(Sponsored Content--) A rideshare driver explains that one reason he started driving was to rake in extra cash.
Lance Hutchinson said diving into the gig economy has allowed him a lifestyle that he wouldn't have had otherwise.
"I wanted an X number of dollars a week, you know, extra money to be able to do the things with the kids," Hutchinson told Washington D.C. Business Daily. "Take my wife out to dinner without feeling like I was, you know, cutting into the budget and, you know, mad money, I guess you could say ... And through the years, I've kept stepping it up ... It was more just a lifestyle thing, you know, allowed me to do things that I wouldn't have been able to do, a little travel or just the luxuries that you get to splurge on people."
Hutchinson isn't alone in his feelings about what gig work has allowed him to do. A 2021 Pew Research Center study showed that 56% of current or recent gig workers identified "wanting to save up extra money" as a major reason for participating in the gig economy. Additionally, 52% identified the need to cover a gap or change in income, while 49% said that flexibility and ability to control their own schedule was a factor in choosing gig work.
Other important reasons people cited for starting gig work included the desire to be their own boss, working as a hobby or for fun, and a lack of job opportunities available in their area.
Uber serves 10,000 cities in 71 countries, the company said in a report. As of June 30, 2021, it provided 16 million trips per day, with 101 million active monthly platform users. And as of Dec. 30, 2020, the company reported that it had paid its drivers and delivery people $142 billion in cumulative payments since it started operations in March 2009.
Uber is ranked third in a list called "32 Highest Paying Gig Economy Jobs for 2021," with an average pay of $18 per hour; a release on TheWaystoWealth.com said. That hourly rate is an estimate, because an Uber driver's hourly pay depends on the driver's location and the demand for services. The stated pay rate also does not take into account out-of-pocket costs such as gas, vehicle maintenance and other necessary expenses.