1 in 5 Americans Plans on Finding a Second Job for the Holidays

With December's holidays right around the corner, many Americans' minds are on shopping. A new poll finds, however, that a significant number of them will be taking on second jobs to help with holiday purchases because of the tough economy.

More than a fifth of adults -- 21 percent -- said they plan to get a second job to help with holiday spending this year, according to an online survey by Harris Interactive. Twelve percent of respondents said they already had secondary employment.

Additional findings of the survey of nearly 2,500 adults showed that 45 percent of them will have difficulty affording gifts this year. Two-thirds of respondents said they will have more difficulty affording any expense related to the holidays this year, compared to last year.

Despite the need for additional employment and the welcome income it provides, many job seekers may find it difficult to land a seasonal job since many retailers are maintaining hiring at last year's levels. Some of the largest retailers, such as Toys R Us and Best Buy, are scaling back their hiring plans for the holiday season.

In announcing its annual forecast for holiday hiring, employment-services firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas last month said that most retailers have little incentive to add more workers than they did a year ago.