Sponsored Content -- For eight years, Eddie Terry of Wheatley Heights made his living as a substitute teacher, a job that left a big gap during the summer months when schools were closed.

"So every summer I had to hustle to find a job, and one summer I didn’t find one," he told New York Business Daily.

Enter Uber.

"I just started noticing Ubers and was like, ‘Let me  give them a try’ so at least I have some income during the summertime," Terry said. "And that's pretty much how I got started. I saw the signs all over New York City, 'Drive with Uber.' I wanted to try it to at least just guarantee me some income each summer that I have off."

For Terry, the flexibility of being an Uber driver made the job particularly attractive.

"I can work when I want to work," he said. 

Interesting people and new geography are also fringe benefits of driving for Uber.

"I did see new parts in New York City that I had never seen before, so I feel like I’ve seen all of New York City now," Terry said. "Obviously,  you meet different people. I met my tax accountant through Uber."

Terry has now transitioned from substitute teaching to full time, but Uber is always there when he needs the extra cash.

"I'm probably just going to drive on the weekends," he said. "Five or six hours on Saturday, and five or six hours Sunday."

Terry is one of a growing number of people choosing to work at least part time in the gig economy.

Digital labor platforms help job seekers, including retirees to match skills with working conditions, allowing people to find jobs job even if they lack higher education and training and even if they have personal challenges such as family commitments, according to a 2019 research article by Valeria Pulignano.

According to Forbes, 84% of full-time freelancers say the job allows them the flexibility to live the lifestyle they prefer compared to only 63% of full-time, traditional workers.

Freelance work proved particularly valuable during the pandemic, according to the website Upwork. It reports that about 12% of the U.S. workforce took gig work during the pandemic in part for financial stability and "necessity."

Gig workers "experience high levels of work-life balance, flexibility, autonomy, meaningful feedback and creative freedom," a 2018 Gallup poll found. "In fact, they score much higher on all these factors compared with traditional workers and other types of gig workers."