Delivery Driver

As a delivery driver, you’ll pick up items and drive them to the customers who purchased them. You can get paid to deliver many different types of orders, including restaurant meals, groceries, packages, and even medical and construction supplies.

Many delivery drivers use gig apps, such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart, to find work.

Delivery driving is a very accessible side hustle. All you need is a vehicle, a smartphone, and a driver’s license. It isn’t the highest-paying gig out there, but it’s relatively easy and can be done on your own schedule.

Follow these tips to make your time as a delivery driver worthwhile:

Be choosy about deliveries

Get good at telling worthwhile orders from ones that pay too little or will take too much time to complete. Don’t be afraid to be picky about what you accept.

Use more than one delivery app

Many couriers “multi-app”—they use multiple apps at once and accept deliveries from whichever one happens to be paying the most at any given time. This doesn’t violate any of the apps’ policies, and it’s one of the best ways to make this hustle worth it.

Write off your expenses

Look up the tax deductions that you’re allowed to take as a professional driver, which will protect your profits. For instance, the IRS currently allows you to write off $0.67 per mile you drive.

Check your insurance

Make sure your auto insurance policy covers “commercial driving” (delivering for a gig app counts). Not all policies cover this, and it’s important to be adequately covered in case you’re involved in an accident.

Pros

• Flexible schedule: Most delivery apps allow you to work whenever you want.
• Accessibility: Almost anyone can do this side hustle, and you can start working quickly.
• Usually low-stress: The work isn’t too hard, and you can do it while listening to music (or a podcast/audiobook).
• Reliable payments: All major apps will pay you regularly. Same-day payment is usually available.
• Potential for tips: Most apps allow your customers to tip you. If they do, you’ll generally keep 100% of what they give you; the app won’t take a cut.

Cons

• Significant expenses: As a delivery driver, you’ll have to pay for your own gas (no apps will pay your fuel costs for you). You’ll also be responsible for your own taxes.
• Wear and tear: Driving constantly puts a lot of strain on your vehicle. It will need frequent tune-ups, creating yet another expense.
• Saturated market: There are a lot of delivery drivers out there, which can make it hard to land jobs on some apps and depresses prices.
• No growth potential: You can’t really advance as a delivery driver. It can be a good side gig for a while, but it doesn’t make a good career.