the apps that deliver food.