Increase Your Income FAST!

byCatchFire

184 followers

Updated 9 years ago

I am 64 and on disability. My monthly check is insufficient to live on my own, so last January I moved in with my 84 year old mother and her husband. They like to tell me I'm "helping them by paying rent," etc but the truth is, they knew I had nowhere to go. It's embarrassing.

Because I love to sew and my mother's sister raised five kids by doing dressmaking and alterations for people, I gave this a try as a way to increase my income. At best, I added maybe $100/month ... but that was not every month. Still barely able to cover all the bills each month, I began looking around for something else to do. I submitted job applications to a few fabric stores, looked into taking classes, etc. but nothing really fit my needs.

My health is unpredictable. Some mornings, I feel great. Others I wake up unable to get out of bed. So a job with a schedule probably wouldn't work. I couldn't imagine anything other than my sewing at home giving me the control over my schedule that I required.

One evening as I fought panic and depression concerning my future (because when Mom passes, I will really have NO where to go), I decided to look up a company called UBER. This "company" has developed an app for smart phones, which pairs up people needing a ride, with others willing to drive them - for a fee. I read into the night: everything I could find about Uber and by morning had signed up as a driver. I am sort of like a taxi driver except that I use my own car.

The process was simple enough: I took pictures with my phone of my driver's license, registration and insurance, then sent it in to Uber when prompted during the registration process. You will need to pass a background check but that shouldn't be a problem for most of us.

It took me two days before I had the nerve to actually "go online", which is how they know you're available. The first day was rough: finding the right address to pick-up and drop-off was challenging, even with the integrated navigation program. The rest of the job, however, was easy-peasy! I love chatting with new people and learning about different lifestyles. My riders have taught me so many things already! I love driving around the area and seeing all the architecturally beautiful homes and business districts.

But best of all is the fact that I have literally doubled my disability income this month! Yes, the cost of a blue-tooth, new tires and all that gas is mine but I'm still ahead of the game! I'm caught up on my credit cards, and medical co-pays and have even started buying some new clothes! And I've actually opened a savings account which I will use to fund a camper purchase next year.

I plan to drive for Uber once I'm living full time in my camper, too! I'll have my dog and my bird to keep me company and welcome me home after a day of driving. I'll just have to make arrangements to keep them warm while I'm away. The dog will do well with a heating pad in her bed. The bird is a little trickier. But I found a "thermal perch" for her. The temperature varies from end to end, so she can decide how much warmth she needs and just plant herself there until I get back and can up the heat in the camper if necessary. (You can visit my blog at TheSeniorRVr.com to see how we're doing in about six months! That's how long it will take me to save up the funds to purchase my camper ... thanks to Uber!)

This is the K&H Thermo Perch, which sells for less that half of some other manufacturers I found online. (Click on the picture to purchase.) It is heated using household electrical current and mitigates the cold drafts and air conditioning found in our homes. The temperature varies from one end to the other, so the bird can decide for herself where she needs to be to stay warm.

But I digress... If you are a senior on a fixed income ... or on disability with unpredictable health levels... then I encourage you to consider driving for Uber. YOU are in total charge of when you work and for how long you work. If you're not up to it one day, you simply don't "go online". No excuses for the boss, or feeling guilty, or hiding from co-workers. Get an unexpected bill in the mail? No problem! Just work a little more that week and pay it off. No angst over lack of funds or bill collectors.

I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Just comment below and I'll respond ASAP. Here's the link to the Driver Sign-up Page and my "Promo Code" is rejet8frue ... please enter it when registering with Uber if my blog has had any influence on you. Happy Driving!