Some say I work too much but if I'm able and have the drive why waste it by sitting around. I just can't sit and do nothing, I have to be on the go or doing something. So let me tell you about my side hussle which is delivering food, groceries, and merchandise for Door Dash.

Back Ground

The company is primarily in the United States but has started to break ground in some international markets such as Canada, Australia, Japan, and Germany. The company started in 2013, now it's the largest food delivery provider in the United States. The drivers are not actually employees but rather independent contractors for the platform. So I have no boss meaning no set schedules so I can start and end a shift whenever I want. We can be terminated by not meeting certain standards.

Starting Out

It was super easy to get started. I went to the website filled out some private information. The company does a background check which only took about an hour. Once I got confirmation back I downloaded the app. I started working the same day. Drivers are called dashers and when they make a delivery it is called a dash. Once you complete your first dash the company sends you a welcoming kit which included at the time a mask, 1 hot/cold bag, credit card, and a small bottle of anti bacterial hand sanitizer. You will need to deliver with a car, motorcycle, or even a bicycle. You will also need a smart phone and a good phone charger.

How it Works

Well first step will be logging into app and setting up the times you want to dash for. Once you do this the app will start looking for orders. Once you receive an order you have to decide if you want to accept or decline it. You will be given the total distance, the cash amount, the merchant, and a map that shows where you are, the merchant is, and where it's be delivered to.

Not super hard to figure out, once you accept you can click on a button to get directions to the merchant. The app will change screens at each step. The same basically goes for getting to the customer. Once you have delivered you will get a confirmation screen showing your earnings.

Strategy

Yes you need one, this means not accepting every dash you get because time and gas may not be worth the money they are offering you. I usually will accept an offer if it pays $1 or more a mile.Having done over 2000 dashes over about a years time you learn certain merchants take too long, certain locations take awhile to get to, and sometimes you get offers out of the zone your working. It's best to draw in your head how long an expected delivery will take. I like quick ones that take about 15 minutes or less to complete. Usually you can get about 3 or 4 deliveries in an hour so the pay out and time should very much be considered. I always have a goal to make anywhere from $20 to $30 an hour. I can get there by only accepting short mileage orders that pay at least $6. Sometimes long mileage orders can be worth it if they pay well. I have done 15-2o mile orders for $25 or more but these will sometimes take close to an hour before you get another order. There are times when it's slow and when I see this I usually end my dash.

It's fun

I enjoy doing this for several reasons. Probably my favorite dash is delivering groceries. Yes, they usually pay pretty well but that's not all. Its an order that involves a little work which is good physically. Sometimes the customer is elderly and it feels good helping them out. Also you get a lot of face time with customers and get some socializing going which is positive experience. I'll go out doing errands on my own time and run into some customers and they remember me. This isn't the case for much of the other dashes because they are either quick or they request through the app to just leave at the door.

I like just driving around listening to music. I mean how many jobs can you do that at. Most of the time I'm dashing I'm alert and relaxed. I listen to music the most while doing this. Music puts me in a good mood which allows me to provide great customer service.

Now another thing is I see a lot out there. Mostly good, rarely bad and sometimes hilarious. Oh I have stories and a lots of them. To not get too lengthy I'll share one. So I was delivering some food to a customer in the not so good part of town. The delivery notes said to leave food on toilet lid not inside please. It was hard not to laugh taking a picture of this. We have to take pictures for deliveries that we leave at door. Unfortunately the pictures go to the app and don't store on our phones. I did think about taking a picture for my pleasure but it was dark and I didn't want to make another flash, lol.

Expenses and Not So Good Things

The obvious expense is fuel. If I do a full day (10-12 hours) I can almost use a full tank of gas. A lot of things play here. In the summer time if I'm sitting waiting for order my car is running with the AC on. That is wasteful fuel I know but I'm not going to sweat away. On nice days I do shut off the car though. If you ever decide to do this you want to consider wear and tear on your vehicle. Another thing people don't consider is taxes. Since we are basically contractors no taxes and other government fees are taking out of income. This can lead to paying a good sum when tax season comes around. I combat it by over paying taxes at my full-time job.

In Closing

I enjoy doing Dashing and it may be a side hussle for me but it really gives me the balance I need at times. I can see myself retiring and still doing this just to have something to do. I hope you all enjoyed and like always thanks for stopping by.