Gemma and her husband work four jobs between them just to afford groceries

It’s taken few months to get the balance right. I go out to DoorDash after the kids have gone to bed and they’re none the wiser that their mum is out working again, while Tristan stays home. The following night, it will be Tristan’s turn, while I stay home with the boys. Some nights we even make it a ‘family date night’, dressing the boys in their pyjamas and driving around as a family. The boys fall asleep in the back, while Tristan and I have fantastic conversations in the front. Our weekly goal? To do enough deliveries each week to at least make up the difference in our mortgage, but still find ways to stay connected as a couple and as a family.

Having these extra jobs has made a huge difference to our bottom line, but I find it crazy that it’s only with four jobs between the two of us that we can afford to buy groceries. There’s something very wrong with that.”

“Rising interest rates have more than doubled my mortgage”

Karla Abounader, a 34-year-old single mum, works full-time at the Sydney gym she co-owns and supplements her income by renting out designer dresses on luxury apparel rental platform The Volte.

“Single mums do it tough at the best of times, but the recent interest rate rises have more than doubled my mortgage, leaving me physically and emotionally exhausted. Thinking about money – whether I have enough to cover my monthly expenses, and how to generate more income – affects every decision I have to make, 24/7. Will my daughter be able to do after-school activities this term? Will we be able to go on a family outing this weekend?

In Sydney, you feel like a hamster on the wheel just trying to keep up with the cost of everything.
For the past 18 months, I’ve worked full-time at the gym I co-own, but in recent months I’ve had to increase the time I spend on the business in a bid to draw more members and increase revenue. At the same time, I’ve increased the amount of work I put into my side hustle, renting out designer dresses on The Volte. I used to be more relaxed in my approach, but now I’m working around the clock to buy more stock, increase the number of listings and push socials to ensure my pieces get seen by the right eyeballs.

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When you’re working two jobs, work-life balance can be tough, and like all mums I struggle with the guilt of working so hard. On any given day, I’ll be at the gym from 8.30am to 3pm. Then I’ll spend the next few hours with my daughter doing homework, enjoying playtime and having dinner, before getting back on the computer after she goes to bed. Some nights I’ll work until 11pm. It isn’t ideal, but when your bills go up, your income needs to do the same.

I’m lucky enough that, by having my own business, it’s within my control to make that happen. Yes, I’m permanently tired and I wish I had more time to get fit or to socialise, but you do what you’ve got to do.

Renting dresses through The Volte can be lucrative. Some months I can make anywhere between $10,000 and $15,000, which I split 50-50 with my business partner, while other months are a little more quiet.

We’re in a slower period now because people around the country are tightening their belts and reducing spending on non-essentials, so that’s a concern. Combined, the money I currently make gives me just enough for all the necessary payments, just enough room to breathe.

It isn’t all about increasing income, either. I’ve had to make changes in the household this year when it comes to our outgoings as well. I’d love to see a reduction in interest rates, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.”

“Finding affordable housing is next to impossible”

Rising rents forced Dani Marsland, 36, the owner of a Sydney public relations agency, from her apartment earlier this year. She’s since added house- and pet-sitting to the odd jobs she works to boost her income.

“The thing that first struck me about Sydney when I first moved here from Perth six years ago was how expensive everything was. I’d accepted a full-time position in PR which paid the bills, but it was clear that if I wanted to actually embrace any of the cultural highlights the city is known for – going out for a meal or catching a show, for example – I would have to supplement my salary with additional income.

The pandemic showed me the importance of having multiple income streams – I lost my job in travel PR during the lockdown, but used that time to establish various side hustles, many of which I still rely on. Initially, I created bouquets to sell to local cafes and hosted online trivia sessions for businesses. Then I branched out into making brunch boxes for a friend’s family business, writing articles for publications, doing market research and walking dogs.

Earlier this year my rent increased by hundreds of dollars a week and I had to move out but I’ve been unable to find anything I can afford. I advertised my services on Facebook house- and pet-sitting groups and have since been living out of a suitcase, working full-time from a co-working space during the day, and working on my side hustles from various couches and dining tables in the evenings.

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On an average day I’ll start work at 6am creating the brunch boxes, then I’ll do PR work from 9am to 6.30pm, often ducking out at lunch to walk dogs. In the evenings, I’ll attend market research, write articles or edit CVs – yep, another side gig.

The money comes in, but it’s going out just as quickly; not only has the cost of everything increased, but the mortgage on my home back in Perth has also gone up.

It’s hard to know what’s going to happen next. I now run my own PR company, Famiglia PR, and have a lot of hospitality clients who are feeling the pinch as Australians tighten their belts. More than once lately I’ve had the ‘we have to pause commitments’ conversation with restaurateurs and it’s disheartening for everyone.

Even though I’m probably running myself into the ground, it’s just another reason why I’m so reluctant to give up any of my other jobs. I view them as an insurance policy in an increasingly uncertain climate.”

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