Did you know that hundreds of thousands of Americans are making money by simply driving around in their own vehicle? Due to growing technology and convenience, there are a lot of options to make some extra cash on the side by driving around in the comfort of your own vehicle.  There are so many options from Rideshare services, to Food and Grocery deliveries, and more!

One of the most popular growing methods to earning money using your car is by delivering food.  Phone applications such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, and GrubHub have made the convenience of getting local Chinese food, Indian food delivery service, and fast food delivery brought to your house in a speedy and convenient fashion without having to leave the comfort of your home.  

What is the best food delivery app to work for?

Out of all the Food delivery Applications to work for, DoorDash is without a doubt one of the best.  In 2019, a new guideline from DoorDash made it possible for delivery drivers to receive 100% of their tips, along with a significant increase in their base pay for each food delivery order.  

On average, a person working on the DoorDash app will make roughly $10 to $14 an hour along with tips.  If this sounds awesome, then don’t worry because becoming a DoorDasher is easy!  

All it takes to be a delivery driver with DoorDash is to be 18 years old with a properly insured vehicle.  You must also have driving records without any major violations.  

What about other food delivery apps?

When it comes to Postmates, you can make an average of $9-$13 an hour along with 100% of your tips.  Postmates is known to be popular in major cities because they allow delivery drivers to use two-wheel vehicles.  

GrubHub pays on average $12 to $14.50 an hour and also are allowed to keep all tips.  This platform is known for paying users weekly unlike other apps that allow drivers to be paid early.  In order to drive with GrubHub, you must be 19 years old and have an insured vehicle.  GrubHub also requires that you use a hot bag, which you must purchase by yourself.  

Finally, the mega-giant UberEats have received an estimated earning of $10 to $11 dollars an hour which is significantly less than the other food delivery services.  However, there are some benefits. 

 You do receive 100% of the tips you make, UberEats pays weekly through direct deposit but you can also get paid faster with an Instant Pay system.  UberEats also saves you from being involved in the payment process for food orders.  Instead, the platforms restaurants are reimbursed directly by Uber. 

Want to deliver groceries?

If delivering food is not your thing, you might want to consider delivering groceries.  Apps such as InstaCart and Shipt have grown in popularity because let’s face it.  Many Americans have very busy schedules and sometimes can’t make it to the grocery store.  

That is where you come in!  You can go grocery shopping for these people with two different methods.  InstaCart has two job types called the Full-Service Shopper and the In-Store Shopper.  

A full-service shopper will shop groceries on-demand and deliver the orders. An in-store shopper means you simply shop in the store and collect the items, and the person will pick up the order in the parking lot.

People love getting their groceries delivered, and there are even apps such as Drizly where people can get alcohol delivered.    

RideShare

If you are looking to use your vehicle to drive around, and you want to meet people and be more social, ridesharing might be a better option for you.  

Apps such as Lyft and Uber have modernized the idea of taxi service.  These apps are especially useful in suburban or rural areas that don’t have much of a taxi service compared to a major city.  

Recently a few companies have even developed rideshare tablets that can be equipped in your vehicle so that you can earn additional income. These tablets allow riders to play games, get driver information, and leave tips.  The Tablets also run ads that compensate the drivers for having them installed in their vehicle.  

So next time you think someone out there needs an uber for laundry, you could be that person to help someone get to their destination and get paid for doing it.  

On Car Advertising

Finally, if you personally do a lot of driving, you could make lots of money by turning your vehicle into a billboard for companies.  Companies could pay you hundreds of dollars a month to advertise their product on your vehicle based on your regular driving route.  

If you are ok having a full wrap on your vehicle or even just a small rear window decal, this could be a great option if you take a long commute to work regularly.  

Are you ready to get started?

If you plan on starting to make some side cash by using one of these services, always make sure your vehicle has the proper insurance, but you should also consider having an extended auto warranty. 

If your vehicle has a malfunction or breakdown during delivery or rideshare, you will want to be covered instead of paying out of pocket.  A DriveSmart Warranty is a great option for the bumper-to-bumper coverage you need to stay on the road and to keep your vehicle and cash flow protected.

Written by: Stephen Lubas