From Airbnb to Uber and eBay, these apps can help you earn some dough in the gig economy

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Working 9 to 5: What a way to make a living.

Or not.

About one in four Americans currently earns at least a portion of their income from the gig economy – whether it’s driving an Uber or Lyft, selling goods online on a site like eBay or Babysitting through Care.com – according to research published in 2018 by market research firm Edison Rese Arch. For 44% of concert workers, that side of hustle is their main source of income.

So what do these workers earn? It varies widely (although it is important to note that this is often not enough, as 80% of gig-economy employees whose work is a major source of income say that unexpected expenses of $ 1,000 would be hard to pay, Edison found).

People who participate in the leasing gig economy (such as renting a house on Airbnb) earn the most, at more than $ 2,000 a month on average, according to JPMorgan chase. But most others earn significantly less with a sector average of only about $ 800 a month.

Despite sometimes low incomes, people choose to work there for a variety of reasons, including flexible planning and the loss of a traditional job. And thanks to a plethora of apps and sites, they have plenty of options for the side hustle of work – as this fascinating graphic from lending company TitleMax shows.

Considering a side gig? Read the MarketWatch guide on how to make money with side hustle. And don’t forget to carefully check any app and website before using.

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