Category Earning

In 2024 and 2025, finding a job has become harder because the U.S. economy isn't creating as many new jobs as expected. Recently, the government revised its numbers and found that over 900,000 fewer jobs were added than originally thought. This slowdown is partly because the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to fight inflation. Higher rates make it more expensive for businesses to borrow money, so many have cut back on hiring or expansion plans. As a result, people looking for jobs—especially in certain industries—are finding fewer openings and facing more competition.

As the U.S. economy continues to face challenges like inflation and slow job growth, many people are finding creative ways to earn extra income—especially through the wedding industry. Lavish weddings are still popular, and couples are willing to spend money on unique, personalized services. This demand has opened up opportunities for side hustles, like running photo booths, painting live portraits, or providing small entertainment services. For example, some professionals work full-time jobs during the week and spend their weekends earning money at weddings. Even though wedding costs have slightly dropped from recent highs, they still remain well above what they were in 2019. This growing side economy is helping Americans offset rising living expenses and stay financially stable.

In 2025, many American workers are sticking with their current jobs in a trend called "job hugging." This is happening because the economy feels uncertain, and people are scared to take risks by switching jobs. Compared to the past few years, fewer new jobs are available, and wage growth is slowing down—dropping from nearly 6% in 2022 to under 4% in mid-2025. Since workers don’t see as many better-paying or more secure opportunities, they are choosing to stay where they are, even if they’re not completely satisfied with their current work. This shift marks a big change from the job-hopping trend seen shortly after the pandemic, when people jumped between jobs in search of higher pay and better benefits.

The U.S. economy is showing signs of slowing down, and it’s starting to affect how people spend money and decide where to live. Job growth has nearly stalled, with only 22,000 new jobs added in August 2025, and the unemployment rate has risen to 4.3%, the highest in four years. This weak job market has caused the Federal Reserve to rethink its strategy and start cutting interest rates faster than planned. Critics like economist Mohamed El-Erian say the Fed waited too long both to raise rates when inflation was high and now to lower them as the economy cools. Because of this, many Americans are feeling unsure about their financial future—cutting back on expenses, rethinking big purchases, and even delaying moves to new cities until things feel more stable.

In today’s uncertain job market, more Americans—especially Gen Z—are turning to side hustles to earn extra income and gain financial independence. Instead of relying only on traditional 9-to-5 jobs, young people are starting small businesses or offering services like content creation, online tutoring, and secondhand selling through platforms such as Depop, Wyzant, and Poshmark. These flexible earning options allow them to make money doing things they enjoy while adapting to rising living costs, high interest rates, and slower wage growth. As a result, side hustles are not just a trend—they're becoming a key part of how people build their careers and stay financially stable.

In 2025, many people are turning to side hustles as a way to earn extra money, especially as the U.S. economy shifts and traditional jobs become less stable. According to expert Myles Makafui, some of the top money-making side gigs now include things like starting an AI-powered online store, managing social media for businesses, working as a virtual assistant, or promoting products through affiliate marketing. These side hustles don’t require a college degree and can bring in as much as $10,000 a month. What makes them even more appealing is that they’re flexible, can be started with little money upfront, and are growing quickly thanks to new technology. Real people from all kinds of backgrounds are finding success with them, proving that anyone willing to learn can get ahead in today’s digital world.