If you deliver for Doordash, Uber/Uber Eats, Grubhub etc.. there are ways to maximize your hourly earnings as well as minimize your expenses that I’ll go over.
First, Taxes
Everlance: (App is not free but it is tax deductible) https://link.everlance.com/hCCJLfnHRib
This is the most important thing to ensure you are preparing for. Get a mileage tracking app for your phone, I use Everlance which let’s you easily swipe trips left/right to label it for business or personal. Why is this so important? Because you get 56 cents per mile tax deduction which will negate the majority of your tax owed.(This only applies if the app you use doesn’t reimburse you for mileage, such as Doordash or Instacart.)
Multiple Delivery Apps
If you are only using Doordash or Instacart by themselves you are not optimizing your hourly potential. I run Doordash, Uber Eats and Instacart simultaneously by simply pausing doordash if I’m doing another delivery, unpausing when I arrive to delivery or sooner depending. If pickups are at the same place, you can grab both if you have enough time to get both delivered before they’re late.
For delivery only orders I generally follow the $2 per mile rule for orders over 5 miles, $1.5 per mile for under 5 miles. Obviously you’ll need to take some under that but it’s a good target to aim for and I never do under $1 per mile. Also be wary of Walmart pickup orders or restaurants with long wait times. Time is Money Friend!
Other Apps
Getupside:
Note: At the moment this is only available on the East Coast and Texas.
Use my promo code MADDIE7358 to get an extra 15¢/gal bonus on your first purchase. https://upside.app.link/zYeSbdjCRib
This will give you a small amount back on gas you buy, which adds up in this line of work. It doesn’t cover all stations but pays between 1-25 cents per gallon. Combine this with using a consistent gas station brand and get their rewards card to get more back on all that gas you buy.
Cashwalk: Android Only
Cashwalk gives you coins for the steps it counts on your phone, which you can redeem for gift cards, it isn’t a huge amount but if you do Instacart those steps shopping a grocery store add up to about a $5 gift card every 2 weeks.
Fetch Rewards & Receipt Hog
https://fetchrewards.onelink.me/vvv3/referraltext?code=M4X86
http://app.receipt-hog.com/r/rew82313
Fetch and Receipt Hog function nearly the same and you can use both! You just take pictures of any receipts to the app and redeem points towards gift cards.
Streetbees:
My referral code 31532QL http://onelink.to/streetbees
Streetbees is one of the only survey apps I use. It pays straight to Paypal and offers shopping related missions to take pictures of products or receipts for purchases and answer a few questions which you can do while shopping instacart. It offers some that pay just for taking pictures of drinks or what you’re eating now and also ranges to other shopping beyond food as well.