Romanians consider second jobs

Worried about rising taxes and the prospect of lower incomes, many Romanians are looking for ways to boost their earnings.

Ştefan Stoica, 14.01.2026, 13:50

One out of three people in Romania is considering finding additional sources of income amid rising taxes, higher food and utility costs and family budget pressures, according to data published on a recruitment platform, which indicate an accelerated growth in demand for occasional and flexible jobs.

“In 2026, the beginning of the year is marked by calculations and concerns: higher bills, more expensive food, worrying bank loans, additional child expenses and, in the case of senior citizens, growing medical costs”, writes the study carried out by DeLucru.ro. The latter helps unskilled young people, Romanians living abroad, persons looking for additional incomes and pensioners to find jobs quickly and easily.

Occasional jobs are becoming an option for more and more people in Romania, according to the study. The main social categories interested in boosting their incomes are unskilled young people aged between 16 and 25. The latter are looking for jobs in order to earn pocket money and experience and are generally applying for jobs that don’t require skills or previous work experience, such as shop assistant, goods handler, cleaner, construction assistant, according to the study.

Another such category are the active pensioners, above the age of 60. They are looking for flexible and predictable activities that are close to home, small repair work, tending gardens, cleaning and transport. There is an underlying fear that incomes will not be able to cover current expenses, especially medicine and utility bills.

On the other hand, employees between the ages of 25 and 55 who are looking for additional work are, according to the platform, people with stable jobs who wish to take on more work in their free time, such as cleaning, housekeeping, finishing work, plumber, electrician, welder, household work, agriculture, carpentry, or short-term projects in retail or services. Another category mentioned is women with children who work from home, aged between 20 and 45. They are looking for remote projects and activities that will boost their income, while allowing them to continue taking care of their children and do the household chores.

The people’s reason for concern and why they look for work are: increasing taxes and fees, the fear of losing their jobs or that their income will decrease, the feeling that they will not have enough money for everyday expenses and food, and, in the case of pensioners, the fear that they will not have enough money for medicine.

Moreover, in its autumn forecast, the National Commission for Strategy and Forecasting estimates that the impact of fiscal adjustment measures will be more visible this year and will be felt mainly in terms of the people’s purchasing power, as a result of the persistent high inflation rate in the first part of the year and the reduction in household disposable income. The Commission indicates that, given the current circumstances, the level of economic growth in 2026 is forecast at 1%, slightly down compared to the estimates of last summer’s forecast, of 1.2%.