Finance
5
min read

How Caregivers Can Make Money From Their Phones in 2023

Discover surprisingly easy side hustles perfect for caregivers that break the mold and pad your wallet—no cubicle required.
Published on
March 20, 2023
Presented by Givers
Givers supports and pays people who are caring for their loved ones.
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Key Takeaways

Wouldn't earning money from your phone in your free time be great? With the evolution of mobile technology, finding meaningful and profitable work opportunities as a family caregiver is possible via mobile apps. Create your profile, search through job postings, connect with families or seniors in need of caregiving services, accept jobs, manage payment, and much more – all from the convenience of your phone!

How caregivers can make extra income with mobile apps

The average family caregiver spends more than $7,000 annually on caregiving expenses. Add the rise in groceries, gas, and rent, and it's no wonder many caregivers need to earn extra cash to make ends meet. Some family caregivers do not receive regular compensation or even have their elderly family members living with them. Balancing caregiving with earning extra income can be difficult. Thankfully there are ways to make a modest income using your cell phone. 

From taking online surveys and completing gigs on websites such as Fiverr and Upwork to downloading apps that reward tasks like grocery delivery, there are many ways to make money on your phone. As a family caregiver, you can use the extra funds to pay for groceries and other needs while caring for your loved one.

7 benefits of earning money with your smartphone

Can you earn money with your smartphone? Yes! And smartphones offer several benefits: 

  1. Make your downtime financially productive
  2. Work is simple, like taking a survey
  3. Earn cashback for everyday purchases
  4. Most apps are free to use
  5. Quickly sell items or services using your phone
  6. No degrees or certification is necessary
  7. Work around your schedule

Making extra money with your smartphone might be worth your time. So what type of opportunities can you find? 

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How to use your phone to make money

Do you like taking surveys, speaking with people, or selling garage sale finds? No matter what you enjoy doing, you can earn money in several different ways on your smartphone: 

  • Earn cash back on daily purchases like gas and groceries
  • Use an investment app like Ellevest or the Charles Schwab app
  • Use gig apps like Upwork or Fiverr to earn money with remote work
  • Sell old items or textbooks
  • Participate in online surveys 
  • Be a mystery shopper
  • Become an online tutor
  • Use grocery apps and discounts
  • Become a social media manager
  • Sell high-quality photos on Getty Images
  • Get paid to walk
  • Make money with Uber or Lyft
  • Do small tasks 
  • Use apps like Doordash or Instacart to earn money with food delivery

Many apps use your basic caregiving skills, like buying groceries or offering your input to earn cash. And some sites like Upwork can increase your yearly income substantially. But even if you want to make a little money with mobile phone apps, there are great apps just for you.

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Can you get paid to care for your loved one?

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Which app is best for earning money in 2023? 

Whether you make money with phone apps just for extra cash or want to hone your caregiving skills with a regular remote gig, several apps offer significant benefits that make them popular this year.

Earn money fast with food delivery

Some apps like Instacart, Doordash, and Uber Eats can become part-time gigs. Earn hundreds of dollars a month delivering food from grocery stores, restaurants, and pharmacies. The app gives you options like selecting a delivery area and choosing your deliveries. 

Customers rate your service and offer tips. Peak times often result in extra cash. Delivery drivers earn anywhere from $5-$20 an hour, with experienced drivers with good ratings making significantly more. Drivers often run Doordash and Uber Eats while out and about to keep orders rolling in.

Enjoy lucrative gig work with Upwork or Fiverr

Both Upwork and Fiverr offer family caregivers options for regular gig work. Most work involves graphic design, video editing, writing, blogging, social media, software development, translation services, or other computer work like proofreading. Earning money is simple: 

  1. Set up a free profile and account
  2. Fill in all your information and a profile picture
  3. Search the site for jobs in your field
  4. On Upwork, search 1000s of gigs and bid on jobs 
  5. Fiverr has a more menu-style system, where clients contact you for work instead of you actively seeking out work

Both sites take a percentage of earnings but do not charge for setting up the profile. Fiverr is best for those who want repetitive work, like touching up images or writing short 100-word blogs. The work could be more steady, although top earners make significant money. 

For those with professional experience, Upwork offers remote gig work and salaried positions. Building a profile on Upwork and the first few months may be difficult as you learn the site. Upwork has an app that allows you to search for jobs on your phone. The sooner you bid on a job, the better chance you have of earning income

Find a virtual tutoring job

Tutoring online is the way to go to make some extra cash while flexing your mental muscles. With options ranging from kindergarten reading to high school physics, you can choose to tutor either virtually or in person. Use Super Prof or Care to find a virtual tutoring job.

Earn income with surveys on Swagbucks or Taskbucks

Swagbucks or Taskbucks are a way to make extra money by completing tasks such as surveys, watching videos, and shopping online. You can redeem your Swagbucks for gift cards or cash out through PayPal. Like many survey apps, earning money takes longer. The average dollars per hour is low, but it may be a practical way to make a few extra dollars per month for minimal effort and flexible hours.

Make money with your car using Uber or Lyft

Uber and Lyft offer a great way for family caregivers to earn money on the side. By driving with Uber, family caregivers can flexibly make extra money while caring for their loved ones. Uber's platform allows drivers to choose when and how often they work, so family caregivers can work around their schedules and still use this supplemental income to care for their families. 

Become a virtual assistant

A virtual assistant provides a wide range of services to business owners, from administrative tasks to social media marketing, and you don’t need an expensive degree or special training to get started. You can use a talent pools to ensure secure payments, client matching, the ability to build a detailed profile. 

Fiverr and Upwork are among the most popular talent pools, but others include:

Sell old items on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist

Sell old items, household items, books, and more on Facebook Marketplace. All you need to do is set up a Facebook account and follow their user agreement. Declutter your home and earn extra cash. Always be sure to set up a safe Meet-up between buyer and seller. While it takes some time to sell an item, many sellers who only sell items in a small geographic location often find willing customers relatively quickly. Craigslist is another online marketplace option that is easy to use. 

Earn cash back with grocery and gas apps

Finally, an easy way to earn cash back is by using store discount cards and apps for everyday purchases. For example, use your grocery discount app to save money at a gas station, and gas stations and restaurants also offer discounts and cashback for using their app.

With a wide range of apps available, you can earn anywhere from a few dollars to hundreds per month. Some users have seen their earnings grow substantially. Find the right app and enjoy making extra money this year in your spare time.

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