What is Gig Work?

The term “gig work” really hasn’t been around all that long. Now that it’s here though, it seems like there is gig work everywhere. There are opportunities to drive, do handyman work, be a virtual assistant, edit copy, and hundreds more.

Basically gig work is “work on demand.” Find work that fits your skillset and go do it. For example, if you are a skilled editor, you can get paid to edit a company’s blog, an author’s book, website content, and much more.

Or if you enjoy driving and meeting new people, you can drive multiple hours during the day for a company like Uber or Lyft or just pick up shifts now and then.

Advantages of Gig Work

There are many advantages of gig work that make it appealing. There are probably dozens of advantages, but for this introductory post, I’ll just name a few.

• Flexibility-work when you want to
• Pick and choose jobs you’re good at
• Oftentimes able to work from home or while traveling
• Be your own boss

Disadvantages of Gig Work

Much like anything in life-there are pros and cons, and tradeoffs. As many advantages as there are in gig work, there are also disadvantages. To name a few:

• Work is not guaranteed
• Lack of structure
• Can be isolating
• Benefits may be non-existent or not as good as a traditional W2 job

Is Gig Work for Me?

Gig work may or may not be for you. It may sound great to be your own boss and make your own schedule, but not everyone likes that kind of flexibility. For some, flexibility oftentimes can turn into a lack of structure.

One of my reasons for writing this post was to list multiple opportunities for gig work and let you decide if any of this work is appealing to you. If it is, research more into it and talk to some people involved in that type of work.

Types of Gig Work  

This will be by far the most robust section of the post. Multiple gig work opportunities will be listed all the way from editing documents to renting out your RV.

See if anything piques your interest. Reach out to me for more info or research more on your own.

Category One: Ridesharing and Transportation  

Ridesharing services offer a wide range of flexibility and opportunity. Work every day or just pick up a couple hours now and then. Stick around the airport during the day, work near bars and restaurants in the evenings, or focus on special events. There are options for everyone, including opportunities to be very busy and make good money.

Number 1: Uber

Uber is arguably the most well-known ride-sharing services. They offer brand-name recognition and connect you to riders via their app. Uber offers the flexibility of working full time or around your schedule.

Much like with other ridesharing services, the best money can be made during surge pricing when it’s really busy. Special events and busy times at airports are a great time for this.

Number 2: Lyft

Much like Uber, Lyft is also a highly recognized ride-sharing service. I often see drivers with both Uber and Lyft signs on their vehicles. Many of the drivers I’ve talked to say they keep both apps on and take the first ride that comes in.

Make money part time, on the weekends, or as a full time driver. Tremendous flexibility and ability to make your own schedule are featured selling points of Lyft.

Number 3: Other Ridesharing Services

Although Uber and Lyft are the most well-known ride-sharing services, there are other options. A Google search of “ride-sharing apps” will turn up multiple results such as Via and Curb.

I’ve also seen traditional taxi cabs who also have ride-sharing signs up. That provides them the option to pick up on demand or utilize the ride-sharing app, whatever becomes available first.

Category Two: Rent-Based  

Being a real estate investor, this is a really fun category. Rent-based opportunities that can be labor intensive in the beginning, but become more passive as the business is built up.

This is a very broad category that includes short-term rentals, renting your car out, and even renting out storage space in your yard. Creativity is key here.

As with anything in life, renting out your property and space comes with risk. Research the companies listed below and speak with your attorney about legal risks and potential pitfalls.

Numer 4: Airbnb

We’ll start with the most well known first: Airbnb. One of the first short-term rental sites, Airbnb offers tremendous opportunity to make good money. Airbnb offers several options, these are just some of them:

• Rent out your entire house for the weekend when you’re out of town
• Rent out rooms by the night while you live there
• Buy a house in a tourist spot and rent it on Airbnb
• Rent out your house by the week when you go on an extended trip

The sky is the limit with Airbnb. Some people have even purchased land and rented out campsites, significantly cutting down on their overhead costs.

Number 5: Vrbo

Like Airbnb, Vrbo is one of the better known short-term rental sites. Many hosts also utilize both sites to increase the exposure of their rental.

Create an experience for your guest like a tree-house rental or just rent out your personal residence for the weekend. There are multiple options using this platform as well.

Number 6: Turo

I’ve always considered cars to be a liability in the sense that they cost a lot of money to own and depreciate in value. A car purchased last year is usually going to be worth much less than when you first bought it. And a car purchased five years ago is going to be worth considerably less now than when first purchased.

Apps like Turo have changed my paradigm. Cars can actually be turned into an asset by renting it out on the app. Depending on your location, cars can rent for a hundred dollars or more per day. Rent your car out multiple days per month and the car is probably going to make you good money.

Since cars have an engine and people drive them at high speeds, renting your car out comes with more risk. Do more research on how much your car will rent for per day and assess the risk. You might find it can be highly profitable.

Number 7: Get Around

 Getaround is another car sharing service where you can list your car on their app and make money renting your car. Getaround offers several features. some of them listed here (taken directly from their website):

• Predictive pricing algorithm
• Insurance
• Contactless tracing
• Driver safety screenings

Number 8: Neighbor

 Have a large property or unused portions of your house or yard? You can actually make money storing other people’s things on Neighbor. On their website, Neighbor lists multiple items that can be stored including, but not limited to:

• Self storage
• Cars
• RV’s
• Boats

Doing a quick search of the area I live in, I found several storage options. To name a few, I found: a large storage shed, a driveway, and an entire garage ranging between $100-$250 per month. You can even offer introductory pricing and then charge more for a longer stay.

Number 9: Boatsetter

 Growing up, I remember family members telling me that boats are a huge money pit. I found that out first hand in my 20’s when a friend and I attempted to fix and flip a couple boats.

To clarify, my friend did all the fixing and I supported him by handing him the beverage of his choice. To my credit, I also cleaned the boat, much less skilled labor than actually fixing the boat.

We succeeded on the first boat but the second boat was an endless money pit that we ended up losing money on. Not a lot of money but it was a good lesson in trying to break into the fix and flip business.

Anyways, on to Boatsetter, a website where you can list your boat and make money on it. On their site, they have many different kinds of boats for rent:

• Fishing boats
• Yachts
• Pontoon boats

Also listed are suggested occasions to use the boats such as bachelor and bachelorette parties. There are also boats for water sports, and of course party boats.

Number 10: Outdoorsy

Have an RV that you only use a few times a year? Try listing it on Outdoorsy. Some hosts have reported making in excess of $50,000 for the year. During the pandemic especially, RV’s have met the needs of travelers who want to move about the country but don’t want to stay in hotels.

There are many reasons for people wanting to rent an RV, including:

• They don’t have to buy their own RV and worry about maintaining and storing it
• Opportunity to travel the country without having to stay in hotels or short-term rentals
• Provides travelers the ability to unpack and live in the RV for an extended period of time
• Easier to travel with pets

Number 11: RVshare

 Another option for renting out your RV is a site called RVshare. This site allows you to rent out your RV, fifth wheel, trailer, and more. A nice feature on the website is their projected income drop down option.

On the bottom of the page, find the drop down menu titled “You Can Earn Money Renting Your RV.” From there, select the type of RV you’re wanting to rent out and you’ll get a menu that reads “Earn up to $ (amount will change based on RV type) per year.” Currently listed on their drop down as of 10/22/2021:

• Travel trailer: $22,000 per year
• Class A motor home: $60,000 per year
• Class C motor home: $38,000 per year
• Fifth wheel: $22,000 per year
• Class B camping van: $30,000 per year
• Pop-up camper: $22,000 per year
• Toy hauler: $22,000 per year

Category Three: Child Care and Pet Care 

Love kids and/or pets? There’s lots of opportunity in both of these areas. Jobs may entail a half hour a day as in the case with dog walking, or more regular work such as childcare when parents are away at work.

Number 12: Care.com

Care.com offers a variety of services including childcare and pet care. There are also opportunities to work in senior care, tutoring, housekeeping, and daycare. Pick the opportunities that best suit your skills and begin applying for those positions.

Number 13: Sittercity

Sittercity is another online forum to find work in the childcare industry. Create an account and begin looking for posted jobs. Sittercity doesn’t have all the job options that Care.com has but they have plenty of childcare opportunities.

The site is user friendly and has been featured in various media outlets including the New York Times, Forbes, Good Morning America, and others.

 Number 14: Rover

When it comes to pets, Rover has it all. They have the following opportunities:

• Pet sitting in your own home
• Pet sitting at the pets home
• Dog walking
• Drop-ins
• Doggy day care

Create a profile, find what fits your schedule, and start getting booked for jobs. Much like with other jobs in the gig economy, most of the jobs listed don’t require a full time commitment.

For example, someone can easily pet sit after work. Take the dog out when you get home, go for a walk, feed the dog, then wake up and repeat the process. Easy without much time commitment.

Some pet owners may want you to spend more or less time with their pet­—create your schedule and work with pet owners on something that works for both of you.

Number 15: Wag!

Wag! offers a forum to walk dogs, pet sit, and even train dogs. If you love dogs and have some skill in working with them, Wag! has plenty of opportunities.

As of this writing, Wag! states on their website that they have over 351,000 pet caregivers nationwide. Much like with Rover and other pet sites, Wag! provides a flexible work schedule and varied hours.

Category Four: Grocery and Food Delivery

One of the more well-known categories—food and grocery delivery. Flexible scheduling and multiple opportunities for work are some of the highlighted features of this category.

Number 16: Doordash

Doordash is one of the most well-known food delivery services. Doordash is available in over 4,000 cities and provides plenty of opportunity for work. You can deliver food in your own city or even deliver while away from home. If you live in Los Angeles and want to visit Phoenix for a month, you can work while you’re visiting.

Doordash also offers some of the same advantages of other areas of the gig economy offering flexible hours and the ability to make your own schedule. As soon as you’re accepted as a delivery driver, you can start taking deliveries.

A nice feature of the site is that you’re told how much you’ll make per delivery before you accept the job. That allows you to be more selective on what you take and don’t take.

Number 17: Uber Eats

Uber Eats offers the opportunity to deliver food by car, scooter, bike, or foot. Whether you live in a big city or in the suburbs, there is opportunity to make money. On their website, Uber Eats states that they have partnerships with more than 500,000 restaurants and is available in more than 6,000 cities.

I was especially impressed with their website FAQ. There are detailed responses to frequently asked questions and the application process looks straightforward.

Number 18: Grubhub

 Another well-known food delivery service is Grubhub. To sign up with Grubhub, you’ll need a car or bike, a valid driver’s license or state ID, and a smartphone.

Apply and start delivering orders. Make your own hours around your schedule. Some people elect to deliver full time, others elect to deliver for Grubhub as a side hustle. Either way works as the hours are flexible.

Grubhub also has a feature on their site called “Instant Cash Out”, allowing workers to be paid as soon as the order is completed.

Number 19: Instacart

Similar to Grubhub, Instacart provides the opportunity for grocery delivery on a flexible schedule. According to their website, Instacart is the largest online grocery service and has:

• 500 million products available across stores
• 40,000 stores they provide services to
• Serve 5,500+ cities
• Millions of orders picked up or delivered yearly

With Instacart, make money as a full-service shopper or in-store shopper. They also operate in all 50 states, providing opportunity to multiple geographic regions of the country.

Number 20: Shipt

Shipt offers grocery deliver like some of the other delivery services, as well as delivery services for pet items, electronics, household essentials, alcohol, and more. On their website, Shipt offers the opportunity to average $22 per hour while working your own hours and getting paid weekly.

Check out their website for more info on applying, requirements, and becoming a delivery person.

Category Five: Specific Skills

 The last, and broadest category. This category focuses on those who offer specific skills they bring to the marketplace. Jobs are a wide range— handyperson work, graphic designer, mechanic, writer, and much more. The opportunities are plentiful here.

Number 21: Tutor.com

 If you have specific knowledge in a subject and enjoy working with students, tutoring is a great option. One of the really great things about tutoring is that there are options to do it online.

Tutor.com provides a forum to apply and begin working with students. Make your own schedule and work when you want to work are just some of the benefits. Options to tutor part time and full time. Link to video and application.

Number 22: Varsity Tutors

Varsity Tutors provides a similar forum to Tutors.com. There are opportunities to tutor in various subjects including math, English, foreign languages, history, etc. Multiple grade levels are available, especially high school age students.

There are also opportunities to tutor test prep and certifications for adults. Examples include opportunities to tutor students for their real estate exams, bar exam, Series 7, and more. Link to information and application.

Number 23: TaskRabbit

 One of the more popular sites for handyperson work and other tasks, TaskRabbit provides a forum so people can begin hiring you through the app today. TaskRabbit is in multiple cities and states throughout the country. They even have international locations.

Looking on their website as I write this post, there are task opportunities such as putting together furniture, fixing a leaky toilet, planting flowers, and much more. Prices range depending on skill level and task difficulty. Follow link to learn more and sign up.

Number 24: Handy.com

Similar to TaskRabbit, Handy.com connects independent service professionals with customers in different kinds of work such as miscellaneous household jobs, lawn care, and cleaning. Miscellaneous household jobs include work such as:

• Furniture assembly
• Plumbing
• TV mounting
• Hanging items on walls
• Much more

There are also opportunities to provide services for larger scale projects like bathroom and kitchen remodeling, and floor installation. Link to sign up.

Number 25: Bellhop

Working a full time job and want to make extra money on the weekends or evenings? Or want a job where you can set your own schedule and get away from office work? Bellhop offers different types of moving services including, but not limited to:

• Local and long distance moving
• Packing supplies
• Apartment moving
• Office moving

Bellhop provides flexible work hours, ability to set your own schedule, and earn competitive wages. Follow link to get started.

Number 26: HelloTech

HelloTech provides a myriad of technological services including, but not limited to:

• New computer setup
• Computer hard drive reset
• Printer help
• Audio and video services
• TV mounting

Only accept jobs you want to work and set your own schedule. They also pay twice a week, which means you get paid relatively quickly after working a job. Link to apply.

Number 27: YourMechanic

YourMechanic provides mobile mechanic services. Over 500 car repair services at your home or office are offered on their site, including:

• Brake pads replacement
• Pre-purchase car inspection
• Starter replacement
• Change oil and filter
• And much more

If you’re a skilled mechanic and want a flexible schedule where you can work weekends and/or evenings and set your own hours, this might be a great opportunity. They also offer highly competitive pay and the ability to work only when you set your availability. Link to more information and application.

Number 28: Fiverr

 If you’ve got a skill, there’s probably an opportunity on Fiverr. There are literally hundreds of opportunities to post your skill(s) on Fiverr, with more being added all the time.

Here are just a few of the opportunities currently listed on Fiverr:

• Logo design
• Game art
• Website design
• Social media marketing
• Proofreading & editing

This page offers an overview of how to get started, a very simple and easy to follow process. As soon as you complete this short process, others will be able to see the services you provide and hire you.

Similar to most sites in the gig economy, Fiverr uses a rating system where the buyers of your services have the opportunity to rate you. Buyers can also leave you a tip for exceptional service.

Number 29: Upwork

Like Fiverr, Upwork offers tremendous opportunity to create a profile, list your skills, and begin working almost immediately.

Hundreds of skills are posted on the site in a variety of areas. Just some of the opportunities listed:

• SEO
• Email marketing
• Bookkeeping
• Ghostwriting
• Contract law

To create your profile and see how it works, follow this link.

Conclusion: Abundant Opportunities

There are endless opportunities to make money doing gig work. If you have a skill, chances are there’s an opportunity. And if there’s not an existing opportunity, create one.

There are five major categories covered in this post:

1. Ridesharing and Transportation
2. Rent-Based
3. Child Care and Pet Care
4. Grocery and Food Delivery
5. Specific Skills

This post is just an introduction. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of gig work opportunities—with more being created every day. Focus on one skill to offer your services in or mix and match multiple skills.

Or post a few different skills, try them out, and narrow it down to what you’re best at. There is no right or wrong answer, just opportunity.

Have you worked in the gig economy?