In the first blog, we covered online hustles selling products online via e-commerce websites and apps. Today we go over the art of hustling physically via apps. When I say physically I mean actual work in the field whether it be driving, delivering, and more. So many ways to get work in the app realm these days however many we end up covering it’s only scraping the surface. Mainly be covering ones I’ve used myself or ones that friends that have used in the past or currently. So let’s get to it…
FOR MY CALIFORNIA READERS - Since I got your attention please Vote NO on Prop 22. These side jobs have increasingly become the fabric of the work industry as side and main jobs. And regulation is definitely needed. These companies poured over $180 million dollars into a YES vote so that they can get away with whatever they want. They need to go back to the drawing board and make something more fair. We don't want false promises.
Postmates, UberEats, Grubhub, Chownow, Doordash, and more - Postmates was actually my first App side hustle a friend of mine wasn’t working for a while so she started doing it and on her way to work I asked what she was doing and she told me about it. I had already heard about it before but never actually pulled the trigger but when she told me she was making $20+ an hour I was like what sign me up. So the same day I signed up and got my credit card and bag in the mail in a few days and it was off to the races. I did my first order coming back from LA just figured I would try it on a whim and wow I screwed up big time lol. But ended up getting it done and did two more on the way back. Made like $20 in the whole process may have taken me like 90 minutes but it was time I would have been stuck in traffic anyway. All these apps are pretty similar you open the app, it scans your location and gives you offers on delivering food from a variety of restaurants and stores. There are definitely ways to get the most out of it so surfing online groups on Facebook, Reddit, and also Youtube videos will definitely give you a lot of pointers. I don’t do Postmates much anymore since they cut the wage by like 25% but once in a while I will log on and do a few if there’s a bonus. I know a few people that do the others and they do pretty well at them so you never know what’s best for you and your scenario until you try. All the other apps I haven't tried but they are all very similar. Some may be more busier then others it all depends on the areas you live.
If you try Postmates in the San Diego area using the code FL-5RGJ you will make $1500 on your first 125 orders in your first 30 days(just so you know I’ve done 20-25 orders in one day) so realistically you can try this out for a week and get the $1500. And even better it doesn’t include the tips you would make on the 125 orders which would probably be another $300 or so. If you aren’t in San Diego I would ask someone in your area before you sign up as the signing bonus is good for you($1500 guaranteed for the 125) and the person giving you the code($300). FYI without the code, a typical PM delivery is about $5-6 so that’s well under the guarantee.
Screen shot of Postmates - map of area, job offer and order. Once you deliver you get the pay. In each area there are certain $ for wait time, miles driven and pick up and drop off. Something like this would probably pay $3.50 + tip.
Shipt and Instacart - Shipt is a grocery delivery service owned by Target and is nationwide. Very similar to the way the first batch of apps works. The app scans where you are and shoots you offers to shop and deliver($6-40+ per order + tips). Once you accept one you go to the store to shop for the items and check out and pay for the items with a prepaid credit card or get audited by customer service. Its pretty cut and dry. I found out about Shipt randomly googling online for app-based delivery work since I was doing decent at Postmates and figured there had to be others. Other than shopping at Target you also have other places like Albertsons, Ralph’s, CVS, Smart and Final, and a few others. Quick and communicative is the name of the game. Basically, you’re someone’s personal shopper for the items they order so you have to go out and find them. If they aren’t available you have to give alternatives etc. There’s also delivery only options where you just pick up and drop off with CVS, Bevmo, and others. For CVS you have to take a Pharmacy course which takes about 15 minutes and with Bevmo an alcohol course which is about the same. Delivery only orders are super easy and you can do multiples fairly easy. Shipt just recently revamped there pay which kind of made the pay a little less but you can make it up by working harder. I try and get at least 3 hours a day with some days if I have the time going longer up to 8-10 hours. During the peak of the pandemic, it was crazy and I was literally working 10 hour days. I try and make $20/hr. at least but usually average more along the lines of $25/hr. Consistency is key and a nice wave will make up the slower times. Instacart is basically the same thing there are some people that think one is better than the other. Me personally I’ve only done Shipt a friend does Instacart and he’s more versed in that one so it's about the same. Personally I've done part time which is where I'm at with it now and make $400-700 a week fairly easy with 15-25 hours put in. And have worked full time which can easily put you over $1000+ a week. Another tidbit it was deemed an essential job through the pandemic so when no one was able to work this was still going and was probably 2-3X more busy than usual.
If you want to try Instacart and live in the San Diego area use the code CWISMS671EB if you do 90 shops in one month I’d get a bonus. If you don’t live in San Diego I’d try and find someone that does work Instacart so they could get a bonus as well. Maybe even work out a deal to get some of it lol.
ROADIE - Roadie is on the way delivery service. So basically if you know you’re going in a certain direction there’s a slight chance someone may have something you can take with you to offset the gas. Here in San Diego main jobs would include airline luggage(pre-pandemic this was booming), Home Depot, Bundtcake, Tire companies, and more. The app shows work available and you bid on the work. 5 or so minutes later you can see if you got the job or not to which if you did you would have to get on your way shortly. For longer haul deliveries(they have some even as far as nationwide) the process is a little longer. This app has been a little slower since it was hit by the pandemic but when things bounce back or sooner keep an eye out on it. I know there was a period where just with luggage delivery from the airport making $150-250 in a day was pretty average.
Screen shots of Roadie - Offer of delivery and Map of delivery and more info.
AMAZON FLEX - Amazon Flex is something I got put onto by a fellow bboy. Basically, Amazon does deliveries in blocks. Once accepted to the platform you will have access to the app which has offers averaging around $54-69 some will be more some will be less. The more urgent the deliveries the more the price will go up until someone grabs it. Once you get the job you go to the facility that’s listed check-in and will be prompted to check in your items to your app. There’s a small learning curve that you’ll have to learn mainly on your own with little help. It’s pretty easy though. Then once you load all your delivery items into your car it’s off to the races. The app will prompt you to each address one by one til you are all finished. Most jobs will take anywhere from 2-4 hours. And if you finish early you can go back to the app and see if anything else is available. The thing I like about Amazon Flex is once you start it fills up your time with no wait just deliver away. I’ve only done this twice during the pandemic and I stopped because of that reason. The warehouse was filled up to the brim with workers and things were just way too hectic. Also, I got Shipt down pat so the only reason to do Amazon is for guaranteed work for 2-4 hour blocks. Once things return back to normal I’ll probably do Amazon Flex from time to time. During pandemic though it gives me anxiety lol.
Screen shots of Amazon Flex - Offers, Offer Info and last is Payment breakdown.
These are all apps that I have personally use and/or still use now. There are more such as Uber/Lyft(ride share/personal taxi), Task Rabbit(handyman services + more), Luxe(mobile valet service), Fiverr, Upwork, VIPKID(teaching kids in China english via internet), ROVER(dog walking), UrbanSitter(baby sitting), and more. Honestly for any work you may or may not know how to do there is probably an app for it now and a way to make legit money from it. That's the thing about 2020 we're in the age of innovation and disruption so you'll see a lot of apps come and go. Some may even pay over the going rate to show potential investors to raise capital. So usually the earlier stages of an app is where you can make the most money. Cause once the services are starting to get going they will scale the pay to increase revenue. That's why this type of work will probably never be my main source of income but is great in the realm of SIDE HUSTLES!
Hope this serves you well and good luck. We still have more in the clip though so stay tuned for part 3 coming soon.... if you find this information useful share it with someone you know.
peace
CROS1
