A little mindfulness in planning your week ahead and you’re sure to boost your weekly rideshare or delivery driving income by at least $80! 

How are we so sure? Well, find out for yourself with the "combination for success" that experienced gig workers have cooked up to help you make the most of your independent business during the holiday season. 

1. What are the best places for rideshare drivers to find rides?

Understand your passengers’ needs. They will be busy shopping for presents, hanging out with friends and family, and spending time outdoors without having to worry about the convenience of getting a ride. 

You should be able to track surge prices around here:

• In the CBD area, 

• The streets connected popular restaurants, pubs, and clubs.

• The beaches and amusement parks nearby

Where should food delivery drivers be to get the most orders? 

‍

Find out which restaurants have put up Christmas offers

It’s best to download the customer app for the respective delivery platform. For example, download Deliveroo if you’re working for them. Then make a list of the restaurants with the most tempting offers, circle out the ones that are in the same area, and get, set, go! 

2. When is the best time for rideshare drivers to find work?

It’s subjective which place you are aiming to get pick-ups from. If you're in Sydney, you can find rides near Byron Bay in the early evening when everyone is heading home.

It will be quite busy this time of year, and parking spaces will fill up quickly. You're also in luck since the location is farther east and many will be looking for a smooth ride home. 

You can also find pickups around popular fast food stations like McDonald’s or Hungry Jacks in the late evening or at night.

On Google Maps, you can view which areas have no drive-in outlets or which restaurants are the busiest without a parking space. Many people will bring their kids to get them their favourite meal and would like to get a safe, closed ride back home.

If you are comfortable with driving late at night, you can get the highest number of rides with the highest surge prices near pubs and bars. But remember to put your safety first!

You’re going to win every round on Boxing Day! 

That’s right, keep an eye out for the shopping crowd, find out the most popular shopping centres that are hosting a sale on December 26th, and you should be all set to pick up rides on surge fare.

When is the best time for food delivery drivers to get orders? 

Be prepared for it any time of the day. Really, it’s Christmas after all! However, the best time to get orders is in the morning, so hang out near breakfast joints and watch the orders come in. Guess who has been partying all night and just woke up, too tired to fry an egg? 

You will get substantial orders around this evening

 If you are around pie or confectionery shops, that’s when the guests start coming over and everyone is making last-minute preparations for the pie! 

If you’re ready to be a little daring (in the most legal way, of course)

We suggest signing up with a few popular alcohol delivery platforms in Australia where orders are sure to fly in from sundown! Sign up with licensed platforms only and decide what’s safe for yourself. 

3. What are the best gig platforms to find rideshare and delivery gigs during Christmas? 

It is barely a question of what you use and, more importantly, how you use it. Irrespective of which platform you have signed up for, you should also be using the client app for the same to track real-time potential. 

Here’s a list of the rideshare and food delivery apps that customers trust the most: 

• Menulog is Australia's widest-reaching food delivery service, which benefits both customers and workers by receiving orders from convenient locations. 

• Deliveroo-the platform guarantees delivery completion within 30 minutes. If you have a motorcycle and are ready to take orders in a loop, then this is the best option. 

• Uber- It is the "most established ride hailing" app among the likes, with customers preferring it three times more than any other rideshare app.

• Shebah - in fact, this platform is rated the safest in the rideshare game, and in fact, you can expect the same behaviour from your customers if you’re not sure about taking trips late at night. 

You can do better! 

Buckle up with some insider hacks for the season! What’s more important than knowing the best options available is applying them in reality. 

Here’s a list of hacks to try that will make earning some extra money really easy for you: 

• This is an old one, but it still works as well as Santa’s sleigh! During surge hours, log out of your driver's app and log in to the customer’s app. Track where there are a limited number of pick-ups available and surge prices are high. 

• Make a list of events that attract the largest number of visitors from December 25th to January 31st. It’s ideal to choose events that run all day long. This way, you have plenty of time to get rides back and forth without much brainstorming. Use Eventbrite to look for events in your area.

• Be smart and watch out for traffic. It’s okay if you’re not aware of the smoother routes in town. We suggest you use Waze to track real-time traffic and avoid delays. This will earn you better reviews and tips and save you time for the next order or trip! 

It’s important to have an overview of how much you want to earn and how much of that earning should go into savings. I started delivery with UberEats when I was 22, studying for a degree in programming. Two years down the road, I’ve joined the apprenticeship programme at my dream company and saved enough money to start my own small business! All it needed was planning, determination, and a supportive community. 

                                                                                                         - Darsh, software QA engineer and community member at MyGigsters

Increase your profits!

You’ve been smart, but have you been wise? Earning extra should not be an option. Make it a choice and then watch it turn into a habit. The gig economy is expanding rapidly, and suddenly everybody seems to be taking advantage of the flexibility available in working gigs. 

But there is still one thing keeping the competition high; income uncertainty and the restriction on becoming financially independent. 

What are some habits you should practice to earn more profit and increase your savings? 

• Don’t set out without a plan. Set weekly income goals and use the idle time between orders and rides to fill out survey forms or write reviews on sites that pay you. 

• Be mindful about your expenses. Track your expenses daily and understand how to recognize which of those qualify for a tax deduction. 

• Use a tool to set up financial reminders and stay updated about your vehicle’s and your own daily performance. For example, track daily mileage, daily costs, and income comparisons between different platforms. 

We hope these tips come in handy when you’re working this Christmas week. Let’s end the year on a hopeful note. You’re not alone in this hustle and we have your back, always!