'Surprisingly Feasible' – Software Engineer Shares How A $175K Second Job Helped Him Save $20K In Just Two Months

When it comes to remote work, some people are taking full advantage of the flexibility it offers – and one software engineer has taken it to the next level. Sharing their story on Reddit's r/overemployed community, they detailed how they added a second job paying $175,000 to their already comfortable $100,000 remote role. The result? Saving $20,000 in just two months.

Here's how they did it, why they say it's worth the effort and what others in the community had to say about their approach.

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A Leap of Faith Pays Off

For five years, they had been working a $100,000-a-year software engineering job that only required about 20 hours of actual work weekly. While the job's work-life balance was great, they decided to test the waters of Overemployment – a strategy where people work two or more remote jobs at the same time.

"I decided to take a leap of faith and accepted J2 at $175,000," they wrote, referring to the second job. "I only expected to last a couple of weeks, but it has been surprisingly feasible." Fast forward two months and they had banked $20,000 in extra income, which they're using for a house down payment.

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Juggling Two Jobs

How do they make it work? Both jobs are fully remote and they put in about 50 hours weekly across the two roles. “I usually do just enough work each day for both jobs that I can give a decent update at daily scrum ceremonies and then I catch up on Sundays and work a few hours for whatever job I'm behind on.”

The secret to success is focusing on completing enough work for each job to give solid updates during daily stand-ups, a common practice in software development. To stay on top of things, they use Sundays to catch up on tasks if either job falls behind during the week.

"I work much more efficiently than my coworkers, I guess," they shared. "I get assigned a task that it'd take the average dev a week to finish and I can do it in three days. I'm ‘active’ 40 hours a week but really only work like 20."

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The Financial Perks – and Challenges

The financial boost has been life-changing. With the additional income, they have been able to accelerate savings goals, buy a house and even treat themselves to small luxuries like new golf clubs. But, as they admit, maintaining two jobs is challenging.

"It's Winter right now, so I’m hibernating inside anyways," they explained. "But if I make it through the spring, it's going to be tough not to leave J2. Hours are until 6 p.m. in the evening and it’s a contract, so I get no paid time off.” If they miss even one day, they’re giving up $600.

This dynamic has left them feeling a bit "trapped" by the high pay, but they're still grateful for the opportunity to build their financial cushion.

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Advice from the OE Community

The r/overemployed community chimed in with advice and encouragement. Some suggested they "slow roll" tasks by stretching out timelines to make juggling both roles easier. Others emphasized the importance of maximizing retirement contributions and investing wisely to make the most of the extra income.

One commenter summed it up: "Make hay while the sun shines. Make sure you max your 401(k), IRA, HSA, etc. and then pile a ton of the rest into a brokerage and/or mortgage."

Another user warned about burnout and recommended finding a sustainable pace. "Tailor your throughput to your team," they advised. "Do exactly enough."

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