Have you heard the term “gig economy” being thrown around?
There are many people nowadays picking up gigs to help support their families, pay off debt, build up their savings, or even gain experience for a full-time position.
You might see these people around town or when you’re eating at a sit-down restaurant.
But what exactly are gig economy jobs and how can the gig economy benefit you as a budding freelance writer?
What is a Gig Economy?
The gig economy definition characterizes jobs by short-term, temporary, flexible positions fulfilled by freelancers and contract workers rather than long-term and permanent employees.
One of the biggest reasons people are drawn to freelance gigs is the flexibility in their work schedule and in their lifestyle.
If you are saving up for a vacation, you can pick up a few gigs to make some extra cash. If you are trying to pay off your student loans quicker, you can pick up a few more freelance gigs.
It’s totally up to you.
Perhaps you have thought about trying out a few gig economy jobs but aren’t sure where to start.
And, is it worth it to go through the training and the time to try these freelance gigs?
Fun Facts and Stats On the Gig Economy
It’s estimated that nearly one half of the workforce will be made up of gig workers and is projected to grow to as much as 80% by 2030.
That is a huge number!
Just think about it – when your child grows up, there will be less and less people with a “traditional, 9-5 job.” The workforce will be made up of gig workers and gig jobs.
Although that’s not to say that gig workers also don’t work full time jobs as well.
It’s becoming more common for millennials to rely solely on income from gig economy jobs whereas the baby boomer generation use gigs to supplement their retirement income.
Some of the reasons that people choose gigs over one full-time employer include:
- There is more reliability in having multiple clients rather than one employer
- There is the ability to earn more income and supplement income
- Flexibility to control one’s own schedule
- An increased work life balance
- Can have different sources of income
Top Gig Economy Jobs (With Average Income)
There are a ton of different platforms to find gig economy jobs. Some of the most common are:
This is just to name a few. There are probably hundreds more gig job boards and it also depends on the area that you live in.
You’re going to have more opportunity for in-person gigs if you live in a bigger city than a smaller one.
* Don’t confuse these job sites with freelance writing job boards. These job boards are only for freelance writers and gigs on these platforms are usually higher paying than freelance marketplaces like Upwork.
If you are strictly sticking to online gigs, then it shouldn’t really matter where you live.
Uber is even launching a new platform for gig work called Uber Works, which will help to match gig workers with businesses offering temporary work.
While this platform is currently only available in Chicago, it will offer a variety of work that include gigs like bartending, prep cooking, and assembly line work.
It’s Uber Works’ goal to make finding work for people easier and to be able to continually improve these opportunities for both companies and workers alike.
While workers can greatly benefit from working gigs, it’s also beneficial for businesses as well.
Companies that hire gig workers (freelancers, contractors, etc.) don’t have to worry about all of those additional employee expenses as companies that hire full-time workers.
They don’t have to pay for healthcare, vacation, sick leave, office space, vehicles, tools, and so on.
This saves the companies a great deal of money while also allowing them to pay their workers more than they would a traditional employee.
Not sure where to start with gig economy jobs that you want to do and make good money from?
Below, I have collected the top gig jobs with the most common salaries to give you a good starting base.
I hope one or a few interest you so that you can learn more about them and try a gig out!
11 Gig Economy Jobs For You
1. Ride-Sharing
This includes things like Uber and Lyft. The average monthly income is about $350 or about $15 per hour.
2. Vehicle/Dwelling Rental
Renting out your apartment or house is pretty common. But did you know that you can also rent out your vehicle?
With car rental services you can make as much as $700 per month.
If you choose to rent out your house or apartment you can make as much as $950 a month or even more. That is a pretty good side income, especially if you travel a lot and don’t use your vehicle or house 24/7/365.
3. Handyman/Housekeeper
You can find gig economy jobs like this on TaskRabbit or on your local Facebook marketplace.
The average monthly income is about $100 or about $17 per hour.
Although depending on the task, you can charge as much as $40 an hour. If you are good at what you do and can find a couple recurring monthly clients, you can make a good chunk of change.
4. Dog Walking
You can make an average of about $16 per hour for walking other people’s dogs.
Not a bad deal for someone who loves dogs and enjoys being outdoors.
5. Amazon Flex
Amazon Flex is a new type of delivery service from Amazon.
There are four types of deliveries that you can make for Amazon: Amazon.com (picking up from an Amazon delivery station), Prime Now and Amazon Fresh (groceries and household items), Store Orders (picking up from local stores), and Instant Offers (which take about 15-45 minutes).
The average pay for Amazon Flex is between $18-25 per hour that are generally scheduled in multi hour blocks.
6. Packing and Moving
Hiring a mover can cost a lot. Helping people move can earn you some extra cash ($14-16+ per hour) and help them to save money as well.
Just be prepared to lift heavy boxes.
7. Grocery Delivery
As a busy mother, grocery delivery can save me a ton of time! If you are someone who wants to deliver groceries, then you can make $12-16 per hour.
8. Mechanic
If you are a mechanic, or know someone who is, you can fix customer’s cars at their home for $40-45 per hour. Not a bad deal!
9. Tech Support
If you are super tech savvy, then why not help others with their tech support issues and earn a great side income.
Some online tech support freelancers can earn up to $50 per hour.
10. Online Tutor
If you have a bachelor’s degree and are looking to make some extra income, you can find many online gigs for tutoring.
As a tutor, you can help kids in China learn English or local kids with their common core math homework and earn about $20 per hour.
11. Writing
This is really why you are reading this article, I bet!
Freelance writers are in high demand and can make a great living from online gigs.
Freelance writers are paid in a variety of ways, hourly, per project, or per word.
There is a very large range that freelance writers can also be paid. They can make anywhere between $20 to $200+ per hour, or $0.10 to $1+ per word. It really depends on their skill and experience.
Generally when you first start out as a freelancer, you are going to make less and are not going to set your own rates.
Once you have built up a really good portfolio and testimonials from clients, you can set your own rates, which gives you great control over your income.
Why Freelance Writing is Perfect for the Gig Economy
I might be a little bias, but I personally think that freelance writing is the best possible job for the gig economy.
Especially if you are an introvert or are home with your kids most of the day.
I started out freelance writing as a stay at home mom and I know many of my course students are moms with multiple kids.
You don’t have to worry about driving around in bad weather, people you don’t know getting into your vehicle, or spending hours cleaning someone’s messy house.
Freelance writing gives you the ability to make a good side income, or even a full-time income all while working on your own schedule.
You can work in addition to a full-time job, when your kids are sleeping, or jump in feet first and work on it for ten hours a day.
There’s a bit of a difference between freelancing and gigs. Generally speaking, gigs are one off type of jobs. You are most likely not going to get repeat Uber riders.
Freelancing on the other hand, can be a more stable option as it allows you the ability to get repeat customers.
Say you start out with a gig ghostwriting one blog post for a blogger.
They love your work so much that they continue to order one blog post from you each week and tell their blogger friends about you and you get a few more clients.
Or you do copywriting on a sales page for a client’s new product. Well, if they love it, each time they launch a new product, they will come back to you.
One of the best things about freelancing your writing services is the ability to have repeat customers which means more money in your pocket.
There are also a ton of different platforms dedicated to freelance writing jobs. Here a just a few to check out, if you haven’t already, that will help you to land your first writing job.
- ProBlogger
- Freelance Writing Gigs
- Freelance Writing
- Writer’s Work
- Facebook Groups (search for things like freelance writing jobs or VA work)
- Contena
You can also check out my post on 20 ways to find freelance writing jobs as a beginner.
I share with you a couple of creative ways to find freelance writing jobs that you may not have previously thought of.
People are getting busier and busier and wanting a more flexible work life balance. Freelance writing can provide that!
While freelance writing might take a bit to build up a client base, it is certainly a better and more reliable way to make money in the gig economy.
Gig Economy Verdict
I’m actually excited for the gig economy to grow. This means more and more people will be open to the idea of freelancing!
And if they are open to freelancing, then they may research freelancing options and search for what is a freelance writing and find little ol’ me! Yay!
Are you excited about the gig economy and gig workers?
Share with me your verdict in the comments! I’d love to hear what you have to say!
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