For several months now, I’ve wanted to find a way to earn extra money. I’m paying my bills, paying down debt, and saving, but my goals seem really far away sometimes. I used to complain about needing more income when I was spending like crazy, but it’s even worse now that I’m serious about gaining control of my money.

My work schedule makes it difficult to find a second job. I am the clinical director of a group home for kids with psychiatric and behavioral problems, and there is no such thing as a typical day. I typically work 9 to 5 (or 6 or 7), but I’m also on call every third week AND I commute an hour each way to work. I didn’t want to do anything on weekends because that’s rare quality time with my son.

This week I had a brilliant epiphany. My agency has a ton of outpatient therapists. They all work different schedules because, instead of receiving a salary, they are paid by the number of hours they bill for therapy. So I wondered if I could go over there a couple nights a week after work, see some clients, and make some extra cash. I asked my boss, and he was fine with it (he knows my salary is pathetic since he’s the one who assigned it). I emailed the department to ask if they needed some help in the evenings, and now it’s just a matter of filling out paperwork.

Earning potential? Broken down by hourly rate, this will pay almost three times what I make in my full-time job. If I see six clients a week, I’ll basically earn an extra paycheck each month. Now that’s what I call exciting!

So hopefully my debt is going to get its butt kicked even faster and my savings will increase dramatically. I’ll be able to create new goals for myself, like maxing out my Roth IRA (I promised myself I wouldn’t until all the CC debt was paid off) and taking my student loans out of deferment. The only part that sucks is knowing I’ll miss that extra money if I decide the extra hours are more than I can handle.

Anyone have brilliant advice for juggling a full time job, part time job, housework, a 12 year-old, and 3 dogs completely by yourself?