7 Better Alternatives to Uber and Lyft as a Side Hustle
You have a vehicle. You need to supplement your income.
So, Driving for Uber or Lyft may seem like a no-brainer.
Since Uber’s 2009 launch rideshare driving has become almost synonymous with side hustles and the gig economy.
Lyft self-reports 1.5 million drivers in the U.S.
But is ridesharing all it’s cracked up to be?
Before you sign up, take some time to answer these sobering questions.
How Much Will I Really Be Making?
Uber and Lyft drivers are considered independent contractors, not employees.
So earnings can get a little tricky.
First of all, the companies don’t pay by the hour. They pay per fare.
But technically, as an independent contractor, you’re only getting paid if you’re en-route or already chauffeuring a passenger. The time you spend waiting for a fare or returning to a populated area after you’ve dropped off a passenger doesn’t count.
All the while, you’re racking up mileage and burning gas, another expense that should be subtracted from your earnings.
John Brown, a library tech and former rideshare driver from Louisiana, started picking up on these “invisible expenses” when his bank account balance wasn’t what he expected.
“I did a cost-benefit analysis,” he said.
“The profit only ended up being $10 an hour when we broke down all the other expenses… I didn’t really think of that going in.”
This is consistent with other analysis’ that I have seen of people who include all of the costs including depreciation i.e. wear and tear on your car.
Reports claim that Uber drivers earn between $12 and $16 per hour and about the same for Lyft drivers, but I am a bit skeptical.
Can My Vehicle Handle It?
The first thing you need to determine is if you’re vehicle is eligible for ride sharing.
The biggest one being: Your car, truck or SUV needs to be a 2002 model or newer to drive for Uber and a 2006 model or newer to drive for Lyft.
Your vehicle must be able to fit at least four passengers for both services. It needs to be in good working condition, too.
But just because it’s in good condition at first doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way.
Besides gas, maintenance costs piled up quickly.
“I put almost 30,000 miles on my car,” Brown said.
Those miles cost more than just gas and oil changes. They depreciate your car’s value, too.
“Many drivers decide to pivot away from Uber as a side hustle because it was too much wear and tear on their cars and not profitable enough.
Disclaimer; I believe in transparency and want to disclose this page has links to products that I may earn an affiliate commission for purchases you make. The reader pays nothing.
Some Better Alternatives:
Loan Signing Agent:
In the viedo below, Dylan went from driving for Uber to making $10,000 a month as a loan signing agent.
You can make $75 to $200 in a single signing, and a signing takes about an hour.
Total work time including preparing and driving to the signing is about an hour and a half to two hours when you’re starting out. And a lot less as you become more experienced.
Part time loan signing agents generally do one to three signings per week, – about $300 to $500 dollars extra a week. while full time agents can do 3-8 signings in a day which is about $400 to over $1,000 dollars in a day.
• You can get started with absolutely zero experience. There’s no resume checking prior to a loan signing. You are hired simply based on your location in proximity to the loan signing.
• You can work from home and be your own boss.
• You have the ability to make money almost immediately.
It pays nearly 9X more than driving for Uber.
However, it requires you to take a class and invest time and money.
If you can do that, then you can start making up to $200 per signing.
In the viedo below, Dylan went from driving for Uber to making $10,000 a month as a loan signing agent.
Learn More about the Loan Signing System here.
Take Part in Consumer Surveys:
Survey Junkie: (Great Surveys, Little Time, Great Payout)
You can earn anywhere from $12 – $18 per hour from Survey Junkie!
Survey Junkie has one of the strongest reputations on the web, and they’ve always paid on-time and the right amount. Not only that, but they have excellent customer service if you ever have an issue.
Taking surveys in your spare time can be a great way to earn some extra dough fast. Check out Survey Junkie which will pay you instantly with cash via Paypal. They have over 6,000,000 members and they have an 8.9/10 rating on Trust Pilot.
American Consumer Opinion: Easy to sign up. And they have 6 Million Members.
Reviews of American Consumer Opinion:
- “American Consumer Opinion Panel has been one of the best, and probably THE best, panel that I have worked with in some time…” J.D., Texas –
- “I do surveys for several different companies and, I have to say, American Consumer Opinion ranks at the top as they have a very good site with no junk [that] seems to be well managed.” H.B., Tennessee –
Begin earning at American Consumer Opinion:
Vindale Research $2 Registration Bonus Plus Up to $75 Per Survey
11 Survey Sites that could pay you $750 this month.
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Electric Scooter Charging: A New Side Hustle from Bird Pays $30/ Hour
Mike Wisell, 33, a tattoo artist who lives in Santa Monica, started a new gig a few weeks ago. He charges scooters and he makes pretty good money doing it.
Bird is among a handful of companies that rent out electric scooters to get around big cities. The site uses a team of “chargers” to pick up the scooters when they’re running out of juice, bring them home, charge them and return to a “nest.”
Training was simple:
- sign up, (No affiliate relationship)
- take an online video course,
- receive a set of tools in the mail,
- then get to work.
He even picks his own hours.
“The pay is pretty good if you hustle,” he says.
More info about Scooter charging here.
Referee local youth soccer games
If you’re a soccer fan, you can become a part-time referee and make anywhere from $14-$26 per hour, according to Glassdoor data.
Anyone can sign up to become a trained and certified soccer referee. To start, find your State Referee Association through the U.S. Soccer website and get in contact with them about next season’s registration. The cost, process, and registration deadlines vary depending on your state.
Start your soccer referee journey by officiating local youth games, and work your way up to high school and college games. The more games you work, the more experience you’ll get. This gives you the opportunity to move up a grade, which means more money!
Babysitter
If you love kids, then babysitting on nights and weekends is a good way to beef up your bank account. Depending on where you live and the job in question, you might earn up to $20 an hour watching other people’s children.
Granted, you’ll need to be willing to give up a decent chunk of your personal downtime to hit the $1,000 mark on a monthly basis, but think about it this way: Babysitting often means sitting on somebody else’s couch while children are asleep.
And really, that’s not so hard. Just be aware that some families will want you to become CRP-certified before hiring you. If so, you’ll need to complete a brief course, but a non-expensive one at that.
Sell on Ebay:
This might be the fastest way for most people to generate quick cash. I wrote a post detailing how I made $493 in a few weeks and made money on Ebay.
Details and tips here.
Officiate games as an amateur umpire
Baseball and softball fans can become an umpire for local games by taking advantage of local umpire certification programs.
According to Umpire School HQ, pay starts at around $15-$30 per youth game. This increases to $30-$50 for Babe Ruth leagues, $40-$70 for high school games, and $150 per college game. It’s important to note these numbers vary by location, but this is the general amount an umpire can expect to make.
To get started, become a member of the Amateur Baseball Umpires’ Association (ABUA). You’ll be connected with other local amateur umpires, get information about their local organizations, and learn how to become certified.
The ABUA is a paid membership, with annual fees ranging from $30-$75 depending on which membership type you choose. If you’d rather join a local association, find your state’s organization.
Some states might require you attend an umpire school or clinic. And don’t forget to factor in the cost of official umpire gear; you’ll need special shoes, a chest protector, shin guards, and a mask. If your budget is tight, these costs can add up quickly. Look into making extra money so these costs don’t have to come out of your regular paychecks.
Start a Blog
Forbes: How This 27-Year-Old Made $1 Million Last Year
One never knows what can happen when a blogger finds just the right niche. Take Michelle from the blog Making Sense of Cents. She was recently featured in Forbes magazine and makes over $1M a year from a side blog that became very popular. You never know what a blog could become.
The 7 Rules to a Profitable Blog here.
Focus Group Cash Saved Me.
Learn more Here