Most of us run errands several times a week. For a lot of us it’s a hassle we could do without. If only someone else could run them for us. But what if you could get paid to run errands? That’s a joke, right? You can get paid to run errands? Yes, by becoming an errand runner.
The name “errand runner” tells the whole story. You run errands for other people and get paid good money to do it. Most of your business as an errand runner will come from senior citizens, so we’ll focus on that.
As people age they have less energy to run errands. Many senior citizens prefer to stay at home instead of going to the grocery store or picking up their medications at a pharmacy. Some can’t get around as well as they used to and are unable to get out for shopping. That’s where you come in. There are currently 50 millions senior citizens in the United States and that number is expected to rise to 80 million by the year 2030. So what does that mean for you? A lot of work for your errand running business.
Most errand runners charge an hourly rate as opposed to charging by the task. Rates do vary by region, but you can expect to make between $20 and $35 an hour, a national average of $30 an hour. If your errands involve a lot of driving, you might consider charging for mileage as well.
Some errand runners offer packages to their customers, which come with a fixed rate. It often covers an entire month, with packages covering “five hours” or “ten hours,” or a group of tasks: “two grocery visits,” “two pharmacy visits,” and “two general errands.” Try a few and see what works best. Offering packages helps you get money up front, plus it lets you know well ahead of time how much work you can expect.
In addition to these, you should charge more for errands run outside of your normal hours or on holidays, or if it’s a rush service (something that needs to be done within two to four hours of the call). You should also consider charging a fee if an errand is canceled within 24 hours of the time you were scheduled to perform the errand.
So can you really make $200 a day just simply running errands? Yes, you really can. If you charge the national average of $30 an hour and work for sevenhours, that brings your potential income to $200 a day. That means you stand a chance at making $50,000 a year.
You probably won’t have a full day of work when you start out. But do a good job and word will get around. Many senior citizens love to tell their friends when they discover a new service that does great work – that could be yours. By doing great work and setting good prices that can bring you a nice profit, it’s quite possible to make $200, or more, a day by starting your own errand running service.
To learn more, read Start Your Own Senior Concierge Service.