# Uber earnings debate - Is it worth doing this ?



## openc (Feb 16, 2017)

Guys, I am in Washington, DC metro.. Every city has it's own cost of living and challenges. If you are responding, consider looking at your city's cost of living vs your uber earnings.

This may be correct if your primary source of income is something else, but not for a Full-Time guys.

To prove my point, one should take a full time uber driver for 40hr/week, 40*$15/hr = $600/week = $2400/month.

Cost of Living: $800 - 1200/month on rent, $800/month on Food, Insurance/Gasoline/Cellphone/Auto Maintenance/Health Insurance ($230/per person) easy $1000
Top that off with "Unforeseen situation" : Auto Accidents, Personal Health problems.

Uber earnings is obviously less compared to how much takes to live. Probably some profit of $300 - $500/month could be realized.


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## Vampoza6192 (Dec 4, 2016)

Part time yeah
Full time no


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

Vampoza6192 said:


> Part time yeah
> Full time no


This, there is a reason Uber stopped advertising this as a job and now tell you to "get your side hustle on."

You generally have to work backwards (9 pm to 5am) rather than (9am to 5pm) to make good money.

The other reason it's better to drive part time is you delay the inevitable with replacing or repairing your car. A full time driver might put 40,000 miles over a year on their car. Most cars won't last long with that much wear and tear.


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## vegasheat (Jul 13, 2016)

This is,the worst Job you will ever have, make sure you don't need it to survive.


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## Reaper216 (Feb 20, 2017)

I drive usually from 9p to 230a and make 400 to 500 a week. Its great extra money for me


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## Sgt_PaxHauler (Oct 21, 2016)

I'd have to agree that this is only good for a part-time "side hustle".
If you want to drive full-time, get your taxi/livery license and sign up with a taxi or limo company. Put miles on a vehicle that's part of a professionally managed fleet, instead of your own.


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## BostonTaxiDriver (Nov 23, 2014)

Sgt_PaxHauler said:


> I'd have to agree that this is only good for a part-time "side hustle".
> If you want to drive full-time, get your taxi/livery license and sign up with a taxi or limo company. Put miles on a vehicle that's part of a professionally managed fleet, instead of your own.


Can't make much profit anymore in the cab, even not worrying about maintenance or wear and tear, as I rent not own.

This applies to Boston with 2.9% unemployment.


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## shiftydrake (Dec 12, 2015)

BostonTaxiDriver said:


> Can't make much profit anymore in the cab, even not worrying about maintenance or wear and tear, as I rent not own.
> 
> This applies to Boston with 2.9% unemployment.


Not true in St Louis I own mine... work 44-45 hours a week last year I netted $42k That's not bad in St Louis anyway so for driving around and not standing on a fake leg that's right around $20 an hour but I don't think of it that way by the hour I mean.......cuz this ISN'T an hourly job


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## charmer37 (Nov 18, 2016)

vegasheat said:


> This is,the worst Job you will ever have, make sure you don't need it to survive.


 I can't agree more , Driving for these companies part time is more than enough, You're basically using your personal everyday vehicle for transporting people, Uber is nothing but a glorified taxi cab company and our cars are taxi's, Passengers love uber because they're cheaper than other forms of transportation including a bus.


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## Trump Economics (Jul 29, 2015)

openc said:


> Guys, I am in Washington, DC metro.. Every city has it's own cost of living and challenges. If you are responding, consider looking at your city's cost of living vs your uber earnings.
> 
> This may be correct if your primary source of income is something else, but not for a Full-Time guys.
> 
> ...


Didn't even read the post. THE ANSWER IS NO. Happy Payday Loan Day.


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

Shangsta said:


> This, there is a reason Uber stopped advertising this as a job and now tell you to "get your side hustle on."
> 
> You generally have to work backwards (9 pm to 5am) rather than (9am to 5pm) to make good money.
> 
> The other reason it's better to drive part time is you delay the inevitable with replacing or repairing your car. A full time driver might put 40,000 miles over a year on their car. Most cars won't last long with that much wear and tear.


40,000 miles?

Try 60-70,000


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## Uxfun (Apr 5, 2017)

Driving base rates full time is not sustainable. You simply chase your tail.


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> 40,000 miles?
> 
> Try 60-70,000


I'm not sure how you figure. That would be almost 190 miles a day assuming you drive every single day of the week. Most drivers take at least one day off a week if not two.


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

Shangsta said:


> I'm not sure how you figure. That would be almost 190 miles a day assuming you drive every single day of the week. Most drivers take at least one day off a week if not two.


I'm in the 250-300 range in Orlando... A day...

That's about 4 days a week to hit 60,000 a year... with some personal miles added in for good measure.

Yet more evidence that Uber is extra terrible in Orlando...

Some fun fadctoids..

Disney Florida is the same square mileage as San Fransisco.
Disney Florida is 18 miles from the airport

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando East-UCF Area, 12125 High Tech Ave, Orlando, FL 32817
DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld, 10100 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32821
these 2 hotels are... _*28! miles APART!*_
If you don't believe me...GPS IT

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Dou...bb706b496d6eb4!2m2!1d-81.4628291!2d28.4177444
This should tell you just how spread out everything is.


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## NewAge82 (Nov 16, 2015)

It's only worth it for part time drivers, college students, or people on section 8 getting housing assistance paying $20 a month on rent. Or maybe even people in-between jobs. This is by NO MEANS a career. & The illusion of being self employed or independent contractor is that! An illusion!


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## entrep1776 (Nov 3, 2016)

NewAge82 said:


> It's only worth it for part time drivers, college students, or people on section 8 getting housing assistance paying $20 a month on rent. Or maybe even people in-between jobs. This is by NO MEANS a career. & The illusion of being self employed or independent contractor is that! An illusion!


Do you think it makes people think about/learn about doing taxes as an independent contractor? I think it doea and will help me a little bit later when I start my next business.

I enjoy the tax write off. 
Writing off mileage as I run errands. 
Doing chores in my house waiting for pings. 
Interacting with the bar crowd without going to bar.


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## Lee239 (Mar 24, 2017)

entrep1776 said:


> Doing chores in my house waiting for pings.
> .


Some chores you can do, some you can't you can't start cooking a meal because you have to leave when you accept the pinga.


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## entrep1776 (Nov 3, 2016)

Lee239 said:


> Some chores you can do, some you can't you can't start cooking a meal because you have to leave when you accept the pinga.


I just text my pax tell them I'm gonna be 15 minutes late but I'm bringing dinner. jk.

Yeppers has to be something like laundry cleaning paying bills.

Easy to run to grocery store or shopping with app on,turn off app when front tires hit the parking lot.


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## Lee239 (Mar 24, 2017)

entrep1776 said:


> I just text my pax tell them I'm gonna be 15 minutes late but I'm bringing dinner. jk.
> 
> Yeppers has to be something like laundry cleaning paying bills.
> 
> Easy to run to grocery store or shopping with app on,turn off app when front tires hit the parking lot.


yeah, I do that and write off the miles if I have to do grocery shopping and if I get a pinga I do the ride, which never happens, by then app is off and I do my shopping and go home.


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## entrep1776 (Nov 3, 2016)

Lee239 said:


> yeah, I do that and write off the miles if I have to do grocery shopping and if I get a pinga I do the ride, which never happens, by then app is off and I do my shopping and go home.


From what you are saying, ft myers is stinky market. But maybe you aren't finding good fishing holes. I know in my market I could sit for hours no pings if in bad spot. If I move to decent spot, I get pings. figure My car costs 13 cents /mile. So actually the smd is cheaper than paying tax.

If you were gonna go grocery shopping neway, you got tax write off. I had to shift my thinking from uber as primary activity to Uber is background activity. doing both motivates me more than just going grocery shopping. Might only make $10, but it's $10 I didn't have. And I don't go gambling because Uber is kind of like gambling to me.

Seems like you are getting little negative after just getting started. I had same haplen to me. I had to manage my expectations that $20/hr wasn't realistic for my market.


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## Lee239 (Mar 24, 2017)

entrep1776 said:


> From what you are saying, ft myers is stinky market. But maybe you aren't finding good fishing holes. I know in my market I could sit for hours no pings if in bad spot. If I move to decent spot, I get pings. figure My car costs 13 cents /mile. So actually the smd is cheaper than paying tax.
> 
> If you were gonna go grocery shopping neway, you got tax write off. I had to shift my thinking from uber as primary activity to Uber is background activity. doing both motivates me more than just going grocery shopping. Might only make $10, but it's $10 I didn't have. And I don't go gambling because Uber is kind of like gambling to me.
> 
> Seems like you are getting little negative after just getting started. I had same haplen to me. I had to manage my expectations that $20/hr wasn't realistic for my market.


I don't need to write off personal miles, as it stand now we have to many empty miles to get to a pax and back home that it's 3 miles driven and 1 mile with a pax inside.


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## Lee239 (Mar 24, 2017)

entrep1776 said:


> From what you are saying, ft myers is stinky market. But maybe you aren't finding good fishing holes. I know in my market I could sit for hours no pings if in bad spot. If I move to decent spot, I get pings. figure My car costs 13 cents /mile. So actually the smd is cheaper than paying tax.
> 
> If you were gonna go grocery shopping neway, you got tax write off. I had to shift my thinking from uber as primary activity to Uber is background activity. doing both motivates me more than just going grocery shopping. Might only make $10, but it's $10 I didn't have. And I don't go gambling because Uber is kind of like gambling to me.
> 
> Seems like you are getting little negative after just getting started. I had same haplen to me. I had to manage my expectations that $20/hr wasn't realistic for my market.


$20 a day is not realistic for my market.


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> 'm in the 250-300 range in Orlando... A day...


But I doubt you drive 7 days a week


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

Shangsta said:


> But I doubt you drive 7 days a week


I don't usually 4, but 250 miles 7 days a week would put you in the 91,000 range..

250-300 is in 12-13 hours which is 12 in a taxi plus the drive to/from the shop.


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## sharknado523 (Mar 14, 2017)

Uxfun said:


> Driving base rates full time is not sustainable. You simply chase your tail.


I'm in Charlotte, NC which almost never surges. You'll see pockets Saturday nights or when a concert lets out but everyone knows the surges don't last so they just pull out their phone 15 minutes later and pay less. I was 5 min. away from a 3.0X ping, I start driving there and the rider cancels. I get another ping at 1.5X 30 seconds later, it's from the same person. That's how quickly the surge goes away in my market.


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## Josh Boyd (Jul 31, 2017)

That is why Uber is only a "hussle" job. If you want to make a living, join the taxi industry. Unfortunately because of our jointed "side hustles", Uber is killing the transportation industry, and now going after food, umbrellas, and who else knows what? I quit Uber, joined a modernized smart mobility fleet and I got all my benefits back. Screw Uber


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

entrep1776 said:


> My car costs 13 cents /mile.


No. Just no. 13¢/mile for gas maybe. You're not including all your costs. My diesel Passat got 40mpg, 8¢/mile for fuel, but 35¢/mile to own.


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## ShinyAndChrome (Aug 18, 2017)

DieselkW said:


> No. Just no. 13¢/mile for gas maybe. You're not including all your costs. My diesel Passat got 40mpg, 8¢/mile for fuel, but 35¢/mile to own.


I've given up trying to explain this to my buddy. The dumbass thinks his only cost on his cars is gas (he has two late model cars). Some people can't be educated; you can only lead a horse to water.

How, though, is your car $.35mile? I don't have your car, but I have a four year old car now. I plan on getting rid of it in three years at 110k miles. I ran some estimates through edmunds TMV about what this car would be worth at the same age if it instead had, say, 120k miles (10k from uber over that period). That gave me a $.06 mile depreciation on my vehicle. I then also have gas, and I am figuring in several cents mile for tires/maintenance.

I have another car that is under lease and I'm already over the mileage. To drive that one the overage is $.15/mile. Gas (it's hybrid) is $.07/mile, and then tires/maint are a few cents, so I calculate about $.25/mile to run that one.

Licensing and insurance are sunk costs anyway and do not increase with uber.


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## corniilius (Jan 27, 2017)

Everybody's thresholds are different. It's profitable enough for me to continue until I finish paying for my daughters trip to DC and get rid of some debt. After I've brought a Ubermobile and won't be as worried about wear and tear on my new car, we''ll see how I feel.


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

ShinyAndChrome said:


> I've given up trying to explain this to my buddy. The dumbass thinks his only cost on his cars is gas (he has two late model cars). Some people can't be educated; you can only lead a horse to water.
> 
> How, though, is your car $.35mile? I don't have your car, but I have a four year old car now. I plan on getting rid of it in three years at 110k miles. I ran some estimates through edmunds TMV about what this car would be worth at the same age if it instead had, say, 120k miles (10k from uber over that period). That gave me a $.06 mile depreciation on my vehicle. I then also have gas, and I am figuring in several cents mile for tires/maintenance.
> 
> ...


That is just it, insurance is not the same, with increased exposure comes increased risk. Higher mileage means brakes, tires, oil, cleaning, etc. depreciation for an extra 50k per year costs 7¢ per year. ($25k car new is a $10k car with 100k miles)
Collect ALL costs.


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## ShinyAndChrome (Aug 18, 2017)

DieselkW said:


> That is just it, insurance is not the same, with increased exposure comes increased risk. Higher mileage means brakes, tires, oil, cleaning, etc. depreciation for an extra 50k per year costs 7¢ per year. ($25k car new is a $10k car with 100k miles)
> Collect ALL costs.


I think your 15 cents/mile depreciation is fair for a lot of cars. It really depends the car and how long you keep it. That's why I'm more comfortable putting miles onto my van (has 65k) that I plan on keeping for a few more years anyway; the first 20k on a car cost way more in deprecation than the last 20k for example. If I'm more honest about things I actually come in at 25 cents/mile. That includes me doing brakes/oil changes. Ha, it really is crap money.


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

ShinyAndChrome said:


> I've given up trying to explain this to my buddy. The dumbass thinks his only cost on his cars is gas (he has two late model cars). Some people can't be educated; you can only lead a horse to water.
> 
> How, though, is your car $.35mile? I don't have your car, but I have a four year old car now. I plan on getting rid of it in three years at 110k miles. I ran some estimates through edmunds TMV about what this car would be worth at the same age if it instead had, say, 120k miles (10k from uber over that period). That gave me a $.06 mile depreciation on my vehicle. I then also have gas, and I am figuring in several cents mile for tires/maintenance.
> 
> ...


You won't REALLY know what your car is worth until you try to get rid of it.

It's very possible that in the very near future, whether or not the car was used for uber/lyft will end up on the carfax report, and that alone could knock $1000s off it's value.

Also the additional wear and tear on everything in the interior could knock it's overall condition down a notch or 2.

The quality of the interior will have an impact on the resale value as well.

If i was at a car lot and i saw an uber sticker on your car, i'd automagically drop the value of it compared to what i would otherwise offer for that make model and mileage.

And i would easily have justification for doing that as well.

The "taxicab smell" that ALONE will degrade it's value a $1000 or so, because it will be just plan harder to sell. That an a buyer can use the smell as a bargaining chip to get the dealer to take the price down..

Personally i would keep using an uber vehicle as long as reasonably possible and not plan on getting anything beyond scrap.


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