Meet the Gen-Zers and millennials working summer jobs on top of their 9-to-5s: ‘It's helped me feel happier, more relaxed.'

Gen Zers and millennials aren't just filling up their free time with vacations and road trips this summer — some are taking on second or even third jobs in the warmer months. 

Squeezed by inflation and insufficient wages, many Americans are turning to side hustles and additional jobs as a way to make ends meet. 

Other 20- and 30-somethings say they're working second, seasonal jobs for fun, seeing it as a way to earn money doing something they love or pad their savings account with some extra spending money. 

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'It's more than a job, it's where I grew up'

Anna Laquintano has spent 12 summers scooping frozen custard and Italian ice at Rita's in Rockledge, Pennsylvania. 

Laquintano, 28, started working there with her older sister when she was 16 to kill time while she was off school.

Now, she works full-time as a marketing coordinator at the American Heritage Federal Credit Union in Philadelphia — but from June through September, she's also at Rita's three nights a week, managing the store from 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. 

"I love that the job offers an additional source of income, but it's more than that," Laquintano tells CNBC Make It. "Rita's has been a part of me for so long that I could never imagine letting it go … it's more than a job, it's where I grew up."

She adds that some of her happiest memories have been at the shop, even on the nights when the line is wrapped around the corner for hours on end.

"I've met some of my best friends working here, and it's also offered another opportunity for my siblings and I to spend more time together," says Laquintano. She works at Rita's with her younger brother, Andrew, who is home from college for the summer.

Some weeks are more tiring than others, but Laquintano says she staves off burnout by keeping her weekends completely work-free — and not being shy about telling her bosses at Rita's when she needs a break. 

"There are some weeks where I am exhausted and I might only work one shift and other weeks where I'll want to do four, but I try not to overwork myself," she says. "Drinking a lot of caffeine helps." The Rita's she works at is open from February through October, so she picks up shifts in the fall and spring, too.

Shift managers at Rita's make an average of $19 per hour, according to Glassdoor. Laquintano says she's using her additional income to move out of her parent's house and, hopefully, buy a home within the next year. 

'Everyone's happier at the beach'

Over the past few summers, Pat Fullerton became a regular at Bird & Betty's, a popular waterfront bar and restaurant in Beach Haven, New Jersey. He spent so much time and money there that he thought: "Why not get paid to be there?"

This is his second summer working as a server at Bird & Betty's, a part-time gig he has in addition to his full-time job as an account executive at a software development firm. 

Growing up, he spent most summers vacationing on Long Beach Island, an 18-mile strip of land off the coast of New Jersey where Beach Haven is located. Fullerton says Bird & Betty's has always been one of his favorite places to grab dinner or go dancing on the island. 

Between June and September, the 29-year-old spends 40 hours a week at his sales job, then works at the restaurant three nights a week, from 5 p.m. until midnight. 

Although Fullerton lives in Hoboken, New Jersey, about a two-hour drive from the restaurant, his sales job is 100% remote, so he spends half the week — usually Thursdays through Sundays — living and working from his aunt's beach house on the island.

"It's such a fun job and quickly [has] become something I look forward to after work and on the weekends," says Fullerton. "Everyone's happier at the beach, it's such a laid-back setting. I get to watch the sunset over the water from the restaurant's rooftop, I'm getting extra steps in." 

As a remote employee, Fullerton says working at Bird & Betty's has also given him a much-needed social outlet. "There are days where I could see no one in person, but on the nights I'm at the restaurant, I get to see the friends I work with, and chat with customers. Oddly enough, working more has helped me feel happier, more relaxed."

He anticipates that by the end of the summer, he'll have earned anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000, depending on tips and any additional shifts he picks up. Fullerton says that money will go straight to the wedding he and his fiancé are planning.

A surprising antidote to job stress

Krystal Alvarado has her summers off, but she's spent the past six weeks working in the middle of the woods in central Texas. 

She says it's been the highlight of her summer. 

Alvarado, 25, is a family services coordinator for the Hidalgo County Head Start Program, working with students from low-income households in school districts throughout South Texas.

But between June and August, when schools are closed, she's a counselor at the Kickapoo Kamp for Girls in Kerrville, Texas. She's paid close to $1,500 for those six weeks of service.

Five years ago, Alvarado spent her first summer as a counselor at Kickapoo, back when she was a college student and had more free time between semesters. Alvarado says this is the first summer since 2019 that her schedule allowed her to return to her beloved overnight camp.

"It was so random, I saw an ad for it on Facebook and applied because I love working with kids," she recalls. "But camp is a magical place, I've been scheming to come back ever since."

She works with girls between the ages of seven and 15 — together, they take archery and swimming lessons, have dance parties and make s'mores by the fire, among other outdoor excursions.

"I love my day job but it can take a toll on my mental health because the families I work with go through so much, and I'm limited in what I can do to help them," says Alvarado. "Working at Kickapoo, I feel like I can make a positive difference in these young girls' lives and help them create happy memories, it's a nice counterbalance to that."

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