Moonlighting or working part-time has long been an option for many full-time workers seeking a little more income. However, what has long been overlooked are
fringe benefits or dividends that working part-time provides. Working this way reduces spending and is more than worthwhile for minimum numbers of hours required.The national retail store I work at requires employees to work a minimum of six hours per month to receive both low cost health insurance (around $20 per week) and a very generous discount good on all regular, sale, and clearance priced merchandise. For me health insurance is extremely important because I have been self-employed for past eight years and was paying a whopping $400.00 per month for basically same insurance coverage. Working an average of just a few hours per week has provided huge returns. I’ve saved hundreds of dollars per month on health insurance and paid much less for brand-new brand-name clothing, home goods, and gifts than I would have otherwise.
For example, when my 10-year old microwave went kaplooie I picked up a new one at my store for $15.00 (retail price $69). Other items I recently purchased include a toaster oven $7.00 (retail $49), new underwear $.85 per pair (retail $13 per pair), Reebok sneakers $12 (retail $75), a flat wall-mount mini remote stereo system $18 (retail $150), a bathrobe (for my dad’s birthday $12 (retail $70), and many more items. This is just a few examples of items that I needed and have saved a great deal of money on just by working a few hours per week.
A friend of mine works for a large nationwide video rental store. By working a minimum of four hours per week he receives five free video rentals per week along with discounts on games and other goods sold by store. Movie rentals on average cost around $4 so he is able to save $20 per week on rentals. Most importantly, though he also receives low cost health insurance for himself, his wife, and child, something he does not have at his full-time job. Another friend works part-time at her favorite restaurant (a chain restaurant) and as per company policy receives a free meal prior to beginning her shift. These are just a few of many fringe benefits available to part-time moonlighters.
The Key to Making Most of Part-Time Work Benefits
To make most of a part-time job opportunity it is essential to ask yourself two questions.
1.What is most important to you in terms of what adds value to your life or what needs you have.
For me this meant finding a way to eliminate high premiums of health insurance. Another important and essential requirement for me was to reduce costs associated with buying gifts for others, and needed goods for my home and myself. Moonlighting has added a great deal to my life in terms of meeting my needs and reducing my overall expenses.
