(Sponsored Content) — Ken Howe doesn't work multiple jobs because he wants to, but because he needs the extra income, ideally earned when he has additional time.  

The Tampa, Florida, resident is one of the thousands of workers across the country who added a freelance job to supplement their primary source of income while taking advantage of the flexible schedule those opportunities offer. 

Howe spends much of each week working at his church and as a contractor with Uber to help ends meet. 

"I mostly drive Thurs[day] and Fri[day]," he told Florida Business Daily.  

A pre-pandemic report titled "Freelancing in America 2019" surveyed 6,000 American workers and found 79% of full-time and 76% of part-time freelance employees added the flexibility of a contract-type job that allowed them to work their preferred schedule. 

For some like Howe, flexibility is beneficial, but the extra income is critical. 

"I work because I need some money, but I don't need a full-time job right now," the Uber worker said. "Although, the taxes I expect and inflation will likely change that (out)look."

Uber reported at the end of 2020 that it paid more than $140 billion to its ride-hailing and delivery personnel, which started in 2019. The $142 billion represents its operations in 71 nations, in 10,000 cities with 16 million daily trips and 101 million active monthly users as of a company report for June 30. 

Howe's chosen path for extra income somewhat represents the continual growth trend by consumers who seek ride-sharing services, like Uber. 

A Pew Research Center survey published in 2019 found the number of individuals using ride-sharing services, such as Uber, more than doubled between 2015 and 2018. The Pew poll also found that more than one-third of Americans used a ride-hailing service like Uber or Lyft.