You like your job, and the hours and money are good, but maybe you find yourself with time on your hands and a desire to earn a little more money. If you have a car or any sort of vehicle, you’re already halfway toward a part-time career. With a few connections, regular maintenance, and financial calculations (don’t forget, you still need to pay for gas, and more miles means less resale value), your car can bring in the extra funds you need to succeed. To help you get going, here’s a list of suggested side gigs you can start using your car. Generally, all you need is insurance, a clean driving record, and a willingness to work to please your customers.
Food Delivery
Whenever the weekend arrives, millions of people simultaneously decide they’re both hungry and in no mood to get out and do something about it. Multiple food delivery platforms such as DoorDash, GrubHub, Instacart, and others are looking for drivers so they can deliver everything from pizza to Thai food to groceries. Check the want ads online for food delivery and you’re sure to find a local service that needs your delivery and driving skills.
Package Delivery
Obviously, a certain company named after a river in South America is likely the biggest employer of full-time drivers. But they, and other companies, also offer more flexible positions that allow you to select time blocks when you prefer to deliver packages. It’s a little more complicated than that, and again you need to figure out if you’re spending more than you’re making to deliver packages. Regardless, with the ongoing promise for next-day delivery, it seems likely there’ll be plenty of short-term delivery gigs in the near future.
Ridesharing Apps
Admit it. That’s the first thing you thought of when this article mentioned driving for hire. But it’s true. There’s a huge market for rides in your hometown and the surrounding region, and if you keep your car neat and clean and running smoothly, you’re likely to make your fares as well as a few tips on the side. It’s your call about who you choose to pick up or when you feel like driving, so you can slip a few drives in between personal errands and the like.
Be a Hauler
If you’re not considering side gigs you can start using your car—mostly because you own a pickup truck, van, or similar large vehicle that can pack and carry a lot of cargo—there are plenty of opportunities to rent it out for moving days and other transportation gigs. Whether you choose to include lifting and carrying objects to and from the vehicle is up to you, but it’s certainly worth an extra charge, especially if you bring along a friend as well.
