As the cost of owning a vehicle keeps climbing, more Americans are finding that a single paycheck no longer covers the cost of keeping a car on the road. Purchase prices have risen, insurance rates are up, maintenance costs keep climbing, and fuel prices have generally trended higher over the past decade — and the financial strain is no longer limited to luxury vehicles.
The Dream of Owning a New Car is Slipping Away for Most as Prices Now Average $50K
How Much Income Cars Are Actually Eating Up
A recent study surveying more than 1,000 car owners found that nearly one in six spends at least 20 percent of their monthly income on vehicle-related expenses, and around 10 percent of respondents said they devote more than 60 percent of their income to their cars. The numbers paint a picture of ownership becoming increasingly difficult, even for people driving mainstream models rather than anything exotic.
That squeeze lines up with sticker prices themselves: the average price of a new vehicle reached $50,080 last fall, marking the first time it crossed the $50,000 threshold. That figure gets pulled upward by luxury buyers, but it still shows just how far prices have moved beyond what many households can comfortably afford, leaving even budget-focused shoppers stretched thin.
A Second Job, But for a Different Reason
Faced with those realities, some drivers are reframing the challenge entirely. If a second job is already required just to afford basic transportation, the thinking goes, that same effort could just as easily make a more desirable vehicle attainable instead. Rather than working extra hours to cover an entry-level sedan, some are aiming higher and putting side-hustle income toward performance cars, trucks, or enthusiast-oriented models that land closer to the industry’s average price point.
The Numbers Behind the Trend
According to the survey, 23 percent of drivers have taken on a second source of income specifically to cover car expenses. More than half say they’ve kept their current vehicle longer than originally planned, and only about a third feel confident they could keep up with payments for more than a few months if they lost their primary income. Meanwhile, one in 10 drivers owes more on their car than it’s currently worth.
Driving-related side jobs are emerging as a practical way to close that gap. Based on federal labor data, driver and delivery roles average around $17 an hour, making it possible to offset roughly $16,000 in annual car expenses with fewer than 20 hours of work per week. Other driving gigs — rideshare, food delivery, and light truck work — offer similar or better earning potential depending on location.
Turning a Squeeze Into an Opportunity
The broader trend suggests that while ownership margins are tightening across the board, some drivers are treating second jobs as more than just a financial lifeline — using them instead as a way to finally afford the vehicles they actually wanted in the first place.