avatarKristen Kay Brady

Summary

The article "Retired and Looking For Extra Income? Try These Flexible Gig Apps" explores various gig apps to earn additional income, emphasizing their flexibility and variety.

Abstract

The article discusses the benefits of working in the gig economy, which offers flexibility and a wide range of job opportunities, making it suitable for retirees looking to supplement their income. The author presents a list of gig apps, including Uber Eats, Neighbor, Steady, Oppizi, Instacart, Amazon Flex, DoorDash, Rover, Shipt, and TaskRabbit, highlighting their unique features, pros, cons, and average pay.

Opinions

  • The gig economy offers flexibility and work variety, making it a suitable option for retirees.
  • Uber Eats is a popular app for food delivery that allows drivers to keep 100% of their tips.
  • Neighbor is a unique app that enables users to rent out their unused spaces for storage.
  • Steady is a great app for finding local jobs quickly.
  • Oppizi is a high-paying app for distributing flyers.
  • Instacart pays users to shop and deliver groceries to consumers.
  • Amazon Flex is a high-paying app for delivery services.
  • DoorDash is a leading delivery service app in North America.
  • Rover is an excellent option for dog lovers to provide pet-related services for income.
  • TaskRabbit is a task-based marketplace that offers various job categories.
  • The average pay varies depending on the app, market, and services provided.

Retired and Looking For Extra Income? Try These Flexible Gig Apps.

If you want to start making extra money on the side, app-based jobs are one of the most flexible options at your disposal.

Image courtesy: Barbara Olsen via Pexels

I’ve been working in the gig economy for almost 6 years, full-time. I’m 52 years old and I would absolutely recommend this line of work for a retiree. Are you retired, but still need a little extra income to make ends meet? You gotta give a few of these apps a try and see if this road is the right one for you!

We are in an era in which the phrase ‘gig economy’ is frequently being thrown around, and many people are beginning to earn a living through side hustles.

If you get tired easily, like me, you need flexibility in your work environment. With these apps, you are your own boss, you’ll set your own hours, and various tasks require a skillset that may be right up your alley. Here is a list of ways to begin your own side hustle and earn some additional money.

Some apps require driving, whereas other ones may even be accomplished at home. Eventually, you should choose the side hustle that sounds doable in order to help you reach your income goals.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the leading gig apps to use to make additional income!

Uber Eats

Gif courtesy: Behance

Uber Eats is among the most popular apps that is available in multiple cities worldwide; therefore, you can likely earn income by driving with Uber Eats if you reside in a major city.

My friend earned money with DoorDash and Uber Eats after college by delivering on his bicycle. He had the ability to consistently make $15 — $20+ an hour doing so. I personally prefer Uber Eats over Uber X because I don’t like to pick up strangers in my car.

Drivers keep 100 percent of any tip received. All in all, Uber Eats is one of the most sought-after apps to earn cash out there; therefore, it made my list of the top gig apps.

  • Pros: Tip potential; flexible
  • Cons: Vehicle depreciation; cost of gas
  • Average Pay: Depends upon your market, as well as how many deliveries are completed.

Neighbor

Image courtesy: Wenxin Dong via Pexels

If you happen to have additional storage space or any unused parking space you aren’t using, you can make some income using Neighbor!

Basically, Neighbor is the Airbnb of storage space. It allows hosts to rent storage space out like their spare rooms, sheds, basements, driveways, and garages.

Hosts set availability, rental rates, and rules for when renters may drop by to have access to their items. Also, hosts have liability coverage of up to $100,000, and renter’s goods are covered for up to $25,000.

You’ll receive pay every month via Stripe; thereby, the income made as a host will go directly to your bank.

Neighbor just charges a 4.9 percent fee plus $0.30 each month you’ll get paid; therefore, it’s possible to easily earn an additional $50 — $250+ a month with this app!

  • Pros: For easy passive income there are various rental options.
  • Cons: It may take time to find those first renters.
  • Average Pay: It varies depending upon your property however, a lot of hosts make $50 — $200 a month with just a single listing.

Steady

Video courtesy: The Savvy Couple — Kelan & Brittany Kline — Steady App Review — Best Side Hustle App? Is it Legit?

If you are searching for apps for side hustles, one of your best bets is the Steady app. They connect freelancers and gig workers with job opportunities within their city.

Steady has grown rapidly, surpassing 2M members and amazingly picking up celeb advisors such as Shaquille O’Neal.

  • Pros: Find local work quickly; the variety of jobs.
  • Cons: Steady isn’t a direct job, but is instead, more of a middleman.
  • Average Pay: The pay varies depending upon the job signed up for.

Oppizi

Image courtesy: zaid mohammed via Pexels

The app Oppizi is currently among the highest-paying apps in the market, and it is a great choice if you’re looking to get paid to deliver flyers around your city.

As a Brand Ambassador for Oppizi, you’ll be paid to distribute flyers to folks inside your city for businesses such as DoorDash, GoPuff, and Uber Eats. You’ll be paid $23/ hour in the U.S., in addition to sign-up bonuses, and you’ll also be paid a travel allowance!

Oppizi is available in 10 countries and over 70 cities, including Germany, France, the UK, Australia, the United States and Canada.

The app is free and is available on iOS and Android.

Also, Oppizi allows users to choose the shifts, referred to as missions, you want to work. It’s possible to work as little or as much as you want, and shifts (missions) are usually 3 hours long.

Plus, users are paid every week for missions completed.

  • Pros: Bonus potential; high hourly pay; flexible.
  • Cons: Shifts (missions) are short.
  • Average Pay: Varies by country; $23/ hour + bonuses.

Instacart

Gif courtesy: Instacart

If you are on the lookout for another app-based gig that is exploding in popularity, search no further than Instacart.

Just like other food delivery apps, this app pays you to shop and then deliver groceries to consumers. Like DoorDash, shoppers get to keep 100 percent of tips, and you’ll also have complete control over the orders accepted or declined.

According to Glassdoor, the hourly pay on Instacart is roughly $13/hour; therefore, it’s a solid app-based gig to check out. Plus, if you get steady batches on Instacart, it’s possible to earn consistent income.

  • Pros: Tip potential; high hourly pay; flexible
  • Cons: Vehicle depreciation; Cost of gas.
  • Average Pay: $13 — $25/hour.

Amazon Flex

Gif courtesy: MICHELLE T. NGUYEN

If you don’t care to deliver food, it’s possible to still make a good hourly wage by simply using apps such as Amazon Flex.

Drivers make $20/hour, according to reviews on Indeed. As a matter of fact, Amazon usually pays $15 — $19/hour, which makes it among the highest-paying gig apps within the gig economy.

So long as you are 21, have insurance, and a qualifying vehicle, it’s possible to begin the application procedure and submit a background check.

They don’t consistently hire in every city; therefore, keep a close eye on this job to check when new spaces open up!

  • Pros: High hourly earnings; guaranteed hourly rate.
  • Cons: Tips are not as common as other types of gigs.
  • Average Pay: $20/hr.

DoorDash

Image courtesy: Norma Mortenson via Pexels

In North America, DoorDash is the top delivery service and is available in more than 5,000 cities. Also, it is among the best apps if you like flexibility and want to quickly start working.

When you are approved to be a driver on DoorDash, you just use the DoorDash Android or iOS app to begin delivering for merchants and restaurants in your locality.

It’s possible to deliver on a scooter, in a car, or on a bike. Plus, Dashers get to select the hours they want to deliver, so it’s possible to Dash as little or as much as your little heart desires!

Also, you’ll keep 100 percent of your tips, and your day-to-day pay may be pretty decent if you put enough hours in and get lucky with decent-paying, consistent orders.

All in all, this gig is amongst the top gig work apps available, and I love it since it is a consistent earner and simple to sign up for.

  • Pros: Tip potential; high hourly pay; flexible
  • Cons: Vehicle depreciation; cost of gas.
  • Average Pay: Depending on the market you live in, the pay varies.

Rover

Gif courtesy: Gifer

If you love dogs, one of the top app-based gigs to try is Rover.

Rover is amongst the biggest networks of dog sitters and owners and enables pet owners to hand over their pet to a sitter if they don’t have the ability to care for their pet.

With Rover, pet sitters are able to provide daycare, house sitting, or walking services in exchange for income.

They pay the most income if you provide daycare or house-sitting services; however, it’s still possible to earn some good money by simply walking dogs inside your community.

  • Pros: Various services to offer; get the opportunity to play with cats or dogs for a job.
  • Cons: It’ll take time to build a client base.
  • Average Pay: Top walkers and sitters are able to make over $1,000 a month.

Shipt

Image courtesy: RDNE Stock project via Pexels

Shipt, a top grocery delivery app like Instacart, is among the highest-paying apps available.

As a shopper on Shipt, you’ll be paid to shop for customer’s groceries and then deliver them. It’s possible to apply if you are 18 and up, own a car, live in the U.S., and pass a background check.

Generally, Shipt shoppers earn, on average, roughly $15 — $20/ hour, and keep 100 percent of all tips like with Instacart or Uber Eats.

  • Pros: Variety of services to offer; get a chance to play with cats or dogs for a job.
  • Cons: It’s solely available in the U.S.
  • Average Pay: $15 — $20/ hr.

TaskRabbit

Gif courtesy: Behance

The company TaskRabbit is a well-known task-based marketplace in which ‘Taskers’ and customers looking to have work done are able to find each other.

Some of the most sought-after work categories on TaskRabbit are:

  • General handyman-associated jobs
  • Yard work
  • Painting work
  • Furniture assembly
  • Home cleaning

TaskRabbit is highly sought-after in the United States, Canada, and England, so this is really one comprehensive app in which you’re able to begin to make income on the side!

Some gigs on TaskRabbit even pay high hourly rates, and it’s possible to expect to make over minimum wage if you’re able to get some steady work!

  • Pros: Broad array of services you can provide; Taskers set their own hours and rate.
  • Cons: There isn’t as much demand for gig apps such as Uber Eats and DoorDash.
  • Average Pay: The pay varies depending upon the service you set; however, many jobs are about $20 — $40/hr.

So, if you want to stay productive or need to earn a little extra on the side to make ends meet, consider signing up for one or a couple of these apps.

Kristen is a contributor on Medium. Sign up here to catch every story when she publishes.

Grab my audiobook on Audible: How to Productize Your Services: How to Make Money While You’re Sleeping or on paperback through Amazon here .

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DoorDash
Side Hustle
Retirees
Income
Gig Economy
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