Last night's work was a struggle. There are a couple of entertainment districts that produce rides every weekend. One set of rides get the people to the clubs. Later the same night people need rides home when the bars close. Most of my driving did not involve that. I spent the majority of my night out in the sticks doing food deliveries. Most of this work was low-paying. However, I accepted the gigs so that I could move up a tier for better benefits.
Last night was my first time doing food deliveries. It was easier than I imagined. Although there was this one pizza delivery in which the customer lived in what seemed like a village of mismatched dwellings. Her unit was in a large building converted into apartments with unit numbers haphazardly labeled on the doors. I could not find the door as much as I tried. She would not answer messages or phone calls. So, I found the number closest to her apartment number, took a picture of the food, and then left.
I don't know if my experience is a result of working at night when fares are supposedly higher. Perhaps I should work during business hours and call it a day.
My goal was to make at least $100, which I finally did by 3 AM, including cash tips.
I received a notice that I could also do grocery deliveries, which involves buying groceries with a debit card they will ship to me. I will sign up for the service as I think getting out to walk from time to time would be beneficial, even if it doesn't pay well, which I have yet to find out.
Transitioning from being a salaried worker to a gig worker isn't so difficult, although there are some glaring differences. For example, being salaried, you don't get extra pay for doing extra work. Your pay is the same no matter what. I suppose there is some comfort in that. As a gig worker, however, I think it's more about achieving goals. If I have a goal to earn $135 daily, I can stop working as soon as I reach the goal. If I have more ambitious goals, I could work the maximum amount of hours allowed.
And the biggest advantage of doing rideshare or other gig work is that I can always pause it if a bigger, short-term opportunity comes along. There is precommitment to my time. This comes with a responsibility too. I need to be more deliberate about where I spend my time. If I can choose my work hours, I need to choose what I do with my free time as well. This way I can avoid wasting time on things that don't contribute to my overall wellbeing. I'd have to schedule exercise, family commitments, entertainment, and other personal activities.
I'm still exploring what full-time ridesharing can do for me. I'll be posting my experiences and revelations in this group as I go.
