#alsooo the taxes for uber are kindaaa

[toshio]

I've been thinking about doing uber. How long do you drive for $200-$300 and usually what time of day? Any sage advice?

I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED (being serious)

i really do enjoy doing uber! however, like most jobs, no job is perfect, there are shitty moments that make you wanna unalive yourself after a shift and that's normal. there are moments where i'm happy as f*ck driving to different areas in virginia and sightseeing during my breaks and then there's stressful moments where you can't find the person to pickup at the airport because of a language barrier (happened to me recently, big yikes). here's my unsolicited experience/advice:

the best parts about doing uber: you can get paid instantly, so if you got rent money due before the month ends, and you make like $700 from uber in a week, then instantly deposit that. there's an uber debit card that you should get, i use that. all the money you make instantly goes there and i just use it as a separate checking account to buy drinks and groceries and stuff, completely separate from my main.

another perk of doing uber is...obviously nobody tells you what to do. there's no boss telling you to clock in, you can just do a shift whenever, skip a day, work all day, etc. besides like customer support if something bad happens. which i heard is pretty shit btw so good luck. i love the freedom that uber gives me. i decided to catch up on grinding in my MMORPG (maplestory lol) and take like 1-2 days off. i can just go back whenever and that's beautiful. i love being my boss.

you can do early morning shifts near busy shopping centers, airports, and get decent money. i personally avoid the airport though, but i have done airport rideshares. IMO do not do uber after the sun sets, obviously #1 if you're a young looking woman driving alone at night you're probably a target, and #2 it's just spooky and you should be tucked in at home playing video games when it's dark. it's hard to see the road at night, it can be dangerous. just do early morning, evening, but when you see that sun getting lower, drive home asap.

so you can choose from doing rideshares (driving people) or food deliveries, i personally do both. if you don't like people, you can just turn on food. you legit just go inside a mcdonalds or even a fancy 5 star restaurant in the city, and then drive to the person's house and drop it off. for food deliveries the tips are calculated like 1 hour later, so if you get like very little money after dropping off your first food order, just be patient and check back later. the most important thing is choosing good orders, don't do something that's like $5 for 10 miles. always do something that's like $10 for 5 miles. your car's health is very important, don't milk it too hard.

on that note, cars...you obviously use your car to drive people and food around. make sure your car is well kept. if you're driving a piece of garbage, it's honestly kinda good to "milk" it with uber until it finally combusts. while doing uber, there's a lot of risk you're putting yourself in. only sign up for the job if you consider yourself a good driver with 0 accidents in the past like 5 years or so.

idk there's a lot about uber, i don't wanna yap your ears off. if you're interested, go on youtube and type in uber driver stuff. there's nice youtube shorts of it, and full on youtube guides about uber/doordash/grubhub etc. they're all considered "gig" work so it's not like a 9-5 which is what i loathe and avoid doing in my mid 20s.

if you sign up, i'll give you some personal tips i made up:

keep a gallon of water or two in your car. snacks too, but they might melt if your area is hella hot during the summer. keep yourself loaded. you'll be driving a lot. i do tend to eat out at fast food restaurants or stuff like panera before, during, or after shifts.

calculate the distance (mileage) and the money $$$ involved when you get a request. do not take bad orders. bad orders are like, very little pay (customers tipping like shit) for HIGH mileage which is basically you just losing money. rule of thumb is like, 1.5x or 2x the pay for the mileage. for example, 5 mile food delivery for $10 total payout.

when picking orders, be aware that if you do a long distance trip (like 10 miles+) you're gonna end up in a different city or area in the state that you live in. do not drive too far away, because you eventually have to drive back home. and sometimes you end up in sketchy areas, so stay safe and make sure you know your state, the roads, and how to navigate. your GPS is your best friend.