An overemployed Gen Z worker wants to achieve FIRE in the 30s; Disadvantages

• Jane, a Gen Z graduate, started working two jobs in college to pay her rent and save for a mortgage.
• She told Business Insider that being overemployed had a detrimental impact on her health and well-being.
• Jane said working hard would be worth it if she can achieve FIRE in her early 30s.

This essay as told is based on a conversation with Jane, a 25-year-old overemployed worker in Canada. She asked to use only her first name for privacy reasons. Business Insider has verified his identity and employment. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I work two jobs a day. The first is my 9 to 5, and then I work in customer service until 10 p.m. I work twice as hard now so I can stop working sooner. My goal is to retire early, hopefully around my 30s.

I started working two jobs while finishing college in sociology and business in 2021.

There have been so many remote opportunities during and after COVID-19. If I had to commute between two jobs, I don't think I would do that.

I was influenced by the FIRE community

I came across the FIRE (financial independence, retire early) movement on Reddit. I started documenting my FIRE journey on TikTok. I want to show that there is another way to retire at 65.

My logic is to concentrate my investments from my twenties and hope that it will pay off in the future. I want to be financially independent so I can become “work optional”. I think in this economic climate, retiring completely and never earning money again may no longer be possible.

But that could mean I may take a career break or have periods in my life where I can cut back on my work.

At university I worked up to 40 hours alongside a 9 to 5 job.

When I started working two jobs in college, one was 9-5 in marketing and the other was in customer service, which I still have. At the time, I was spending between 30 and 40 hours a week doing that in addition to the 9-5. I make appointments for people. If they have a problem with their furnace or toilet, I would call a technician or plumber. It's less stressful than marketing, where sometimes I worry about overnight projects.

I also had a lot of homework. My marketing job was flexible, so I could do my academic work during my lunch breaks or quiet periods. In reality, a remote office job rarely lasts 40 hours per week.

I had physical symptoms of stress

I was incredibly stressed during this time. I was determined to continue seeing my friends and going to the gym too, so I sacrificed my sleep. I slept between four and six hours a night.

I had a constant headache. It was really difficult.

I was renting and felt like I had to prove that I could continue to pay my rent. I also wanted to buy a property, and having the income allowed me to get a mortgage in 2021. Having a FIRE mindset helped me get through it.

I did all my homework, but it took away from my college experience in some ways. If I had more time, I would have focused more on my specialty. But investing in property at that time was beneficial. In hindsight, the tradeoff was worth it.

I kept my 2 jobs after university

It seemed natural to continue working two jobs after graduating from college in 2022.

If I couldn't start with a well-paying job like people who move into STEM jobs, the least I could do would be to work harder.

I landed a new job as a marketing specialist, which was also 9-5. I continued my job in customer service, working 65 hours over two weeks. I did this from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and on weekends.

I would take two days off a week from my second job. Working weekends sucked. I really wanted to sleep one day a week. But I have no difficulty alternating between the two jobs. I don't find customer service as mentally exhausting as marketing. It's not stressful, it just takes time.

I live frugally

I have a weird relationship with money, which I'm trying to work on. This year I made $47,000 Canadian from both jobs, which is about $34,000, plus commissions which vary. I save about 70% per month. I invest most of my savings. It's not for everyone, but it was important to me to become financially literate in my 20s and be able to start investing early.

I also live at home with my family and rent the property I bought at university.

When I don't spend money, I feel stingy. But when I spend it, I feel guilty. Instead of buying lunch or a drink with dinner, I feel like I should save money for more important things.

I have trouble keeping up with my hobbies

I used to go rock climbing and painting, but I don't have time for my hobbies. I try to see my friends when I have free evenings or weekends. But after working all day, I often want to stay home and decompress. I could go to the gym or take a walk during lunch, but I often want to take a nap or play on my phone. I just want to do something passive.

When the sun sets at 6 p.m. in the winter, I've had days where I look out the window and realize I haven't had any sun or exercise all day.

To give myself more time to get out and exercise, I reduced my customer service hours to 55 hours over two weeks and stopped working Sundays in May. But I'm still exhausted.

My family is proud of my ambition, but I think they would prefer if I didn't work so hard. Living at home, they can see how it affects me.

There are also so many smart people in my community. I feel pressure to keep up. My older brother is pretty accomplished, so part of the pressure I feel comes from comparing myself to him.

My will to continue outweighs my burnout. I know it's not good for my physical and mental health or my sleep, but I'm so focused on my goal that I'm willing to sacrifice it for a few more years.

If you work two full-time jobs and want to share your story, email Ella Hopkins at [email protected].