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5 Ways To Make Money With Airbnb

Even though this site is dedicated to helping rideshare drivers make more money by working smarter, not harder, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a whole array of other ways to make money in the sharing economy.

As part of an ongoing series taking a look at the sharing economy, I’m going to be reviewing popular services ranging from Task Rabbit and Eat With to Airbnb and Postmates.  There is a wide world of opportunity out there with the sharing economy and it just doesn’t make sense to limit your skills to one specific niche like rideshare.  If there’s a specific company you’d like me to review or one that you’ve already used and would like to talk about, shoot me an e-mail and let’s hear what you have to say!

Similar to my rideshare journey, I started off with Airbnb on the customer side of things.  Over the years, I’ve used Airbnb to stay at properties in Hawaii, San Francisco and Santa Barbara.  And what initially attracted me to the service was the fact that Airbnb properties were significantly cheaper than renting a comparable hotel room.

I’ve actually never been a big fan of paying for travel (as evidenced by my numerous articles on ‘travel hacking’) but when I do have to pay for a room, I prefer to use Airbnb.  Among the many benefits on the consumer side, there are actually just as many on the owner’s side.  Today I’m going to detail a few of the ways I’ve made money off Airbnb and also present some unique strategies that some of my friends have been doing to make money off Airbnb too. [Read more…]

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FRIDAY RIDESHARE ROUNDUP: Lyft and Uber Partner Up (Just Not With Each Other)

RSG: What a week it’s been!  We got some pretty crazy traffic on Monday when we released our article on The Downfall of Lyft.  I was actually pretty surprised though at how few e-mails/comments/tweets I got disagreeing with my point of view.  A few reporters even contacted me (again) after the story hit the wires but let’s see if any of them actually quote me this time.  Today, RSG contributor Jack Ross takes a look at some of the most interesting, fascinating and downright crazy rideshare stories of the past week.  Make sure to  on Twitter if you want to stay on top all of the latest news in the industry.  Hammer time anyone??

Welcome to this week’s roundup, where we’ll take a look at some big partnerships, for Lyft, Uber and see how it will affect the future of rideshare.

Plus, a handful of useful resources, podcasts, a brewing in-office war between the big guys, the ever-present Obvious Headline and more. Here we go:

MLB Says Let’s Play Ball, Partners With Lyft ahead of Playoffs

This is definitely the first of many, many to come. NFL and Uber, anyone? That’s going down for sure. The Belichick-and-Brady of big corporate matches.

And who knows, soon enough, TNCs might even partner with airlines, ya know, if the whole “You can’t do rideshare at the airport” minor issue gets settled soon… [Read more…]

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How To Build A Network Of Passengers

When I started on this rideshare journey nearly 6 months ago, things were good.  All I had to do was flip into driver mode and I could almost guarantee myself $20/hr in take home pay.  If I drove during peak times or the party hours, $30/hr was well within reach.

A lot has changed since then though and some drivers have actually given up on rideshare altogether.  I guess I’m an optimistic one though, because when a certain challenge or problem arises, I’m going to figure out a way to make the most of it.  I’ve already talked about how I use things like my passenger referral strategy to increase earnings but today I’m going to talk about how to build a network of passengers. [Read more…]

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Scott’s List: Top Ten Questions Passengers Like To Ask Their Rideshare Drivers

RSG: I love talking to my passengers but one thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of people love to ask the same questions over and over.  Most of these questions are pretty harmless but I’d love to hear from you drivers out there what questions you get asked the most and how you answer them.  Here’s a great list that RSG contributor Scott Van Maldegiam has compiled and he definitely saved the best for last.  Enjoy!

10.  How long have you been driving for (name your favorite ride sharing company)?

I started driving for UberX in December of 2013.  I switched to Lyft when UberX decided to start charging $10 a week for the use of the device in August.  They also lowered their fares, discontinued a bonus ($1 per ride), and raised their commission to 20%.  Lyft has scaled commission (actually “rider bonus”) and allows for tips in the app.  Also, Lyft seems to take driver quality to a higher level than UberX as they require a mentor ride.

I will always push the ride sharing company I am driving for.  I am an independent representative of the company so I will not push another service over the one that was requested.  I will explain the differences but put the spin on it for the one I am currently driving for which currently is mostly Lyft.  When UberX introduces the Android Driver app, I will sign back up with UberX. [Read more…]

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Why The Downfall Of Lyft Is Imminent

For those who are regular readers of my site, you’ve probably noticed a recurring theme: I don’t like to talk much about fare cuts, I never complain about driving for Lyft/Uber and I never make excuses as to why I’m not earning enough.  For me, rideshare driving is something that I do for extra income, it’s not something that I depend on to make a living since I’m all about creating multiple sources of income.

A lot of rideshare sites, forums and groups out there are pretty outspoken when it comes to how they’re being treated by Lyft and Uber.  But from the beginning, I’ve treated all TNC’s the same way that I would treat any other billion dollar corporation: I don’t trust them.  Any time you start to put faith in someone else (especially billion dollar corporations) or depend on someone else to make a living, you are no longer in control.  That might seem like an obvious statement but no matter what corporations tell you, they will always be looking out for their bottom line, not yours.

Related Article: There’s No Loyalty In The Corporate World

With that being said, my rideshare journey over these past 6 months has still been pretty amazing.  I’ve made more money than I ever could have imagined, I’ve helped countless drivers learn about efficient rideshare techniques and I’m also part of a burgeoning sharing economy.

[Read more…]