Teachers Balancing Jobs to Meet Financial Challenges

Christine Regal from Plainfield, New Jersey, always aspired to be a teacher. Now at 54, she reflects on her passion for education, saying, “I just love working with kids. I love the kids. I mean, I’ve been teaching for 26 years, and I still remain in contact with a lot of them.” Her dedication, however, necessitates multiple jobs to manage her expenses.

Regal takes on breakfast and lunch duties at her school, tutors students afterward, and works part-time at the Cheesecake Factory. The Walton Family Foundation-Gallup Teaching for Tomorrow report, released in March, highlighted that 21% of K-12 teachers face financial struggles, and 71% work an additional job. On Wednesday, a Labor Department report indicated a 4.2% rise in the Consumer Price Index in May, marking the highest rate since April 2023.

“I’m getting hit everywhere,” Regal commented on her financial situation. She mentioned spending $70 on a tank of gas and $160 on two grocery bags as examples of her growing expenses.

Over the summer, Regal plans to continue waitressing for extra income. She also budgets for school supplies, spending around $1,500 annually from her pocket. Fortunately, she has a co-teacher to share the costs, but they have both agreed to cut back due to financial strains.

As a single individual, Regal anticipates retiring at 60. She expresses hope for a better financial future, stating, “I’m going to just keep hustling and just keep putting money away, and then pray that when I hit 60, that things will be a lot different.”