Four Side Hustles You Should Tap Into!

From a young age, I was always a hustler looking to make some sort of money. I would run multiple babysitting gigs, beg my mom to let me host garage sales, and more. I have always been someone that has secured multiple streams of income and held multiple jobs especially throughout college. For me the benefits of working multiple jobs were financial, personal, social, and professional. Obviously, the more jobs you have, the more hours you work and the more hours you work, the more money you have. On another level, every job has its own perks and benefits so securing multiple jobs means you will have multiple perks and benefits.

On a personal level, having multiple jobs always made me independent. Something I hate is feeling dependent on someone else to get by. For me jobs have always been the ultimate source to independence. The best part is what you put in is what you get out. On a social level, jobs have always allowed me to expand my network and grow close to my fellow coworkers. A lot of my once “work homies”, I now consider to be friends. On a professional level, each job I have had has allowed me to gain industry insight, learn business acumen, expand my skill set, and introduce me to mentors and professional connections that have a wealth of knowledge.

In the beginning of the year I worked four jobs. I worked as a Campus Tour Guide, an Amazon Prime Student Ambassador, a Marketing Intern at Thread Marketing Group, and a Public Relations Assistant for Falcon Media. Once COVID-19 hit, I went from 4 jobs to one job that was converted to remote work. As a result, my finances took a hit, my personal life, my social life, and my professional life. I went back to the drawing board and brainstormed all the things I could do to maximize my income. After some research, prayer, and reflection I applied for the following gig jobs: Postmates, Grubhub, Instacart, Shipt, and Doordash. While I was approved for all five of these jobs, I only ended up working for Shipt, Doordash, Postmates, and Grub hub. All four of these gig apps became very lucrative and were quick ways for me to make cash.

Each of these apps requires:

1. A submitted application

2. Proof of license

3. Proof of Insurance

4. A photo

5. Clearance for a background check

6. Vehicle Make & Model

After submitting the above items, you have to wait for approval and the companies will then send you a welcome kit and a prepaid debit card to complete purchases. This whole process took approximately 1 week. In all four of these gig jobs, you are considered to be an Independent Contractor meaning no taxes are withheld from your check. You do make a minimum amount per delivery but the majority of your income is based on tips.

Delivery App Reviews:

1. Shipt

Shipt was definitely my favorite job out of all of them because I personally love grocery shopping. It was very fun to shop for someone else's groceries, learn about new types of food, and get paid for it. Due to the pandemic, people tipped very high. My favorite store to shop was Meijer.

2. Doordash

Doordash was much easier than Shipt because you are just delivering food to the customer’s location. Most of the time you don’t even have to pay for the food you just pick it up. Picking up orders and delivering them is much more efficient and can maximize your income. My favorite restaurant to complete orders from was Potbelly.

3. Grubhub

Grubhub was also similar to Doordash except I found I made better tips than Doordash. Essentially, I drove less and was able to maximize my income. My favorite restaurants for orders were: Jersey Mike Subs and Potbelly.

4. Postmates

Postmates is one of the gig apps that gets the worst rep. This is because you don’t know how much you are going to make before you accept the order. I found Postmates to be intriguing and I always provided elite customer service to ensure my payout was equitable. This included constantly talking to the customers and giving them updates. My favorite places to deliver for Postmates were Starbucks and Walgreens. This is because people tended to tip higher on large drink orders and large Walgreens orders.

The best part of the gig economy with these specific apps is the payroll calendar. You are paid weekly but you have the ability to do daily cash outs. Daily cash outs do come with a price (small fee) but it can be very helpful if you need money in a pinch. If you’re looking to make extra money applying for these apps is the move. Being an independent contractor allows you to truly be intrapreneurial. You can make your own money, own schedule, you can keep 100% of your tips, and you get out as much as you put in. Prior to applying, I recommend researching which Gig apps are available where you reside so you know which ones to apply for.

While I only worked these jobs during the Pandemic, I truly benefited financially, personally, socially, and professionally. My financial gains allowed me to pay rent early, pay for my utilities, and pay my groceries. I personally grew from this experience because I was able to touch lives. A lot of the people I delivered to through contactless deliveries were unable to leave their house because they were immunocompromised or at high risk for COVID-19. It was very touching to know that I was helping those who needed it most. I socially grew from these jobs because I was able to meet fellow independent contractors through Facebook Pages like Shipt Shoppers United, Doordash Drivers, Postmates Fleet team. I grew professionally from these jobs because I learned the importance of customer service, being efficient, and how to leverage my communication skills to keep the customer constantly informed.

“Being Broke” is a very toxic mindset to have. There are always ways to make money; it is just a matter of finding those opportunities and taking advantage of them. Hustlers are never complacent; they’re always looking for the next best thing. It is time to invest in yourself, maximize your streams of income, and gain financial independence. If you do apply to be a delivery driver, don’t diminish your worth. You are not a delivery driver; You are a premier sales professional bringing happiness and delicious food to your customers.

Your Hustler,

Lauren

#LaurenCreative #Sidehustles #Hustler #Shipt #Doordash #GrubHub #Postmates