How To Make Money With Instacart: Is It A Great Side Gig?

Please Note: This post may contain affiliate linking. While these links don’t cost extra for you to use, a percentage of all sales made through these links will help fund future Side Hustle Mom content.

I am one of those weird people who does not mind grocery shopping.

Actually, let me rephrase that: I am one of those weird people who does not mind grocery shopping as long as I am ALONE and do not have my two busy boys in tow!

Since grocery shopping by myself is somewhat of a luxury in this stage of life, I have learned to utilize any help I can get, which includes Amazon Prime Now, Walmart Grocery-to-Go, and Instacart.

Speaking of Instacart, did you know that you can make either some extra money or a pretty decent living by shopping for/delivering groceries to others?!

Yes?

No?

Either way, let us dig in a bit more:

What is Instacart? Instacart is a delivery service that guarantees orders in 2 hours or less!

What began as a small startup in 2012, Instacart has grown dramatically in the last 6 years, expanding from only a few California towns and grocery stores to nationwide service and exclusive partnerships with Kroger, Costco, Safeway, and more.

How does Instacart work?

To get started, buyers simply log-in to their account via computer or app (both Android and Apple), choose which store to shop from, place their order (big or small; Instacart does it all!), and schedule a delivery time.

That’s it!

Now for the important question: How can you work for Instacart and just how much can you make?

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Obviously, those using the app need someone to do the shopping and delivering, which is where we — the side hustlers of America — come in!

There are two ways to work for Instacart: As a full-service shopper and as in-store shopper, which vary in terms of hours and responsibilities. As per Instacart, full-service shoppers both shop and deliver orders (and are independent contractors), while in-store shoppers do just that — shop/compile orders in store.

Whichever route you decide to go, Instacart offers flexible hours and an easy way to make money either full or part time!

How much can you expect to make with Instacart?

This one will obviously vary depending on your hours and location (as you will probably make more in a bigger market than you would in a rural town less than 20K), but we have somewhat of an idea, thanks to a recent survey from Indeed:

Delivery Driver - $12.69/hr (plus tips)

Store Shopper - $12.72/hr

Shift Lead: $16.06/hr

Personal Shopper: $16.29/hr

Brand Ambassador: $17.32/hr

Let’s do the math: Say you work full-time as an Instacart independent contractor and work an average 40 hours per week. If you do the math ($12.69 x 40 x 52), you will make a base $26,395 per year, plus any tips you make.

Obviously, this doesn’t sound like a sustainable full-time job, but think of this: If you work as either an independent contractor or part-time employee and drive either in addition to your current job or around your kids’ schedules, you can make some great extra money for the holidays, vacations, savings, or anything else you may need.

Just 10 hours a week as a driver would give you an extra $126.90 a week (before any tips), which puts you at an extra $500 per month! That’s not a bad start toward your new car fun, is it?

Instacart is currently available in 38 states (you can see a full list here) and is available for anyone 18 and older who has a smart phone, a clean background check, and can lift 40+ pounds.

Does this sound like a perfect side gig for you? If it does, click here to learn more and to apply!

Have you ever worked for Instacart? If you have, please share your experience in the comments!

How To Rent Out Your Guest Room On Airbnb (And Make An Extra $1,000/Month)

Please Note: This post may contain affiliate linking. While these links don’t cost extra for you to use, a percentage of all sales made through these links will help fund future Side Hustle Mom content.

I have said it before (just last week, I believe!) and i will say it again: motherhood is one of the busiest, most challenging, yet most rewarding things you will ever do...

...and not only is it all of the above, but it is also pretty freaking expensive, seeing as though kids like to outgrow their clothes every week, eat multiple times a day, and eventually have the gaul to leave you to pursue their future at college.

Speaking of college, did you know that as of this publication, the average cost of school per year is $10,000+, which will only go up more and more by the time our kids and grandkids are ready to go? 

Now that I have got myself both worked up and freaked out, you are probably wondering why I am going off on this irrelevant tangent... well, one of the reasons I wanted to work on the side while staying home with the boys was to put more money into both their savings/college accounts and ours, and I know that I am not the only one, which is why I am constantly on the prowl for potential money-making ideas for busy moms like you. 

Enter Airbnb.

For anyone unfamiliar with the company, Airbnb "uniquely leverages technology to economically empower millions of people around the world to unlock and monetize their spaces, passions and talents to become hospitality entrepreneurs." 

In other words, your spare bedroom becomes a hotel of sorts and you take home the cash.

Obviously, this approach to making extra money is unconventional and not for everyone, but if renting out your spare room, home (if/when you are out of town), or second home sounds like a financial path you would be willing to explore, read on: 

How does renting your space on Airbnb work?

I'm so glad you asked! The first step in the process is to create or log-in to your account, in which you describe your space and location, and receive an instant estimate on how much Airbnb thinks you can earn by consistently renting it out.

Airbnb’s estimate if I rented out our entire house consistently.

Estimate for renting our guest room.

Obviously, this is just an estimate and at the end of the day, you get to name your own price (also remember that Airbnb does take a 3% cut), but keep in mind that it's a competitive market, so you will want/need to price it fairly.

Once you have your Airbnb account set up, it is time to get even more in-depth about both yourself and your space, which is where you get a chance to tell potential guests a little bit about you (their host), build trust, and then explain the space even more in depth, including amenities, (towels, internet), perks (in-room snacks, breakfast in the morning), and nearby activities/attractions.

One of the great things about using a platform like Airbnb is that you have complete control over how often you rent, so if there is a particular time that does not work for having guests, you can simply block it out on your calendar! Another bonus? You can have as little or as much interaction with your guests as you would like, making this the perfect side gig for introverts and extroverts alike.

Now that you know the basics of renting your space on Airbnb, here are a few do’s and don’ts for getting the most out of your listing.

For visuals sake, the following are pictures of our downstairs guest room… if any of you reading this have an eye for design, please give me your tips for sprucing up this space!

Do: Make the space as clean and comfortable as possible

Whether you hire a professional cleaner or do the deep cleaning yourself, it is vital that your space be spick and span, as it may reflect on both you and your Airbnb rating! (You would hate to walk into a hotel room to find used sheets, dust, and an un-vacuumed floor, so don’t expect that to fly with your guests.)

Don’t: Make the space a shrine to you or your family

As you can see, we display A LOT of old family photos on the guest room dresser, which is obviously fine when our parents visit, but may not be the best when Airbnb guests are using the space!

Do: Spruce up your space

Not the greatest shots/angles of our guest bathroom, but bear with me!

A pretty shower curtain. Some art deco prints. A colorful bedspread. These little touches can add so much to a room (and are really affordable, if you look around!), and can make your guest’s experience all the more enjoyable!

Do: Add extra amenities

As I previously mentioned, extra amenities are always a good thing in the world of Airbnb, so get creative with it! One idea: Our basement (where the guest bed and bathroom are located) has a really nice theater room, so I would advertise that as one of the perks of staying at our home.

As you can see, renting your space on Airbnb is a great way to make extra cash, so if you are comfortable with hosting, I highly recommend you look into it! (If one of your reservations is safety — as it would be with me — check out what Airbnb does to keep you, your home, and your guests safe.)

Now I want to hear from you: Would (or have) you host on Airbnb? Let me know in the comments!

How to Make $2,500+ a Month as a Social Media Marketer

Please Note: This article may contain affiliate links, meaning I may receive a small kickback if you sign up via any of the links. Thank you for supporting the Side Hustle Mom mission!

If you are reading this, there is a good chance that you stumbled upon this article/site through either Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or Instagram.

Right?

Right.

How often are you on these platforms (be honest; we won't judge)? Have you ever thought about turning your time on social media into a full-blown work-from-home empire?!

According to PayScale, the average social media marketer brings in $34,432 to $56,571 per year, which is not only factoring in marketing firms, but the freelancers and one-(wo)man companies as well.

In some of the women entrepreneur groups I am in, I see marketers advertising their 2-to-3-posts-per day services for $500+ per month!

Think about it: If you charge $500 per month to manage a business' Facebook and Instagram accounts, and take on 5 regular clients, that's a whopping $2,500 per month (or $30,000 per year).

$30,000 a year to get creative and schedule posts? Umm, yes please!

Now think about how it could be once you get your business established and some satisfied clientele... you could not only take on even more clients (if time permits), but you could also raise your prices to mirror the quality of your work!

Obviously, everyone's experience and pay scale is going to vary, but this is a highly sought after and realistic work-from-home job that I cannot help but share. 

The other day, I was listening to the Hustle to Freedom podcast (which I STRONGLY recommend listening to!) and heard the story of Sarah Bettencourt: a single mom who left her job at an established firm to grow her own social and digital management company. Today, Sarah's company employs 6 AND works with huge bloggers, entrepreneurs, and brands... pretty cool, right? 

Now for the million dollar question: Just how does one become a social media manager/strategist/marketer?

Long before we had our first son, I knew I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom and, lucky for me, about a week after he was born my husband was interviewed/hired for an awesome network engineer job in Denver. Because of this new job (and a lot of budgeting), we could now afford for me to stay home, but I still wanted to find something that I could do to bring in a little extra money.

What did I do?

I reached out to my hometown museum, who had an outdated website and virtually no online/social media presence, and offered to be their webmaster, newspaper copywriter, and marketing manager.

That's right: I asked.

My advice in starting your career in social media is to reach out to different small businesses, mom and pop shops, restaurants, etc., to help yourself become established and to help your client grow their business. Needless to say, you probably won't make $3,000/month right off the bat (I was making $10 an hour), but you will learn a lot and will hopefully receive referrals/a great testimony from the people you've helped!

Another great place to for marketing is -- ready for it? -- Craigslist!

Yes, Craigslist can be a sketchy place at times with ads for casual hookups and scam houses for rent, but it can also be a goldmine for work-from-home jobs! 

Before I began writing for the company I am with now, I interviewed for/was offered a job at a local marketing and analytics firm, one that would allow me to work remotely with the exception of bi-weekly in-office meetings. To search through available opportunities, go to the "jobs" section of your local Craigslist (heck, check out all the local metro pages -- it's work from home, so it doesn't matter if you live in that exact spot or not) and search "remote+marketing." 

Something to keep in mind if/when going this route: If you are working with an actual company, you probably won't get to name your price... BUT, you will be getting invaluable experience that you can add to your resume! Another thought/warning: Be sure to also research the company to make sure they are legit, because even though CL has a lot of good jobs, they also have their fair share of scams.

A final thought when finding work is to reach out to friends and family to let them know what you are doing! Post your services in LinkedIn, share a status about it on Facebook... it is amazing just how often somebody you know knows someone else who could use your expertise! 

If you want to take your knowledge to the next level or add a completed course to your resume, I have just the class for you, which is that of Facebook Advertising Secrets!

Facebook ads are HOT right now and businesses need people like you to help them run their campaigns. My friend, Andrea Vahl has a brand new training series called How to Start a Highly Profitable Facebook Ads Management Business…even if you’ve never run Facebook Ads before!

You will learn:

• The #1 thing you need to have in place BEFORE you start running Facebook Ads for clients 
• How to get your first client in 30 Days or LESS (and then Scale UP from there)
• What specific things you do for clients each day, week, and month so that you make sure their ads are working for them (with some handy checklists)
• 3 crucial decisions about services, packages, and pricing that will help your Facebook ads management business run more profitably

The training includes checklists, videos, an ebook and a LIVE webinar happening on September 6th. Get signed up by clicking here.

In addition to the course, I have found this book to be extremely helpful in learning more about running your business/navigating social media management (Please note: This is an Amazon Affiliate link, meaning I may receive a small commission off any purchase. Don't worry though; there is no price change/increase for you by buying through my link): 

Happy business launching, Side Hustle Mom! As always, if there is any way I can help in your work-from-home journey, drop me a comment!

How To Make $22 An Hour Working From Home With VIPKid

Please Note: This article may contain affiliate links, meaning I may receive a small kickback if you sign up via any of the links. Thank you for supporting the Side Hustle Mom mission!

Remember all of the studying you did in college to earn your degree? You busted your butt, pulled all-nighters, and fought hard to perfect your keg stand -- err, I mean GPA -- just so you could walk across that stage and dive head first into your future career!

Shortly before I finished college, I found out that my husband and I were pregnant with our oldest, so I knew right then that I was going to put my career on hold in order to stay home with him. Obviously, I am not the only mom to have done this, and -- thanks to the internet -- quickly found that I could have the best of both worlds in terms of both family and work.

And now, thanks to companies like VIPKid, you can too!

What is VIPKid? VIPKid is an award-winning company whose mission is to "provide the international elementary school experience to Chinese children—all from the comfort of their homes. VIPKID provides one-on-one, fully immersive lessons in its online classroom. VIPKID’s curriculum is proprietary and aligned to the U.S. Common Core State Standards."

Do you have to have a degree in education to teach? No (though you do need at least a Bachelor's in any field).

Do you have to be able to speak more than language? Nope. 

What about lesson plans and grading?

Already taken care of!

This is totally a dream job, right?!

You worked HARD to get that degree, so why not put it to good use by teaching English via your own home? Earn $14 to $22 an hour AND make your own hours teaching English to one of 200,000 students from 300 cities! 

To get started, click here: