Considering a side hustle as an Instacart driver?
With Instacart, you can make money shopping for — and delivering — other people’s groceries.
If you have a car and extra time during the week, why not put both to work? That’s the pitch, anyway.
Let’s take a closer look at how their grocery shopping program works, and how much money you can expect to make. (With insights from a side hustling Instacart Shopper earning $480 a week!)
Instacart Shopper Review
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Sign-Up Process
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Ease of Use
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Earning Potential
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Gig Availability
Instacart Shopper Summary
Becoming an Instacart shopper won’t make you rich, but it is a legit and viable side hustle option. Check out the full review below to learn about the pros and cons of Instacart, how to maximize your earnings, and possible alternatives.
What is Instacart?
Instacart is an online grocery delivery service, and one of the fastest-growing companies in America.
Customers can download the driving app, order groceries from local stores, and get them delivered. The service allows you to choose a delivery timeframe–often the same day and possibly within hours of ordering.
Where is Instacart Available?
Instacart’s delivery and pickup services are available in thousands of cities across the United States and Canada, and they’re constantly expanding to new markets.
Use their app or website to check if delivery is available in your area.
How Does Instacart Make Money?
Instacart drives revenue through a few different income streams.
(Although Instacart has a multi-billion dollar valuation, it’s still not profitable as a company — at least according to 2018 data, the most recent I could find.)
Delivery Fees
Most of their income is generated through delivery fees.
At press time, Instacart charges a minimum of $3.99 for same-day orders of $35 or more. Additional fees apply for 1-hour deliveries, orders over 50 pounds, club store deliveries, and orders under $35.
Optional Membership Fees
Another feature that earns money for Instacart is a subscription type service called Instacart Express.
Customers can pay $99 annually for a subscription, or $9.99 a month, which gives them free deliveries on orders over $35 and reduced service fees.
Grocery Partnerships
Revenue is also generated through two types of partnerships.
First, Instacart partners with grocery chains to offer the service in their stores. The revenue generated is shared between both companies.
Brand Partnerships
Instacart also partners with specific brands to offer discounts and deals in a special section of their interface. It’s a new model of advertising in a way.
How Can YOU Make Money with Instacart?
The primary way you can make money working with Instacart is as a Full-Service Shopper.
Full-Service Shoppers receive orders, pull and bag them, and deliver them to customers at the appointed time.
What About In-Store Shoppers?
Previously, there was another money-making option with Instacart, which was to be an In-Store Shopper. These specialists received orders through the app and then shopped and bagged the groceries.
Then, they’d hand the items off to a delivery driver to complete the job.
However, Instacart is no longer actively hiring In-Store Shoppers so the best side hustle option with the company is as a Full Service Shopper.
“I Made $10,000 as an Instacart Shopper in 6 Months”
I interviewed Kevin LaCombe of Minneapolis, Minnesota, to learn more about driving for Instacart.
Kevin began his side hustle as an Instacart Shopper in February 2019, and within 6 months, had passed $10,000 in total earnings. He told me his goal was to hit $20,000 for the year, all on the side from his day job.
If you’re considering Instacart as your next income stream, I encourage you check out our conversation:
Obviously, delivery gigs are in-demand right now, and Kevin has taken full advantage. In late April 2020, he sent me this email update:
Over $1000 a week, part-time! Of course that didn’t last forever, but it goes to show what can happen if you’re dedicated to a particular side hustle.
For the duration of this article, I may make reference to Kevin’s specific advice or insights.
Instacart Shopper Requirements
Before you sign-up as a Shopper, you’ll want to make sure you meet a few requirements.
- You must be 18 years or older and legal to work in the US (or local market). (You must be 21 or older to accept orders with alcohol.)
- You’ll need a decent smartphone with service (iPhone 5 / Android 4.4 or newer).
- Drivers must have a valid driver’s license, a reliable vehicle, and car insurance.
- You must be able to lift between 30-40 lbs.
Instacart also provides personal protective equipment for Covid-19 precautions.
Full-Service Shoppers are considered independent contractors, while In-Store Shoppers are considered part-time employees.
What’s the Signup Process to Drive for Instacart?
To begin working for Instacart as a Shopper and delivery driver, the process starts on their website:
Fill out the registration form with your personal information like name, email, and phone number. After that, you’ll answer questions about the reliability of your smartphone.
Then you’ll choose the job role you want.
After you submit your answers, you’ll be directed to complete a more detailed registration. This includes questions you may expect as part of a job interview.
You’ll also need to provide proof of your driver’s license and give more detailed background info. To sign up to work for Instacart, you’ll also need to provide a payment method–so they can send you your hard-earned cash!
The company will perform a background check on you, which adds some time to the sign-up process. Most Shoppers are approved within 1-2 weeks.
Once you’ve been approved, you can schedule your hours and start working.
How Do You Schedule Hours with Instacart?
Once approved to be a Full-Service Shopper, you can download the Instacart Shopper app and schedule your work hours.
The great thing about working for Instacart is you get to choose your hours. Sign up for as many or as few hours as you want to work any given week.
(image via wikihow)
If you need a day or a week off, just mark yourself unavailable on those days.
You’re in control of your schedule, but if you don’t have a consistent calendar week to week, this could be a drawback.
Schedules are made a week ahead of time.
Another important note is that you can’t do this gig if the stores aren’t open, so most shifts start at 10am, and end around 9pm. When Kevin was starting out, he did 5-9pm shifts after his day job.
Wait, I Can’t Just Shop When I Feel Like It?
In many locations, yes — just like driving with Uber or Lyft, you can turn on the app and accept jobs as they come in.
But in other locations, Instacart requests you set your schedule and work the hours you choose. Drivers only receive potential orders through the app during your set hours.
Normally orders will pop up at least 30 minutes before their scheduled start time. You can choose to accept them or pass on them. You might pass on an order because of the distance involved, the number of items, or pay earned.
(Be careful passing on too many orders. It could get you booted from the service for the remainder of that day.)
In-Store Shoppers also set their own availability. They are then scheduled for shifts based on their availability, up to 29 hours a week.
How Much Money Do Instacart Shoppers Make?
Like anything else, the amount of money you can make with Instacart depends on several factors, including the:
- hours you work
- number of orders you fill
- size and difficulty of the orders
- driving distance
- location
- tips you receive
(Kevin explained that sometimes you get paid more based on the weight of items in the order. For example, an order with cases of water bottles or big bags of dog food should pay more than a lighter-weight order.)
You’ll see an estimate for earnings with each order that pops up on your phone. The app also tracks your total earnings for the week.
Kevin sent me this screenshot of his recent Instacart earnings, for an average of $482 a week:
Would an extra $300-600 a week give you some financial breathing room?
Yeah, But What About the Time You’re Putting In?
It’s not easy to estimate an across-the-board hourly pay for Instacart drivers because of all the variables.
The company doesn’t divulge much data on pay; nor do they make any guarantees for Full-Service Shoppers.
In the past, I’ve seen advertising from Instacart claiming drivers can make “up to” $25 an hour, but those seem to have disappeared.
Based on Kevin’s earnings figures and the hours he told me puts in–call it 30 hours a week–he averages $14-18 an hour.
Sure, he’s had short 1-2 hour stretches in the $25-30 an hour range, but to cherrypick those wouldn’t be an accurate overall picture.
(Keep reading for his tips on how to maximize your earnings.)
Your location and the time of day will factor into how much you make as well.
According to Glassdoor, the average pay for an In-Store Shopper is $14/hour.
Do Instacart Shoppers Get Tips?
Instacart Full-Service Shoppers can receive tips, but customers aren’t required to tip. When they do, you get to keep 100% of those tips.
Tips can be added at the time of order or adjusted (up or down) for 3 days.
Kevin said he often gets the tip increased with stellar service, but has never had anyone go back into the app and dock him yet.
Customers enter the tip when they place the order, so you’ll see the tip upfront before you accept each gig.
In-store shoppers don’t receive tips.
How Does Shopping as an Instacart Driver Work?
Once orders are received and accepted, head to the designated store to begin filling the order.
The Shopper app will display your shopping list, and you’ll mark each item as fulfilled as you find it. This updates customers in real-time so they can track the order.
You’ll note if something changed in the order or if something wasn’t available. Customers will be refunded for items that aren’t available, and you can text customers to figure out suitable substitutions if needed.
(And they can text you with additional requests or last minute changes.)
How Do You Pay for the Food?
Instacart Shoppers are given a special company debit card to pay for customer orders. You’ll swipe this card and hit enter when prompted to input a pin number. At some stores, you may be required to enter a pin code.
Some stores have a designated pin code for Instacart Shoppers. If that’s the case, just let the cashier know.
The debit card is loaded with funds based on the order you received. That means you’ll need to stick very close to the requested weights on any produce. If you go above the allotted amount on the card, it could be declined.
In areas where the app is really popular, some stores may even have a designated line specifically for Instacart Shoppers!
What Sucks About Being an Instacart Shopper?
Like any job, shopping and delivering with Instacart can be hectic at times and has its pros and cons.
The most common complaints from drivers include dealing with rude customers, trying to find parking, low-paying orders, and technical trouble with the app itself.
1. Dealing with Awful Customers
The customer might “always be right,” but they aren’t always nice.
Or helpful.
Or satisfied–no matter how hard you try. As you can probably imagine, while most people are polite and grateful, that’s not always the case!
2. Having Nowhere to Park
Parking during deliveries probably isn’t a big deal in most suburban areas. But in big cities where parking is already limited and often prohibited, drivers face being ticketed or fined all the time.
Driving in the city already stresses me out, so I probably wouldn’t touch this gig if it brought me to a high-density urban area!
3. Sitting in Traffic
Ever feel like driving wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for other drivers?
Imagine having to try and deliver groceries on time and having to deal with traffic jams and bad drivers. Since Shoppers are paid by the gig, not by the hour, every minute spent stuck in traffic is money you’re not making.
4. Tech Trouble with the Instacart App
I found several complaints from Instacart Shoppers about connectivity with the app. This can be a major headache since it’s your only way to see orders, delivery times, and other important information.
In fairness, it seems like the company has since fixed these bugs — the latest version of the app is extremely well-rated.
5. Low-Paying Orders
Like Kevin explained, you’ll often get orders popping up in your app that really aren’t worth your time. Picking 30 items and delivering them 15 miles away for $12 … yeah, no thanks.
As an independent contractor, you’re free to decline orders you don’t want to take. Do it enough times in a row, though, and you’ll get booted off your shift.
(Kevin didn’t seem to believe this was any sort of strike against you or your “permanent record” on Instacart.)
Other Costs to Consider
Think of being an Instacart Shopper like any other freelance business. What you earn isn’t necessarily what you keep.
(Though Instacart Shoppers have one distinct advantage that other freelancers don’t–they have to spend exactly zero time and money on marketing; the company does all that for you.)
Here are some hidden and not-so-hidden costs you need to be aware of before signing up.
Car Insurance
If you have a car, you’re probably already insured. While most Shoppers won’t/don’t do this, it might be worthwhile to check if your state requires delivery drivers to carry a commercial policy.
Instacart’s lawyers give a professional punt on this one, stating only that you’re responsible for “securing and paying for automobile insurance in coverage amounts consistent with legal requirements.”
And:
“You understand that Instacart does not provide any insurance … and that you are not entitled to receive such insurance coverage from Instacart. You further understand that … commercial automobile insurance may be required in your jurisdiction, and you agree that it is your responsibility to determine if any of the above is required.”
Gas and Vehicle Maintenance
For most shoppers, this will be the biggest “hidden” cost.
A fuel-efficient car is a must to minimize this expense! It reminds me of a Lyft driver I once rode with in a Ram 1500 pickup truck … he was definitely not making any money after buying gas.
The good news is you should be able to write off your mileage accrued shopping with Instacart. The mileage rate set by the IRS is at $0.56 per mile for 2021.
That means if you drive 100 miles delivering groceries, you can knock $56.00 off your total earnings for tax purposes.
(And as a general rule, that also means that the government thinks those 100 miles cost you $56.00 in gas and maintenance!)
Pro Tip: Use a mileage tracking app like Hurdlr. Hurdlr automatically tracks your mileage, expenses, income streams, and tax deductions in real-time. On average, Hurdlr helps users find $5600 in deductions!
Vehicle Deprecation
As you rack up more miles, your car’s resale value goes down. That won’t hurt your wallet today, but it’s something to keep in mind.
Insulated Freezer Bag
Instacart Shoppers are required to own and use insulated freezer bags for cold grocery items. These are a small one-off expense–and something you may already own–but they’re not provided by the company.
Income Taxes
This expense isn’t unique to driving for Instacart, but it’s something to be aware of.
Like all business owners, Full-Service Shoppers will need to make estimated quarterly tax payments based on their earnings. That’s because Instacart doesn’t withhold taxes from your earnings like most employers do.
You are considered an independent contractor and will receive a 1099 tax form. Depending on your tax bracket, I’d recommend stashing away 25% of your earnings for Uncle Sam–and more if you live in an income tax state.
Opportunity Costs
What else could you be doing with all this shopping and driving time? Is there another skill you have that might earn a better hourly rate?
Is there a business you’ve been thinking about starting that might eventually let you stop trading time for money?
An Unexpected Perk: Free Groceries?
Kevin explained that while the Instacart app is quite accurate, occasionally the software messes up.
For example, he’s shown up to a customer’s house with an order, only to have them say another Shopper dropped it off a couple hours earlier.
In cases like that, you’ll need to contact Instacart support. Kevin said they’ll give you the option to dump the food, return it to the store, or keep it. Hey, free food!
6 Ways to Maximize Your Instacart Driver Earnings
Aside from driving a fuel-efficient car, there are a few things Shoppers can do improve their bottom line.
Here are Kevin’s top suggestions for increasing your effective hourly rate.
1. Hustle
If you can work your way quickly through the store aisles, you’ll be able to get in and out faster.
This is one element of the gig that actually seems like a fun scavenger hunt.
2. Follow Customer Instructions Closely
Customers add details or specific items to their orders for a reason. A good driver pays attention to the little details.
If you don’t understand something, definitely send a message to clarify.
3. Deliver Orders on Time
Being late with your delivery is a surefire way to get a smaller (or no) tip.
4. Be Friendly
This seems simple, but being courteous, making eye contact, and smiling can make a customer’s grocery delivery experience 100% better.
Kevin added that he’ll try and make small talk conversation, perhaps based on something he saw in their yard or neighborhood.
Remember, customers have 3 days to add to (or subtract from) your tip. If you make a great impression, you may see a few extra dollars hit your account.
5. Go the Extra Mile
Find ways to help customers. Anything you can do to help your customers can go a long way when they’re considering increasing their tip amount in the app. This could be as simple as carrying groceries upstairs or making small talk with their kiddos.
Like any job, you want to do it to the best of your abilities. It doesn’t make sense to start a side hustle that involves tips if you aren’t willing to do the little things to improve your tip amounts.
6. Consider an “Eye in the Sky” App
Instacart drivers might consider adding Gridwise to your arsenal. Gridwise a cool app that helps rideshare and delivery drivers earn 39% more on average.
They do this through automatic mileage tracking, earnings comparisons across platforms, event and weather notifications, airport flight details, and more. These optimizations could mean hundreds of extra dollars a month.
Instacart Alternatives
If shopping for Instacart doesn’t seem like a good fit, check out these alternative delivery apps that might be available in your area:
- DoorDash – Make up to $25 an hour* as a food delivery driver for DoorDash. For more, check out our full DoorDash review.
- Uber Eats – Make money delivering takeout orders. Here’s my video with an Uber Eats driver on how to maximize earnings.
- Shipt – Another grocery delivery service, Shipt was acquired by Target in 2017. They continue to grow and expand like Instacart, and say you can earn up to $22 an hour.
- Amazon Flex – Earn $18-25 an hour making deliveries for Amazon in select markets.
There are plenty of ways to make money delivering groceries, food, and other items. Figure out what works for you and try one out!
*For illustrative purposes only, actual earnings may differ and depend on expenses. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) and includes compensation from peak pay, tips, and other incentives.
Related: Here are some of our favorite money making apps.
Instacart Shopper Review Summary: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Quick to get started
- Relatively simple gig with no special skills required
- Set your own schedule
Cons:
- No minimum hourly rate set
- Relatively low earnings after factoring in gas, maintenance, and vehicle depreciation
- Can be physically demanding
Conclusion
It’s clear that becoming an Instacart Shopper isn’t going to make you rich, but is certainly an interesting option to make extra money on the side.
I think this gig is best for those who:
- drive a mostly-depreciated, fuel-efficient car
- are looking for a simple side hustle they can start quickly
- don’t feel confident in their ability to earn more than $15/hour elsewhere
Big thanks to Kevin for giving me the inside scoop!
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Hello, thanks for giving information about Kevin. it is one of the best online groceries and one of the fastest-growing companies in e-commerce. I love everything about Instacart. it is like you are your own boss.
Really?
Do you still make decent money after all expenses and tax deductions?
I just signed up but I started thinking , it may not be something worth to do
What a great article that you shared. If you are a busy person or run a business, it is hugely efficient to have someone else go to the grocery store and pickup items for you, allowing you to focus on other important things. I think that’s awesome you even put the alternatives, in addition to the goods and bads. Really thorough article and thanks for sharing Nick!
Been there, done that. I was an Instacart Full Service Shopper for a little over a year, while I’m glad this individual was able to make $10K in 6 months, I would have to say that their experience isn’t universal. I won’t bash Instacart if you do your research you’ll find countless others who would freely do that, it does rank low on my side hustle list (especially in NYC). It was able to help me have some additional cash flow when I was truly in a bind financially. I’ve since explored and cultivated other side hustle opportunities that are waaaayyyy less brutal and taxing. Consider this decision very thoughtfully before proceeding.
Agreed. What are you working on these days, Farrah?
Hi thank you for your comment , I am in Canada, just curious what other side businesses you have discovered ? I just signed up with Instacart , but when I look into more , I started have great doubt , for shopping and delivery that may take up at least half hour and they only pay us $6 dollars for that ? And I have to pay gas and tax on top of it !!! Sounds like work for them for free! Worse than UberEats! Lol
Hi Farrah,
What other side hustle opportunities have you found that you consider less brutal and taxing? I’m looking into all of them.
Let me know if you found any yet please
Like? What are some better ones?
Do they actually deliver to your door tho? I’m new here
For Instacart to be a worthwhile side hustle, I think it depends on the market you live in. I live in a tourist town with lots of timeshare condos. Tourists don’t want to waste their vacation grocery shopping, so they use Instacart. They are in a good mood because they’re on vacation, and usually tip well.
Good tip, Amy – thanks for sharing!
That’s awesome !
This is one of the few overviews of instacart I’ve read that actually mentions that the mileage tax deduction is not just a “perk”, so I appreciate that. However, no one ever seems to say just how many miles they drive. It’s silly to claim an hourly pay rate and not take this into account. So… When you’re making 20 bucks an hour, how many miles are you driving per hour? Subtract that number times 58¢ from that $20/hour.
How much are you really making?
I don’t think that you understand how a tax write off works exactly. If you make $20/hr. but drive 10 miles in that hour (10 miles x .58 = $5.80), you still have earned the same $20, however, when it comes tax time, you are able to deduct the $5.80 from your earnings, so you are now taxed on $14.20/hr. Instead of the full $20. See? To keep the math simple, say your tax bracket is 10%, you now pay Uncle Sam $1.42/hr. instead of $2.00/hr.
But depending on the age and efficiency of your automobile, you may be spending more than $5.80 per mile to drive it. Gasoline + Oil + Tires + Other Maintenance.
Recently found out that in FL you have to get commercial or endorsement insurance in case you get in an accident while making your deliveries…personal insurance won’t cover it. Most shoppers aren’t even aware of this. I like the flexibility but it isn’t worth the time to make extra cash just to pay for the additional insurance. Think of it as going back to work just to pay for child care…not worth it at all.
However, if you know of any insurance companies that cover FL and not double let me know as I really do like the flexibility.
If you want the truth from a person that works full time and works! It is the best job EVER!!!!!!
Could you please elaborate what makes this the best job ever ? I just signed up and want to be motivated . Thank you
I would like to sign up to be a driver
I’d like to sign up to be a driver
Go for it Loise! You can sign up here: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/instacart
How do I become a driver to shop for groceries
I would like to sign up to be a driver
Go for it Denise! You can sign up through my referral link: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/instacart
Keep us posted :)
I would like to sign up to become a driver
Go for it, Melissa! You can do so through my referral link here: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/instacart
Keep us posted :)
I would like to become a driver
Did you keep track of all of your mileage? If you did not do you know how to go back on the App and find it?
Thanks.
How can I become a driver?
Hi Marcial, you can begin the driver sign-up process through my referral link here: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/instacart
Where is the clear information to become a driver, not a shopper?
Both positions do shopping. One stays in the store, and does not do the deliveries. The other shops and then delivers. You can choose your preference when signing up in the app.
How can I apply
Hi Maynor, you can apply through my referral link here: https://www.sidehustlenation.com/instacart
I am very interested in pick up and delivering merchandise for others
I would like to become a driver for northwest Chicago land area which includes counties of McHenry, Boone, lake, and kane
Hello,
you will be much happier not working for this company… if you need support for ANY reason (for example the app not working, or if a customer is not willing or able to show ID for alcohol delivery) you have to wait on hold for 5 hours to get help!! Also when you are ordered to isolate at home by your doctor WAITING for COVID results Instacart tells you that you were NOT told by a doctor to isolate at home so it is an excuse for them to NOT pay benefits!! I did fill out all of their required docs AND a doctors note!! but that is never enough!!
I want to work for you all
I would like to work for the Company
Iam instead in making some extra cash I live in Michigan
I have a Lyft car for the company it’s self that I rent can I use that vehicle to make deliveries
This past weekend was my first time as an on demand full shopper for Instacart. Here are my thoughts:
– Very little direction is given to first time shop. Was happy that the cashier knew the pin number for the debit card they gave you.
– As an IT professional by day the app is very clunky especially if store brand items have been repackaged.
– During the Coronavirus, many customer’s are asking for miracles…. I have not seen Lysol Wipes for while over a month but to ask for a six pack container of wipes with no replacement. Isn’t going to happen and to go through the app to get it refund is difficult. I understand that no one wants to pay a fee and not get the things that they need but during this time the app should be changed so, that you are not having to go through all these steps when there are no replacements for these items.
– I also found it frustrating that for other items where there are limits and shortages when you indicate you can not find item such as eggs. That the app will come back and tell me that five hours ago someone was able to find and am I sure I can not find said item…. When the shelf is bare and I have asked a stocker if they have anymore in the back I am sure they do not have. This again eats at valuable time that you are spending in the store to acquire the order.
– I really appreciated those customers that did make substitution requests or communicated back on replacements when items were not available. With that said the amount of work and time it takes to find items is considerable with shortages of food and inventory due to the virus.
– For me the biggest shock was to hear that instacart suggest a 5% tip while restaurants start tips at a suggestion of 15%. Also getting to register and seeing that an order is over $100 and to get a tip of 5 dollars after you have spent a considerable amount of time shopping, bagging, and delivering order. Not Sure why default tips are not higher given work required and risk we as shoppers are taking to get items
– Saw claims by instacart of making $25 dollars an hour when in reality it is probably around $15 and that is before expenses like taxes, gas, gloves, and masks.
– Learned you really need to look at what you will be making before accepting a batch. Had a delivery that was for nine items that required me to drive 18 miles from the store. I live relatively close to store so this was a 40 minute drive round trip to make a total of 18.00
– Instacart pays quickly which is great
– Brings me joy when I deliver to an elderly customer who is so grateful that someone will deliver their food or medication so they are not having to get out. To be honest for the elder on fix incomes I would gladly shop for them for free.
– Would I continue to do…. Not sure that I will but was an interesting and at times rewarding experience
Thanks for sharing Kris!
I have been shopping for Instacart since last October and personally love it. But is is really not a one size fits all kind of a job for sure! I have kids and can’t work all the time so I needed something extremely flexible and this job fits the bill. Where I live (San Luis Obispo county) Instacart does all On Demand orders and it’s is so nice to not have to sign up for shifts. I’m doing this job for extra money on the side, not to make a ton. I think the success of this job working for you or not also depends on where you live. I would hate doing this in a big city with lots of traffic and miles to travel for delivering. I am fortunate to live in a smaller city where all the stores that use Instacart are within a few miles of each other. That makes it far more worth my time. Plus people here are very nice and fairly generous (not everyone but I have only had one person cut back their tip..most leave it the same, add to it or give even more cash at the door).
And lastly, like any job, there are days that are extremely stressful and days that are great. The app is not perfect but once you get really used to it, it can be navigated fairly quickly. With the exception of one time, I have been able to get through to support services within minutes…and they have always been able to help me with whatever issues I have had.
So there is my “two cents!” You have to weigh different factors to decide if this job will be a good fit for you. Good luck everyone!
Thanks for sharing Brooke! SLO is awesome too :)
Instacart is good but come tax time it isn’t. Someone we know owed $700 in taxes being it’s like being self employed
I think some of this info is either outdated of market specific. I’ve shopped in both Minneapolis/Saint Paul and Bemidji. In both markets you are not required to set work hours and can just shop whenever.
Thanks for sharing. Very helpful on how to make each app. work for oneself (me).
This article has a lot of valuable information but some are not quite true. For example, I that work as a full service shopper, don’t have to set hours to work. I just get in my car and start working.
Do you pay taxes quarterly?
Haven’t started yet but I am concerned about the pin# at checkout
hello! I just had my first 2 batches of delivery today and it took me 4 hours to finish it not because i’m slow on picking up the orders but because I didn’t know that i have to press “found it” when i get to pick the item already. Gosh! I was clueless. I did not know that i have to scan each item after i pick it. And there is no contact number to ask help also, just a chat customer care that doesn’t really help.
I wouldn’t do any delivery & shopping anymore knowing about tax deductions in the future. I live in Canada. It’s time consuming, really. I should’ve dash in doordash instead.
I feel plenty confident in my ability to earn more than $15 elsewhere. I side gig with Instacart because I can work for a couple hours as my schedule allows, I like to shop, it is NOT physically demanding at all and it adds $500 easy a week on 20-25 hours. Your article has a lot of great tips, but it your cons aren’t entirely accurate. That $500 was after gas costs and minimal depreciation/wear tear on my vehicle; it doesn’t put that many miles on the car since you pick your jobs/pay/driving distances.
Great insight, A.T., thanks for sharing!
Curious about the bagging. Do you use store-bought grocery bags and is the cost added to the order? Also, when you use your own insulated freezer bags, do you have to repack into a store-bought grocery bag before dropping off the order? I can’t imagine you leave your own bags with the client. Where I live you can no longer get free shopping bags.
I put the bagged groceries inside the insulated bags! Then you just take the bags out when at customers house! I also have a igloo cooler that’s much easier to use than the bags
Quit instacart when charges with taxes were $45.00 per order.
That is $2,500.00 year.
WHAT!
Charged for too much weight! what??
I’m a full service shopper and I don’t have set days or hours. I just turn it on and off when I’m available. It’s been that way since I started this past summer. I’m located in NY
Absolute crap! By the time you figure out what you pay in taxes, gasoline, time, and the actual work you put into doing this job, your grand total is $7.66/hour. A website called http://www.payupwtf.com has the absolute breakdown if you really want to see what the income is at that place. Did it for one day in a hybrid car… and figured it out.
Just one quick question-My pay week runs Sun to Sat and I find out my schedule 2 days before on Fri. Is that too late to plan my Instacart time? What is their weekly schedule and how far in advance do they want a person’s availability?
When bagging the groceries, only cloth bags are now offered….after we scan each item to be paid for, do we scan the bags as well and pay with the Instacart card?