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Job Make Day Money Call Person Main Cleaning

Id ESLPod_0159_CN
Episode Id ESLPod 159
Episode Title Moonlighting
Title My Day Job and My Sideline
Text

Many people work at a job to make money, but really love doing something else. The job we do to make money we call our "day job," even if we work at night. This is your main job-the one that allows you pay your rent or "mortgage" (money paid on a home loan) and allows you to eat.

There is a very common expression people say related to day jobs: "Don't quit your day job." We often use this jokingly, to say that the other person doesn't do something very well. For example, if we are all at a friend's birthday party and you start to sing a song "in your friend's honor" (to show respect to your friend) and you don't sing very well, your friends might say to you: "Don't quit your day job!" It's a little "insulting" (rude), but it's meant as a joke.

There are a few terms for things we do "on the side" (not as our main occupation or activity) because we like or love doing them. If it's done mainly or only for pleasure, then we usually call it a "hobby." We don't expect to make money from it, but we enjoy doing it.

"Let's say" (let's take the example) of cleaning. A person might be a little strange and enjoy cleaning as his or her hobby. Obviously, he or she doesn't get paid for cleaning their own house, or even cleaning friends' houses for fun. If, however, this person gets a job as a "janitor" (person who cleans a school, office building, etc.) in addition to his or her day job, that person would be moonlighting. The term "moonlighting" is usually used to mean an additional job you get to make extra money, not to give you enjoyment. We also call this our "second job," although we don't call our main job our "first job."

However, if you are doing something that requires more skill, such as creating comic strips or websites, and you make some money from it or intend to make money from it, than that would probably be called your "sideline." A sideline can be any activity requiring some skill or talent.

Topics Business

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