This Man Quit His Teaching Job To Deliver Groceries — And He Doubled His Salary

Teaching is a really tough job — and it’s gotten harder in recent years, especially since so many classrooms go without essential materials and more and more U.S. schools have been stripped of resources. Aside from struggling financially, Ed Hennessey from Florida had no issues with his job. In fact, he loved it. However, his side job delivering groceries, which he took to pad out his annual pay, ended up being much more lucrative than he thought.

Hennessey taught at Oviedo High School for two decades. But with two children and his college loans that he was still paying back, his annual salary — which never exceeded $50,000 — was barely paying the bills. “It was a struggle,” he admitted to WESH Channel 2.

According to Thrillist, the average salary elementary, middle, and high school teachers make is around $50,000. In Florida, it’s just over $48,000.

He took on a part-time job as a shopper with Shipt, a grocery delivery service that’s owned by Target Corporation. Founded in 2014, Shipt states that their shoppers can earn $22 an hour or more delivering groceries and other household items.  It makes sense why this appealed to Hennessey, especially since he’d be able to set his own hours.

But then, something crazy happened — he realized he’d make double his teaching salary just working at Shipt. To him, it was likely a blessing and a curse, as teaching was his real passion. You can see him shine in this featured video from 2012.

Per WESH, Hennessey formed somewhat of a fanbase at Shipt based on his professionalism. It’s pretty obvious he makes a big difference regardless of his professional environment.

This story is important for a couple reasons. For one, it highlights the fact that teachers often don’t make the amount they should, especially with the number of classes and students they have to handle. Not to mention how much work you have to do outside of the classroom (lesson prep, grading, student-teacher conferences, etc.). Second, it proves that delivering groceries can be a profitable career, especially if you’re someone whose life requires flexible hours.

If you’re looking into becoming a grocery shopper for some extra $$$, here are some ways to make sure you make the most out of it.