Working three jobs from 1 AM to pay off 340 million won in debt

From 1 AM Deliveries to Toddler Classes: The Non-stop Daily Life of a Working Mom in Her 30s

The story of a woman in her thirties, juggling three jobs while carrying 340 million won in debt, has been revealed. Appearing on the KBS Joy show 'Ask Anything Counselor' aired on the 13th, the client confessed that she has reached her physical and mental limits while simultaneously managing childcare and multiple side jobs.

The client's day starts much earlier or much later than others. On Mondays and Thursdays, she performs Yakult delivery work from 1 AM to 6 AM. She holds three jobs, including working part-time at a store and serving as an instructor for toddler classes at a cultural center.

Her income structure is even more desperate. The part-time income earned from the three jobs is around 1.9 million won per month. While her total income reaches approximately 5 million won, her expenditures, excluding living expenses, approach 4 million won per month. This is far from enough to pay off her debts.

The background of why the client, who majored in vocal music and pursued her dreams on stage, plunged into such grueling labor was a series of unexpected misfortunes. Due to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, work related to her major completely dried up, causing her economic foundation to crumble. During her most vulnerable mental state, she also suffered the pain of losing 2 million won after getting caught in a multi-level marketing scam. Fortunately, she regained her senses and escaped, but the household situation had already reached its worst point.

Husband's Debt and Child's Surgery Costs... The Details Behind the 340 Million Won Debt

The massive debt is being carried by the couple together. Before marriage, the client had 3 million won in student loans and 20 million won in credit loans. Her husband also had 100 million won in debt before marriage.

After marriage, the husband took out an additional 50 million won in loans to cover living expenses. This, combined with a 120 million won mortgage, caused the scale of the debt to snowball. Recently, an additional 20 million won in surgery costs was incurred as the second child fell ill and required surgery. With the husband's debt, living expense loans, the mortgage, and the child's medical expenses all intertwined, the total debt has reached 340 million won.

The client is working day and night to pay off this debt, but she expressed extreme distress due to her family's worries and her own declining physical strength. She lamented that her daily life has been completely exhausted in the process of balancing childcare and three jobs.

Seo Jang-hoon's Sharp Critique: "The income is too low for three jobs"

Upon hearing the story, MC Seo Jang-hoon empathized with the client's efforts but offered sharp criticism regarding her current income structure. Seo Jang-hoon reacted immediately upon hearing the 1.9 million won part-time income reported by the client.

Seo Jang-hoon asked, "Isn't the income too low for three jobs?" pointing out the inefficiency compared to the intensity of the labor. He advised, "It might be more efficient to earn money through other work rather than earning 1.9 million won with three jobs." He presented a realistic alternative, suggesting that she should find a better revenue model rather than simply increasing the time spent on physical labor.

“It's overwhelming, and I'm worried about my family too”

Through the broadcast, the client directly revealed the economic pain and psychological pressure she is currently experiencing. She said, “I have about 340 million won in debt, and I am paying it off while working three jobs. It is overwhelming, and I am worried because my family is also very concerned.”

She added that she is sharing the burden with her husband in the process of repaying the debt. The client shared her current situation, stating, “I am paying off the debt together with my husband.”

As a vocal music major, the client's economic foundation was shaken when work dried up due to COVID-19, and her household situation worsened, including a 2 million won loss from a multi-level marketing scam. To make matters worse, the debt burden has increased further as 20 million won was recently spent on the second child's surgery.