Should You Get a Second Job

Should You Get a Second Job Not making enough to support your lifestyle? Need a little extra in the bank, or for your retirement account (it’s never too early!)? Here are 7 issues to weigh when asking yourself if you should  consider taking a second job. 1. Your Money SituationAre you drowning in debt from a big expense? Anticipating one soon? Or do you need a second job because your primary career isn’t paying you enough to live? If it’s the first thing, proceed. If it’s the second, think about changing jobs instead and shifting into something more lucrative. Otherwise, when contemplating a second job it’s best to make yourself a timeline of how long you’ll work that job to get yourself on more secure footing. Have an exit strategy in mind.2. Your Current Job SecurityIf you’re worried about your job security at your current job, now may be an ideal time to take on a second. You’ll hedge your bets a bit. Just in case anything goes south at your first job , you’ll have a back up plan at least part-time to get you through.3. The Possible PerksSecond jobs can be chosen to benefit you. For example, if you love clothes or makeup or even furniture, a second job in retail can give you access to deep discounts on the stuff you buy the most. That’s two ways you end up richer. Alternatively, you could find a second job in your industry that can increase your skill set and marketability in the long run of your career.4. The Chance to LearnIf you’re contemplating a career or job change down the line, this is a great opportunity to get your feet wet and gain a little experience in another industry. A second job is like a paid internship, giving you a chance to explore your options without any serious commitment.5.  The Realities of Your ScheduleReally budget out your time and schedule- not just your paychecks and your bills. Do you have the time and physical stamina to work two jobs? If you’re up for it, but wary, m ake sure to give yourself an exit date and to consider erring on the side of shorter hours in your second job. There’ll be no use for extra cash if you’re too physically and emotionally exhausted to live your life.6.  Your Current Job and Its DemandsDon’t take a second job only to lose your first because you diluted yourself and eased up on your standard of work. Make sure that you don’t dip in time or energy to compromise what you are already doing.7.  Your Basic PrioritiesThe last thing you need to do is prioritize your life. Would you rather have the time to socialize with friends or to spend with your family or on a hobby- and perhaps draw your financial belt a little tighter? Or is the money your biggest, most dire need? Once you figure out what’s most important, the decision should (almost) make itself.

Terms You Might Not Know Are Considered Racist

Terms You Might Not Know Are Considered Racist Some racist terms have been included in the American vocabulary for so long that many who use them are often clueless about their origins. Boy In most situations, the word boy is not a problem. Used to describe an African American man, however, the word is troublesome. Thats because historically whites routinely described black men as boys to suggest African Americans werent on equal footing with them. Both during and after slavery, African Americans werent viewed as full-fledged people but as mentally, physically, and spiritually inferior beings to whites. Calling black men boys was one way to express the racist ideologies of yesteryear. Despite its widespread use as a racial putdown, in Ash v. Tyson Foods, the U.S. Court of Appeals  decided that boy cannot be considered a racial slur unless its prefaced with a racial marker such as black. This decision has sparked controversy, considering that whites typically didnt call African American black boys during Jim Crow, but simply boys. The good news, according to Prerna Lal of Change.org, is that the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the holding, ruling that the use of the word boy on its own is not enough evidence of racial animus, but that the word is also not benign. That means the court is willing to consider the context in which boy is used to determine if its being uttered as a racial epithet. Gypped Gypped  is arguably the most commonly used  racist term  in existence today. If someone buys a used car that turns out to be lemon, for instance, he may complain, â€Å"I got gypped.† So, why is the term offensive? Because it equates the Gypsy, or Roma peoples, with being thieves, cheats and con artists. When someone says that they â€Å"got gypped,† they are essentially saying that they were conned. Explained Jake Bowers, editor of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller ezine  Travellers Times, to the British newspaper the  Telegraph: â€Å"Gypped is an offensive word, it is derived from Gypsy and it’s being used in the same context as a person might once have said they ‘jewed’ somebody if they did an underhand business transaction.† But don’t take Bowers’ word for it. If you’re still debating whether or not to use the verb â€Å"gypped,† consider that Philip Durkin, the principal etymologist at the  Oxford English Dictionary  told the  Telegraph  that there is a â€Å"scholarly consensus† that the word originated as a â€Å"racial slur.† No Can Do and Long Time No See These two phrases have probably rolled off the tongues of most Americans at some point in time. However, the sayings are only mocking the attempts of Chinese immigrants and Native Americans, for whom English was a second language. Uppity Most people have no idea that the term uppity has racist connotations when applied to black people in particular. Southerners used the term for black people who didnt know their place and that term was usually followed by another racial slur. Despite its negative history, the word is regularly used by various races. Websters dictionary defines uppity as putting on or marked by airs of superiority and likens the word to arrogant and presumptuous. In 2011, the word got some national coverage when Rush Limbaugh said that Michelle Obama showed uppity-ism. Considering the Shyster Many people have come to believe that shyster is an anti-Semitic, but the origins of the word are linked to a Manhattan newspaper editor in 1843–1844. According to an article on Law.com, at the time, there was a crusade against legal and political corruption in the city, and the editor derived the term shyster from the German word scheisse, which means excrement. There are several reasons for the anti-Semitic confusion including the closeness to Shakespeares Shylock, and belief that the term came from the proper name of Scheuster, who some think was a corrupt lawyer. The etymology of the word indicates it was never intended as a racial slur, and that it was applied derogatorily to lawyers in general, and not to any one ethnic group.