Once you become a dad, your workload triples. Family life becomes an around-the-clock responsibility and your most important job. There’s nothing greater than hanging with the family and putting smiles on those little faces, but every man needs to earn a paycheck as well.
Who else is going to cover those Lunchables and field trips to the zoo?
Due to growing popularity, you’ve probably heard about flexible employment through platforms like Upwork and TaskRabbit. The good news is that these platforms are the secret to a fatter bank account for many dads. The bad news is that there are some pitfalls that can turn a good thing sour.
What are these platforms all about, and how do you avoid those pitfalls? I’m about to tell you all that and more.
Understanding Flexible Employment in Today’s Gig Economy
Today’s gig economy is a new twist on what we once referred to as self-employment or freelancing. Consider a few quick definitions:
- Gig — A job or task that independent workers complete in exchange for payment without the supervision of a “boss.” If you agree to grocery shop for your neighbors and they tip you 20% of the bill for the favor –or just work for Instacart—that’s your gig.
- Independent Contractor — Someone who works for themselves and accepts payment directly from clients or gig platforms. No taxes are taken out of their pay, they don’t receive benefits, and they decide who they work for, when, and where. Gig workers are almost always in this category.
- Gig Platforms — Websites or mobile apps that connect independent gig workers and clients in need of their services. They make a profit by charging customers to use the platform and/or taking a percentage of the pay issued to gig workers.
When independent workers download apps or join websites with the purpose of accepting work from paying clients, they join the gig economy.
The Benefits of Gig Work
- Flexibility — Decide what you want to do and then complete tasks on your own terms. You can take days off without asking permission and turn down jobs that don’t meet your expectations without penalty.
- Fast Cash — Many flexible income opportunities or gigs pay out within a week. Some pay within a day or two of completing a task. You don’t have to wait for a paycheck every two weeks.
- Career Fulfillment — You can make money doing what you love. Imagine building a career off things you already enjoy. That’s the goal with the gig economy.
All three of those benefits are huge advantages for busy dads. Instead of missing out on family time to get to work on your boss’s schedule, you can make your own schedule to work around your family obligations.
It also helps to have a way to earn fast cash when you want to take the little ones out for ice cream or buy your wife a nice surprise—earn those brownie points, gents!
The Dangers of Gig Work
Before you race off to apply for Upwork or TaskRabbit, let’s talk about some serious downfalls that often come with the gig economy. They aren’t deal breakers for most people, but you should go into flexible work arrangements with these points in mind. We’ll talk about how to avoid these problems next.
- Fast Cash Trap — Many gigs pay fast and can line your pockets on a daily or weekly basis. The catch is that you can get stuck where you need that fast cash to survive. Instead of living paycheck to paycheck, you’re now living day to day and must hustle or do without.
- Scams — Gig workers are vulnerable to tricky scammers with one goal: to take your money. For example, Instacart shoppers have their accounts stolen and they’re locked out of their own accounts. Some clients on Upwork and other platforms use loopholes to avoid paying for services once delivered.
- Bottom Barrel Rates — Some gig workers compete with talent from other countries who will work for pennies. Sometimes finding fair pay for the work involved is challenging with that competition.
- Taxes — Independent contractors are responsible for tracking their income and expenses and then filing taxes like small businesses or sole proprietors at the end of the year. There is no employer to handle that for you.
- Work-Life Balance — It’s easy to get sucked into working long hours when you make flexible employment through platforms like Upwork and TaskRabbit your full-time job. While you can make your own schedule, you may need to turn down work if it interferes with your family life.
How Does Flexible Employment Work for Dads?
Now that you know the potential dangers of the gig economy, here are some tips for smart dads who wat to make it work and have it all:
- Never rely on one platform for all of your income. Better yet, never rely on one type of gig for your entire income. Platforms can go out of business or drop workers without notice, so you don’t want to leave yourself vulnerable.
- Use fast-cash gigs to get by while you build something bigger for the future. Don’t start thinking of them as your future or your forever job. Think of it as a convenient way to make money now while you build a small business, further your career with a day job, write and publish books, or do something that provides more stable money for the long term.
- Research the scams that happen for any platform you use. Scammers are clever, so you have to know the red flags.
- Set your standards for rates and the type of work you’re willing to accept. Never sell yourself short.
- Hold back taxes from every dollar you earn so that you don’t get caught with a big bill from the IRS.
- Get real about the hours it will take to make a gig pay off. If it interferes with your family life, you have a decision to make upfront rather than waiting until it becomes a problem.
Leading Options for Flexible Employment
If you’re still hanging in there and want to know more about gig opportunities, start by looking into Upwork. It’s a platform that connects freelancers who work from home with clients with the following needs:
- Accounting
- Consulting
- Customer Service
- Data Science
- Design
- Engineering
- Networking
- IT
- Sales & Marketing
- Translation
- Content Writing
- Software, Web, Mobile Development
Clients place jobs on a board and accept bids from freelancers willing to do the work. Agreements on price, delivery methods, timelines, and other issues take place directly between the client and freelancer. While there is a lot of competition on the site in many industries, it’s a lucrative way to make money from home while setting your own schedule if you can get in with regular clients.
TaskRabbit vs Upwork
Upwork focuses on work performed from home, but TaskRabbit has a local focus. Independent contractors are connected with customers in need of home repairs, moving help, organizing, and other tasks that are performed in person.
While Upwork is a great opportunity if you can write blog posts, market a product online, or design a website, TaskRabbit is more suitable for those with handy skills. You can pick up work as a handyman, use your pickup truck to help someone move, or perhaps work with your spouse to clean houses on the weekends.
Task Rabbit and Upwork Alternatives
It’s always best to work through multiple gig platforms so that you’re never at the mercy of one income stream. Some of the most popular sites like Upwork and TaskRabbit are listed below. Check some of them out to find the Upwork substitutes that work well for you.
Getting that First Gig
If you’re interested in seeing where flexible employment through platforms like Upwork and TaskRabbit can take your bank account, these beginner tips can get you started:
- Make a list of your skills and hobbies. Add things that you know a lot about and enjoy talking about. This brainstorm will tell you what type of task or gig you’re you can do well right now.
- Make a list of skills you would like to learn or develop. Those are ideas for future expansion as you gain traction in the gig economy. Start with what you already know if possible.
- Find three to five platforms or apps that can connect you with clients in need of your skills.
- Do your research on those platforms before applying. Look for YouTube videos from established gig workers who can tell you the secrets to making each platform work.
- Apply to the platforms of the greatest interest and see what happens.
Taking the first assignment and just doing your best is always the first step. Anxiety and self-doubt are normal, but don’t allow emotions to stop you. You have something that someone else needs right now. Get out there and find your people.
