New Data Names Georgia Second State Struggling to Make Ends Meet the Most
Thursday, March 21st, 2024
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A new study has identified the states where Americans are looking for a means to earn a second income the most, with Georgia ranking second.
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The study analyzed nationwide Google searches around side hustles and making extra money, to find which states are in need of additional income.
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33% of working Americans who already have a side hustle use the extra money to afford essential living costs.
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A personal finance expert shares their top tips on how to effectively launch a side hustle to help boost your income.
New data has revealed which states are scraping by based on where are most determined to find a way to boost their income outside of their regular jobs, with Georgia taking a spot in the top three.
The research, pulled together by personal finance experts at WealthUp, analyzed Google searches such as 'side hustle ideas' and 'ways to make extra money' over the last 12 months, to identify which states are the most in need of earning more.
It may come as little surprise that many are considering taking on a second job to supplement their primary income given the current economic situation.
In fact, according to a recent survey by Bankrate, 39% of working Americans already have a side hustle, with 33% of these people using the additional income to cover their day-to-day living costs.
According to WealthUp’s study, it turns out that those in Georgia are the second most focused on increasing their typical earnings.
The state averaged 222.4 monthly searches per 100,000 residents, which is 39% higher than the national average of 159.5 searches per 100,000 people.
The most popular terms residents searched for were ‘side hustle,’ ‘make money from home' and 'ways to make money from home.'
Utah was found to have the highest interest in sourcing an additional income, with 263.5 searches per 100,000 residents – 65% above the national average.
In third is Arizona at 220.5 searches per 100,000 people, which is 38% higher than the national average search rate.
The ten states searching for an additional income the most
|
Rank |
State |
Average monthly searches per 100,000 residents |
|
1. |
Utah |
263.5 |
|
2. |
Georgia |
222.4 |
|
3. |
Arizona |
220.5 |
|
4. |
Nevada |
196.6 |
|
5. |
Colorado |
194.2 |
|
6. |
Indiana |
192.3 |
|
7. |
Florida |
191.2 |
|
8. |
Oregon |
191.0 |
|
9. |
New York |
188.3 |
|
10. |
Illinois |
188.1 |
At the other end of the scale, those in Vermont are looking to take on extra work the least, with only 110 searches per 100,000 people, which is 31% lower than the US average.
Mississippi and Alaska both follow very closely behind as the second and third-least interested states, at 110.6 and 111.1 searches per 100,000 residents respectively.
The ten states searching for an additional income the least
|
Rank |
State |
Average monthly searches per 100,000 residents |
|
1. |
Vermont |
110.0 |
|
2. |
Mississippi |
110.6 |
|
3. |
Alaska |
111.1 |
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4. |
South Dakota |
113.4 |
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5. |
Montana |
119.8 |
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6. |
New Mexico |
120.1 |
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7. |
Wyoming |
120.7 |
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8. |
West Virginia |
125.8 |
|
9. |
Maine |
126.2 |
|
10. |
Iowa |
134.4 |
“It is interesting that Utah shows the greatest interest in starting a side hustle, considering that it typically ranks middle of the pack in terms of living costs when compared to other states,” says Riley Adams, Founder and CEO of WealthUp, who carried out the research.
“We would expect states such as Hawaii, New York, California and Massachusetts to be topping the list given their high average living costs, but most of these states don’t even make it into the top ten," she adds.
Top tips for starting a side hustle
Riley has offered the following advice when it comes to starting side hustle, regardless of where you live in the country:
“If you are struggling to keep on top of your bills, or if you just need to allocate additional money to your personal spending or savings, a side hustle could be a viable option if you have the time.
“For the best chance of success over the long term, try to strike a balance between something that you enjoy, something that you are good at and something that suits your personal situation.
“If you love animals and have time in the evenings or weekends, consider setting up a dog walking service and target customers who might not have the time or inclination to exercise their pets.
“Or, if you have little free time to put into a side hustle, consider assets that you already own, which might already be in high demand. If you have a spare room and don’t mind the occasional guest, consider letting it out on Airbnb at a competitive rate.
“Alternatively, if you own a car and work from home, consider leasing out your vehicle car on platforms such as Turo or Getaround, rather than letting it sit on your driveway.”
