Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 60% of Americans have found themselves living paycheck-to-paycheck. Whether money’s tight in your household due to pandemic pressures or just the general ebb and flow of personal finances, you might be looking at side gig opportunities to bring in a few extra bucks.
Gig economy jobs aren’t just popular for those that need a bit more money to make it through the month, though. Many people turn to these opportunities as a way to pay for things they don’t otherwise want to budget for. Splurging on designer shoes, fine dining or even a weekend getaway is often made possible by putting in a few hours here and there on side-job sites. And millions of people actually make a full-time income in the gig economy, often by combining more than one opportunity for making money.
Whether you’ve been bringing in the dollars for years with side gigs or you’re just getting interested in how to do so, we think Introducely is a top option for making easy money without putting a lot of time and resources into the effort. Below, we will review some popular options for making money in the gig economy plus pros and cons for each. These include:
- Introducely
- Fiverr
- DoorDash
- Instacart
- Uber & Uber Eats
- Freelance Writing and Editing
- Take Surveys
1. Introducely
When you sign up as an Introducer, you can earn money by connecting people within your network to requestors who want to meet them. It’s really as simple as that!
Pros of Introducely for Making Money
You don’t need specific skills and won’t use any of your own resources. You simply need an internet connection, a computer or mobile device and a network of people you know. Requestors pay a modest fee, but 100% of the money offered goes to you — Introducely doesn’t take a cut of 20% or more.
Cons of Introducely for Making Money
The only real con of Introducely is that it’s currently limited to Introducers in the United States. Otherwise, it’s super easy to get started and you can easily make money without a steep learning curve or a huge time investment.
Find out more about how it works and sign up today to get started.
2. Fiverr
Fiverr is a freelance website that lets you create gigs that others can purchase. Gig prices start at $5 and can go up to the maximum price allowed for the specific type of gig in question. You can also create optional add-ons clients can select, and those increase the price of the gig.
Fiverr is fairly flexible, which means you can sell a wide variety of services via the platform. Some popular options include freelance writing and editing, web or app design, graphic design, art work, film making or editing, voice overs or other audio work. Some people get even more creative, offering psychic readings or horoscopes, personal letter writing or time spent on the phone to listen to a problem.
Pros of Fiverr for Making Money
Fiverr lets you create numerous types of gigs, which means you can come up with exactly what you want to do for a side gig. You set prices and wait for potential clients to come to you, which means you don’t have to spend time constantly bidding on new jobs. That’s preferable for many people looking for side work, because they can’t always be at their desks to place a bid or grab a job before other people swoop in.
Cons of Fiverr for Making Money
Fiverr is fairly complex, though, with a big learning curve. Even experienced freelancers may spend hours creating profiles and gigs and figuring out how best to attract clients. On top of that, Fiverr takes a steep 20% commission out of all payments you receive — including tips from clients who believe you’ve done an excellent job.
3. DoorDash
DoorDash offers the opportunity to make extra cash by delivering food to people. It works a lot like traditional pizza delivery jobs, except you deliver food from a variety of local restaurants.
DoorDash drivers use an app to select assignments. Then they arrive at the requested restaurant and pick up food and/or beverages that were ordered and paid for via the app. The driver then takes the food to the home, office or other location provided by the customer.
Pros of DoorDash for Making Money
All you need is a vehicle, a license and a smartphone to make money with this side gig. You can also make money in any location where DoorDash is available, which means you could sign in and take deliveries when visiting another city. Pay comes weekly or instantly for a small fee, and you can also sign up for DasherDirect to get daily pay and 2% off fuel.
Cons of DoorDash for Making Money
Dashers are responsible for all expenses, including vehicle maintenance and gas. Depending on where you live and how much you’re driving to make deliveries, that can cut significantly into your pay. DoorDash has a complicated payment structure, so every delivery pays out differently. Pay is based on a base rate plus tips and promotions.
DoorDash says drivers keep 100% of tips but the base pay for a delivery can be fairly minimal. According to DoorDash, users across the nation average about $25 per hour when making deliveries. To make any money at all, you also have to live or be in an area where DoorDash is offered.
4. Instacart
Instacart is another delivery driver app, this time for groceries. It works a lot like DoorDash in that consumers order their groceries from a participating store via Instacart. Instacart shoppers can pick up the job for an order in the app and complete it to earn money.
There are two types of Instacart jobs. First is a simple delivery, which means picking up items at a store that have already been gathered and delivering them to the customer. The other is known as a full-service job, which means the shopper goes into the store and actually completes shopping for the customer following a list and instructions in the app.
Pros of Instacart for Making Money
As with many of the other gigs on this list, you work when you want to. You log into the app and can choose to take delivery jobs or not. Instacart also provides a company debit card that has a pre-approved amount on it for every job. You use that to pay for groceries, so you’re not putting any of your own money on the line. Instacart also notes that shoppers keep 100% of any tips customers pay.
Cons of Instacart for Making Money
You’re using your own vehicle, which means maintenance and gas money comes out of your pocket. Instacart earnings can also be complex, as each delivery is priced differently based on how far away the store is from the consumer’s location, how complex the order is and what city you’re in. According to Instacart, outside of California, the minimum base pay is $5 for delivery-only orders and $7 to $10 for full-service shopping orders.
5. Uber & Uber Eats
Uber lets you earn money operating as a sort of independent cab or delivery service. You can choose to drive people or deliver goods. Each does come with its own requirements. To drive people, for example, you need a valid drivers’ license and a satisfactory background check.
Surprisingly, you don’t need a car for either option. In some locations, deliveries can be made via bicycle. And Uber also partners with vendors that rent cars to drivers to help them get started with the gig.
Pros of Uber for Making Money
You set your own schedule and can work anywhere Uber service reaches. You keep 100% of tips offered by consumers, and you may be able to make good use of your time as you drive or wait for fares. Audiobooks and podcasts, for example, can let you enjoy education or entertainment while making money.
Cons of Uber for Making Money
Whether you drive your own car or rent one via Uber partnerships, that’s an expense that can offset your earnings. And Uber earnings are a bit complex. How much you make depends on the base rate for a job, whether there are active promotions, something Uber calls a “trip supplement” and tips. Earnings can be a mixed bag. One driver broke down his week of earnings, which averaged $19 per hour, to help others understand how earnings work.
6. Freelance Writing and Editing
If you’re skilled at the written word, you may be able to earn money writing online. You can drum up your own clients with marketing efforts or sign up with a variety of content mills that crowdsource writing and editing work.
Pros of Freelancing Writing and Editing for Making Money
You don’t need anything but a laptop, an internet connection and strong writing or editing skills to earn money. How much you can earn depends on how fast you are and what quality level you can achieve, and you can typically do the work anytime or anywhere you have access to Wi-Fi.
Cons of Freelance Writing and Editing for Making Money
Not everyone can do this type of work successfully, and you may spend more time marketing yourself than earning money. Content mills, which remove the marketing requirement, tend to take a cut of between 20% and 50% of what the client pays, reducing your earnings potential.
7. Take Surveys
Marketing and survey sites let you sign up for and take surveys that pay a few dollars or more for each. All you need for these gigs is an internet connection and a computer or mobile device.
Pros of Surveys for Making Money
You don’t need any skills, and you can often take the survey while watching TV for easy extra money.
Cons of Surveys for Making Money
To get paid, you usually have to qualify for the survey. You can spend a lot of time completing information only to find out you don’t qualify. There are also several scams, and it can be easy to fall into one of those while seeking legit paid survey options.