Ricardo Gonçalves, a Physical Education graduate, works two jobs and sometimes works 13 hours a day to achieve the financial stability needed to buy a car and a property. On a typical day, he teaches at a gym between 9:30am and 1pm, and then travels to a security shift that can run from 3:30pm to 11:30pm, depending on rotating schedules.
The accumulation of work arose as a response to the lack of opportunities in the education sector and the uncertainty associated with receipts. Ricardo tried to buy a car while working only as a gym instructor, but faced doubts about his financial capacity as an independent client, which led him to seek employment with a contract that would guarantee him regular income.
The security contract brought him predictability in payments and the ability to present stable earnings, allowing him to have assets in his name and reduce dependence on others. Ricardo says this change gave him "stability" and opened the way to move forward with projects such as buying a car and a house, goals he did not feel assured about when living only from receipts.
The 13-hour daily routine leaves little room for leisure and rest, which Ricardo says he can consequently only enjoy during holidays. According to RTP, the number of people in Portugal holding two or more jobs reached a record high in 2025.
