Got a Car? Turn It Into a Moneymaker With These Flexible Side Gigs
Do you love driving your car around town? There are tons of opportunities to earn money while you do it!
Whether you want to launch a new full-time career — or just make some extra money on the side — here are some great ways to turn your vehicle into a money-making machine.
1. Drive With a Ridesharing or Food Delivery Company
Need a fun, flexible way to earn money while also meeting lots of new people?
You could drive with a ridesharing company. Driving with Uber or Lyft allows you to set your own schedule.
You could also deliver food with companies like UberEats or DoorDash.
Make More Money Outside of Getting Paid to Drive
If you’re looking for ways to get paid to drive, you’re probably interested in more ways to make quick cash. We’ve put together some of our favorite ways to make fast money.
| Offer | What You Can Earn | What You Have to Do | Take Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| InboxDollars | $225/month | Complete short surveys | |
| FreeCash | $1,000/month | Simple online tasks | |
| GoBranded | Up to $140/month | Share your honest opinion | |
| Solitaire Cash | Up to $83 per win | Compete against other players | |
| Bingo Cash | Up to $83 per win | Compete against other players | |
| Kashkick | $1,000/month | Try out apps |
2. Get Paid to Test Drive Cars
Working through a company like BestMark, you’ll go to car lots and pose as a potential buyer.
So you get to test drive a car, which is pretty cool.
It also means you listen to the sales pitch, which is less exciting. But then you report back on your experience and get paid!
Our founder, Kyle Taylor, got his start doing automotive mystery shopping, and made $60 for each dealership visited.
3. Carpool to Work
Did you know some cities will pay you to carpool to work? These cities will pay you to help reduce traffic and congestion:
- In the counties near Birmingham, Alabama, drivers make up to $70 over 90 days for taking alternative transportation or carpooling.
- Commuters who carpool or vanpool to work or college in San Mateo County, California, can receive up to $100 in gift cards per year.
4. Set Your Own Schedule as a Mobile Mechanic
Want to work for yourself on a flexible schedule as an auto mechanic?
You could become a mobile mechanic.
Instead of running an auto-body shop, mobile mechanic companies like Auto Monkey send a specialist to a customer’s home or office when their car needs service.
The company handles marketing, scheduling appointments, ordering parts, invoicing and customer support — so all you have to do is show up when a customer needs you.
In this position, you’ll set your own hours through the Auto Monkey app — as many or little as you want, any days, evenings or weekends you prefer. The company schedules service calls for you within your availability.
You’ll work as a contractor and provide your own transportation. Fill out the online application here. A service advisor will call you for a phone interview and to get you set up. Then you’ll set your hours and get to work.
5. Put Ads on Your Car
You’ve seen these drivers around town. Letting companies display their ads on your car can be a great source of passive income — you just drive your normal routes each day.
To qualify for these kinds of opportunities, you’ll have to drive regularly in high-traffic areas — no one wants to pay you to park their ad in the garage.
Check out vehicle advertising opportunities with Carvertise, rated an A+ from BBB.
6. Rent out Your Car
If you have a car you don’t use during the week — or maybe you don’t need it on the weekends because, well, you’re a homebody — consider renting it out.
Peer-to-peer car rental sites are growing, one being Turo. Turo claims average users earn $9,424 per year sharing their car — or about $785 a month. Plus, the platform insures all cars up to 750,000 in third-party liability insurance.
7. Rent out the RV You Thought You’d Use More
How many people do you know who bought an RV for one awesome camping trip or music festival… only to look back a few years later and realize they don’t use it as much as they thought they would?
If you’re in that boat (er, camper), you can turn your unused RV into cash.
You can rent your RV to other travelers through RVshare, a peer-to-peer rental marketplace.
How much you’ll earn per day will vary based on your location and the type of vehicle you have. This is a smart way to make your pricy RV pay for itself — or to bank some cash for your next big road trip.
To see how much you could earn renting out your RV, enter the specs here.
Dana Sitar is a writer and editor at The Penny Hoarder. Carson Kohler is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
