The 9 to 5 life isn’t for everybody, especially for full-time caregivers. Even if that’s all you’ve done in the past, there is no reason to panic when your lifestyle requires more flexible income streams. Here are a few side gigs almost anybody can try out that I’ve tried and reviewed to help anybody with tricky work availability help find the perfect opportunity.
Amazon Flex: Amazon Flex is a delivery service that allows you to choose when and how long your shifts are each day. There is no obligation to work a certain number of shifts or hours per week and you are compensated for your shift as quickly as two days after making deliveries.
Pros: Flex makes scheduling during your free time extremely simple and offers shifts around the clock, which is great for anybody with an unpredictable schedule. Payment really is quick and you can see how much you will earn from a shift before even agreeing to it. This side gig earned me the most income quickly. The Amazon Flex app is user friendly and can be found easily in the App Store or Play Store.
Cons: Gas prices! This is my biggest complaint with Amazon Flex. Even as gas prices have gone up over the last year, Amazon Flex pay rates have remained the same. Amazon Flex does not compensate for gas rates and they are not liable for any wear and tear on your car while you are delivering. Additionally, deliveries can take you anywhere within an hour radius of your pickup location, and for me many times that meant places with no cell phone reception, making the app completely useless. This may not be an issue in your area depending on coverage!
Wag! and Rover dog walking service: These apps allow you to register as a dog walker or dog sitter in your area and find clients looking for the services you provide. The apps are similar, but range in popularity in any given area so it’s best to check what the dog owners in your area are using before signing up!
Pros: As a dog walker or sitter you choose when you are available and accept or decline appointments according to your schedule. The apps are user friendly, but be prepared to wait a few days before getting started to complete registration, training, and a background check. You have the option to set your own rates based off of your experience level and abilities, and you can choose which services you’d like to provide. Lastly…Dogs! Who doesn’t want to spend their free time walking pups around the park?!
Cons: The only con I have encountered with Wag! and Rover is finding clients close by in my area. When I lived in a big city, dog walking apps were extremely popular and it was easy to find clients. These days, they seem to be few and far between. It’s always best to check with any dog owners in your neighborhood to see how they find their dog sitters and walkers first!
Amazon MTurk: Amazon MTurk is an online Amazon service that matches businesses with individuals who are able to help with various miscellaneous tasks such as data entry, AI learning assistance, identifying things in videos, and more.
Pros: MTurk is a great little gig to fill your free time. It offers a wide range of tasks to complete, so there is something for almost everybody, plus you can work from anywhere with wifi. Tasks range in length and you can sign up for them as your schedule allows. There are no requirements for how many tasks or hours per week you must complete.
Cons: The biggest con I have run into so far is the registration process. It takes forever! Firstly, you can only register when Amazon has a need for new MTurk employees. For me, I waited almost a week for an invitation to register. Once you’ve registered Amazon needs to verify your identity, which can take weeks in some cases. The entire registration process can take three weeks or more. Another Amazon MTurk con is the pay. Tasks, because they are simple or short, usually pay anywhere from $6 up to $11, making this truly a side gig.
Etsy: Etsy is a website for small businesses to sell their goods and customers to browse thousands of shops all on one site. It’s a great place to start a small business when you don’t have the option to open a brick and mortar store just yet. Vendors sell both physical goods that are shipped through the postal service and digital goods (invitations, posters) that can be emailed and printed right at home. Here you’ll find lots of one of a kind products and a wide variety of shops.
Pros: Being an Etsy vendor is easy! The website is extremely user friendly and the app (Sell on Etsy) makes it simple to edit your shop right from your cellphone. Etsy allows you to tag your products with buzzwords that customers search for to find your products. Etsy’s seller fees are very low, charging less than a dollar to list a product.
Cons: Etsy does not advertise your products for you, so it’s up to you to get the word out. When starting a new small business, paying for ads is usually out of the question which means investing long hours into pushing your products. This has been the most difficult part of the Etsy experience for me- It took me a whole month to make my first sale. Additionally, Etsy charges a very small monthly fee to shop owners and even if you aren’t making sales you’ll still be charged.
These are all the side gigs I’ve tried so far, but there are so many more to consider such as ride share services, food delivery services, and freelancing. If you didn’t find what you’re looking for in this post or you need something you can do from home, take a look at realwaystoearnmoneyonline.com (Yes, that’s actually what the website is called!) for more ideas. The website even lists opportunities that don’t require talking on the phone.
If you have a side gig you enjoy and want to add to this conversation, please email me at themillennialcaregiver@gmail.com!
The Millennial Caregiver 