Driving is a great way to make a living. You are, for the most part, your own boss. You can earn a reasonable amount of money in short periods of time. And the work can be fun and engaging, especially if you like people and enjoy being of service to others.
There are downsides to driving, though. What if your car’s in the shop, or you can’t drive until you resolve a deactivation dispute, or you have a minor injury that puts you out of commission?
Another downside to driving is that it can be seasonal. When people go out on the town, need to get to and from their work, or travel through airports, train stations, and hotels, business is great. But what happens when business isn’t so great? Putting all your earning eggs into the single basket of driving for rideshare and/or delivery isn’t all that wise.
It’s a proven fact that creating multiple streams of income is a smart financial move. So, we’re offering some ideas for developing a life that lets you continue driving, but doesn’t leave you without any cash flow when driver incentives fizzle and surge prices are nowhere to be found.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Multiple streams of income: things to consider
- Three side gigs that can help you stash cash
- The best side gig for drivers
Multiple streams of income: Things to consider
Creating more than one way to make money is a smart move for drivers. Not only could you find yourself falling short when business is bad; you could simply get sick of the driving grind. Schedule changes, family obligations, or just the need to crank out more money to pay for unexpected expenses are other good reasons for developing side gigs that keep you out of the car and still earning money.
Once you decide this is something you want to do, you’ll have to choose jobs that help you make money fast, and are easy or interesting enough to make you want to do them. Here are some points you’ll want to think about:
- Use your skills. Rather than having to take extensive training, choose something that you already are well qualified to do.
- Convert crafting and tinkering to cash. Take a hobby, from making whimsical picture frames to playing music or detailing cars, and get it to make money for you.
- Keep it basic. Choose a side hustle that doesn’t take a tremendous amount of effort or marketing to do. This is probably the most important element you’ll want from that extra stream of income you’re creating.
Three kinds of side gigs that can help you stash cash
“Second career” gigs. There’s an enormous number of online, work-from-home type opportunities for people with skills these days. Consider bookkeeping, being a virtual assistant, translating, or transcribing. Or, you could teach English, write for blogs, develop websites, or venture into social media marketing. The benefit of these gigs is the high-income potential – but remember, you have to be fully qualified to do any of them. If you have to take an expensive training course, this tier of side gigs might require a hefty upfront investment.
“Roll up your sleeves” gigs. These jobs require your willingness to use your hands, your strength, and/or your artistic talents. Some examples include performing odd jobs, pet sitting, moving, cleaning, house painting, car detailing, or even child care. The plus side here is that you might already have the equipment you need, especially if you have a hobby that’s similar to the work you’d be doing. The potential downside is the physical energy you’ll need to do any of these kinds of jobs. If you’re doing this and driving, you might run out of energy faster than you thought possible.
“Sit back and watch the money flow” gigs. This kind of work is good for people with varying credentials who don’t want to exert much physical effort. You could, for instance, be an affiliate for a company. All that’s required of you is to set up a website for people to click through, and you’ll receive commissions on purchases that are made.
If you’d like to engage yourself more, another option is being a panelist for a product tester or survey firm. You’ll be amazed when you find out how much money you can make with this kind of gig. You work as little or as much as you want, you can be your own boss, and you participate in work that interests and engages you. Sounds like driving, without the driving, right? That’s the positive aspect of this kind of gig. The negative is, so many that are available aren’t trustworthy. You need to be careful and discerning before you get involved.
The best side gig for drivers: ACOP
Let’s recap what we discussed earlier – criteria for the best side gig for drivers. You’ll want something that allows you to:
- Use skills you already have
- Convert a hobby into a side job; and/or
- Keep it basic
Of all the side gigs we can envision, the one that brings all these attributes together is being a panelist for a survey firm. Why? One big reason is flexibility. Being a panelist is one of the “sit back and watch the money flow” gigs, meaning that hours are flexible; you are your own boss, and you can choose to work with areas that interest you and allow you to use your skills and talents.
Our cautionary words from earlier still apply, however. If being a panelist interests you, it’s essential to find a firm that’s honest, pays well, and has a sterling reputation. We’ve searched through multiple survey companies, and found one that fits the criteria needed to be the best side gig for drivers: American Consumer Opinion Panel (ACOP).
Gridwise has partnered with ACOP so we can offer great opportunities for drivers. It’s a dynamic company that offers a wide range of products and services for drivers to choose from. And best of all, ACOP passes our test for reliability, honesty, and fairness.
One of the best examples of American Consumer Opinion being a great company is what they don’t do. Based on a list of criteria included in a Balance Everyday article, reputable firms like American Consumer Opinion, will never:
- Require you to pay a membership fee
- Guarantee you a set income
- Mislead you about how you’ll be compensated
- Ask for personal information that is not necessary for the task(s)
- Request credit card numbers, bank account info, or Social Security numbers
- Sell member information to third parties
On its website, American Consumer Opinion posts a privacy policy you can rely on, and it’s a member in good standing of the Better Business Bureau.
Also, ACOP is highly rated by SurveyPolice, a group that offers honest assessments of online paid survey sites. Referring to American Consumer Opinion as a “research powerhouse,” SurveyPolice writes: “The website has been online for more than 20 years and with millions of survey takers worldwide and millions of dollars in payments, ACOP is a safe and legit survey site.”
American Consumer Opinion gives drivers looking for a side gig exactly what they’re looking for. Here’s how it works:
- Sign up for FREE.
- Answer a few questions about yourself (this will tell ACOP what kinds of surveys to send).
- Follow a link sent to your email to navigate to your ACOP Dashboard.
- Select surveys you want to take; points are listed, so you’ll know they’re worth your time.
- Opt in to receive emails alerting you to surveys you might like, or just use the dashboard.
- Earn points for your time, and get cash rewards.
ACOP surveys are interesting and quick, and the points add up rapidly. The average survey takes only 10 minutes to complete – you could do that while waiting for the airport queue to dwindle down. And, if you want, you can expand into product testing and evaluating marketing campaigns.
With ACOP, you get everything you need in a viable side gig, especially a way to create a whole new stream of income while you continue to drive. Sign up for ACOP today, get your voice heard, and make your opinion count … while getting paid for doing so.
