I have been a huge fan of any gig work for years now. Whether that’s driving passengers around, delivering food, freelancing, you name it.
With all of that said, I was still hesitant to try out being an Instacart shopper.
Why?
Because I don’t enjoy shopping. Honestly, even getting my own groceries or any other type of shopping brings me no joy. Maybe it’s one of those enduring myths about Instacart: grocery shopping is “only for women.”
However, I’m glad I tried it out because guess what? I really liked it! Even still I’ve also convinced my wife and several friends to also try it out, and they couldn’t be happier.
This post is sponsored by Instacart but, as always, opinions are our own.
What Changed My Mind About Shopping with Instacart
The Easy To Use App
For starters, you aren’t left guessing where to find things. The Instacart Shopper app guides you to the aisle where you will find the items. Once you find the item, you scan it, ensuring you got the right thing, and if the customer wants multiples, it makes sure before you go to the next screen that you have the correct amount.
Instead of it feeling like a chore, shopping with Instacart feels like a scavenger hunt where at the end, you help someone and you make some money.
Early Morning Hours
I am someone who gets up very early. I enjoy the peace of it, by myself reading, drinking coffee, and preparing for the day.
Sometimes though, I like to start working right away. Delivering prepared meals through most delivery services isn’t really a need before 11 am, and due to the pandemic, I have been around people as little as possible.
Delivering via Instacart, however, gave me the perfect way to start working earlier in the day. A lot of batches are available first thing in the morning, some even before the stores open.
For instance, if a store opens at 8 am, starting around 7:30, you can look and batches will be available for you to get. This means you can be at the store as soon as it opens and start working right away.
This is a great way for the early bird to catch the worm (aka get paid!)
The Feeling of Helping People
As important as making a living is, making money is not the only thing when it comes to work. As an Instacart shopper, you can truly feel like you’re making a difference in people’s lives.
Because I start driving early in the morning, I have the opportunity to assist elderly, busy moms and working families in getting their groceries.
Pulling up and seeing how happy people are to see you bringing them their groceries is a great feeling. A sincere thank you, a cash tip, or a “we really appreciate you” is worth so much to me, and makes being an Instacart shopper so much more than “just” delivering groceries.
Less Car Maintenance
As a driver, we are all concerned with how much maintenance and gas we’ll spend to make a living. It is without a doubt the biggest concern (and one of the biggest driver expenses) we have.
The majority of the work as an Instacart shopper, though, is actually shopping. You can choose to avoid not driving all over the city (or into neighboring cities), and you get to see what stores you’re going to before you pick up or accept a batch.
This means you drive less, and I’ve found I make more money per mile than any other service I’ve driven for. With less wear and tear on your vehicle, less gas to buy, you’ll get to keep more money in your pocket.
More Independence and Flexibility
With most services you sign up for, you’ll get a vague idea of where you’re going and how much you’ll make. It may be a simple estimate of how long a task will take, or sometimes nothing at all but how much you’ll get.
Instacart shoppers get to see the most relevant batches available in their area (i.e you will not see alcohol batches if you are not certified to deliver alcohol batches). You can see how much you’ll make with that particular batch, what store you’ll be shopping at and what you’ll be getting.
For instance, you may see a batch for $13 that’s at a store right down the road from you, to be delivered around the corner, and for only 5 items. Or, you could see a batch also for $13 that’s 25 minutes away, the customer is even further, and it’s 58 items. With that information, you get to decide which one you’ll take.
I admit that at one time I was an Instacart skeptic, but I am no longer. One of the biggest draws to shopping with Instacart is that it’s a fun scavenger hunt that pays me and benefits the community. Not everyone, especially right now, can go grocery shopping or has time to squeeze in grocery run to do so.
I’m given step-by-step instructions for choosing the right items, I can accept batches that are close to me and at stores I’m familiar with, I’m helping someone get needed groceries, and I get paid. It’s the definition of a win-win.
Were you an Instacart skeptic but are now ready to sign up and start shopping? Sign up for Instacart here!
-Tyler @ RSG
