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In the summer of 2020 when COVID hit I turned to DoorDash to make money. It was a great decision that introduced me to the world of side hustles. Working for DoorDash has many benefits and you can sign up here. I want to share some of those with you so you too can make money with DoorDash.
Benefits of Working for DoorDash
1. Flexible hours
The greatest thing about working for DoorDash is that you get to set your own schedule. I could go and dash whenever I wanted and if I didn’t feel like dashing one day I didn’t have to.
The feeling was very freeing which coincidentally is the focus of this blog. I was able to make money in my own time and enjoy the freedom that I didn’t know I could have while doing a job.
2. Shows you the order payout before accepting
DoorDash is different than other food delivery apps because they tell you how much you are going to get paid before you accept the order. This feature is nice because it allows you to gauge if the delivery is worth it.
A little insider tip, what I do is look at the mileage and the estimated total I would make and determine if it’s worth the gas money. If the mileage is over about seven and the total is under $5.00, I don’t accept it. If the mileage is five and the total is $9.00, I would take that order.
There is no penalty for having a low acceptance rate with DoorDash so it doesn’t really matter how many you decline. They do have a penalty for having a low completion rate so make sure you are finishing your orders.
The only downside of declining an order is that you then must wait for another order to come in. Depending on where you are that shouldn’t take long at all.
3. See lots of new places
Okay, this might not be a benefit for some people but for me it is. When you are delivering for DoorDash you are usually driving all over, and it is usually places that you haven’t been to before.
I have always loved going to new places and with DoorDash I was able to do that even if I was only just picking up or dropping off food. So, if you love driving around your city and finding cool new places that you didn’t know about then working for DoorDash might be for you.
4. Work by yourself
If you are an independent or introverted person like me the idea of working alone probably excites you. Whenever I dash, I put on my favorite songs and enjoy the time to myself.
Yes, you will probably have to interact with some people when dropping off or picking up the food but most of the time it is just you and your car.
Who doesn’t love to make money while driving around and listening to music? I know I do.
5. You can write your mileage off on your taxes
The miles you drive while working can be written off as a business expense! I did not know this when I first started, and I wish I had because it would have saved me a lot of time.
I use an app called Stride. It is a free app that helps you track your mileage, and you can also record your income. The app then tells you what your estimated taxes would be and your business profit.
It is a really helpful app that I highly recommend if you are planning on working for DoorDash. It was also very easy when it came time to file taxes. They have a sheet that you print out and can give to the person doing your taxes.
How to Use the App
After you sign up and create an account the first thing you will see is a map of your area. When you want to dash you simply press the Dash Now button at the bottom of the screen.
Next, you schedule how long you want to dash for, but you can always change this later. The app will then ask you if you have enough gas, if your phone is charged, and if you have your hot/cold bag. If you can check off all those things, then you are good to go.
Make sure you start your drive in the Stride app now before you leave.
To do this you just press the plus on the homepage of the Stride app and select track my miles and it will start recording how many miles you drive. It’s that simple.
Now that you have started tracking your miles and you have all the essentials you are ready to accept orders. Orders will automatically pop up on the screen and then you can decline or accept from there.
The app is super easy to use once you accept an order and has clear directions about how to pick up the order and how to drop it off. After each step (navigating to the store, arriving, picking up, navigating to drop off, and dropping off) there is a button you must slide to confirm you have hit that checkpoint so you can’t skip ahead by accident.
A new feature of the app is that they have in-app navigation now. You used to have to switch back and forth between the DoorDash app and your navigation app. Now they have Google Maps right in the app.
Using the app is pretty self-explanatory in that you can figure it out on your first order and then you are a pro.
When you are done dashing you simply end your dash in the app and drive home. But don’t forget to end your drive in the Stride app when you get home.
How Much Money Do You Make?
This is probably the question that everyone wants the answer to, but I can’t really answer it if I’m being honest. Every time I dash my total varies drastically. It is also very different for different parts of the country. I only know what it’s like to work in Northern Virginia and Frederick Maryland.
In more populated areas like Northern Virginia, you are more likely to make more money because there are more orders. In Frederick Maryland, the earning potential is less because there are fewer people.
On average I would say I could make anywhere from $11 an hour to $15 an hour on a good day. If you have a car with high gas mileage, then in my opinion it is worth it.
That is something you would have to figure out for yourself. If you find yourself going through gas really quickly and it is becoming expensive, but you aren’t making enough money to cover it then it might not be worth it for you.
I only know the places where I have worked, and, in your area, it might be completely different so do with this information what you will. I hope all the tips and tricks I have shared with you are helpful in your DoorDash journey.
You’re Ready to Start Dashing
You have everything you need to start dashing right now so what are you waiting for? Make that money and have fun. This is only the start of your side hustle journey and I guarantee it will be worth it.