A 25-year-old woman admitted that she’s struggling to find a balance in her life and can’t afford to quit her job because she needs the money.
Posting to the subreddit r/Money, she sought advice on how to navigate her financial situation despite not being able to afford basic expenses without having more than one job.
She works 7 days a week and goes to grad school but can’t afford to quit her jobs and still make rent.
In her Reddit post, she explained that as a 25-year-old living in Orlando, Florida, the housing market has become extremely expensive, but wages haven’t changed to accommodate the rising cost of living. Despite living in a rather inexpensive area and only paying $850 in rent with three other roommates, it doesn’t make that much of a difference.
In addition, she doesn’t have any car payments; her car insurance is only $189 a month, and she only has to pay smaller bills, like her phone bill and Wi-Fi.
Still, to cover all of her expenses, she works three different jobs. One of those jobs is only an internship that doesn’t pay her much, but the long-term reward of staying and potentially being promoted to a salary position is what makes the job important for her.
“The other two are at restaurants. Last pay period, I only made $800. I had to pay rent the same day and basically feel [messed] over by this system,” she admitted. “I’m extremely burnt out going on month 4 of working 7 days a week.”
Unfortunately, this is the reality for many young adults. A November 2023 job report from the U.S. Department of Labor showed nearly 8.4 million people had multiple jobs in October, the highest number since the start of the pandemic. Experts, according to CBS News, concluded that people are taking on additional jobs to combat inflation.
She explained that her dream job is to one day become an architect, and she recently decided to go back to school and attain the right credentials and degree for it. She insisted that now that she’s in graduate school, she has to create a schedule for herself where she can still earn enough money to keep herself afloat, but that doesn’t involve working every single day.
“What can I do? I have an associate degree, and my internship is at a design firm, which is why it’s so important for me to keep that job. It is 5 days a week, and my restaurant jobs are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,” she questioned. “I’m exhausted and I don’t want to ruin my chances at returning to school by being burnt out. I just don’t know where the time is.”
A majority of young adults are not financially independent and struggle to support themselves.
A January 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that 45% of adults aged 18–34 are completely financially independent, while 55% are not. A majority of young adults say they remain financially dependent on their parents to some extent, such as receiving help paying for everything from rent to their phone bills.
The study found that only about 45% of 18- to 34-year-olds described themselves as completely financially independent from their parents. Similarly, those 18 to 24 are the most likely to rely on their parents for financial support, with more than half relying on them to help take care of basic household expenses. However, a significant share of 30- to 34-year-olds also need assistance, with almost 1 in 5 saying their parents provide aid for their household bills.
It’s becoming glaringly obvious that inflation and the rising cost of living mean that young adults, especially Gen Zers, are depending on their parents to provide financial security and comfort. The ones who don’t have the luxury of relying on their family for whatever reason are stuck working multiple jobs just to keep a roof over their head.
The solution may seem obvious to some people — maybe young adults should try applying for higher-paying jobs. Unfortunately, many companies are also refusing to hire people in their 20s and recent college graduates, so young adults are stuck either working several minimum-wage, part-time jobs or being forced to live with their parents.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.