A Simple Gig Work Tracker to Track What You're Really Making
Gig work can look profitable until you count the waiting, mileage, and time the apps don't show you. I made this simple gig work tracker to see what I'm really earning—and I'm sharing it so you can track yours too.
SIDE HUSTLESMAKE & SAVE
Written by April
10/4/20264 min read
When I started doing Instacart, I grabbed one of those basic composition notebooks and figured I would keep track of my orders.
Nothing fancy.
I just wanted to know what I was actually making.
It didn't take long for me to realize that was going to require tracking a little more than the number Instacart showed me at the end of the day.
The app keeps track of things like my batches, active time, and earnings.
That's helpful.
But what about the time I was online waiting for an order?
What about the miles I drove?
What about the time between orders when I was still technically trying to work but wasn't getting paid?
And most importantly:
Was I actually making enough for the time and miles I was putting into it?
So I started keeping track myself.
Why I Wanted My Own Gig Work Tracker
If you read about my first three days doing Instacart, you already know that the numbers surprised me a little.
I had six active hours and made $160.70.
That sounds fantastic.
Except $90.64 of that came from promotions.
My regular earnings were only $70.06.
I also drove 75.2 miles.
And "active time" didn't include all the time I spent online waiting for an order worth taking.
Suddenly, just looking at the earnings number didn't tell me very much.
I wanted to be able to look back at a day and answer some pretty basic questions:
How long was I actually trying to work?
How many miles did I drive?
How much did I earn from the actual orders?
How much came from tips or promotions?
Were there certain types of orders that worked better for me?
And after all of that, was it worth doing?
That's really what this tracker is for.
What I Decided to Track
I didn't want to turn this into another job.
If tracking every penny requires twenty minutes of bookkeeping after every grocery delivery, I'm probably not going to keep doing it.
So I wanted something simple enough that I would actually use it.
I track things like:
Date and gig platform
Beginning and ending odometer readings
Total miles driven
When I went online and when I stopped
Individual orders or batches
Order earnings
Tips
Promotions or bonuses
Active time
Total earnings
Total online time
Notes about anything unusual
The notes section might actually become one of the most useful parts.
Maybe an order looked great but took forever because the store was busy.
Maybe there was a long drive that made the payout less appealing.
Maybe a tiny order was surprisingly worthwhile because the store and customer were both close.
Those are the things I want to remember the next time a similar offer pops up on my phone.
Active Time and Online Time Are Not the Same Thing
This is probably the biggest reason I wanted my own tracker.
If I turn Instacart on and spend an hour waiting before I accept an order, that hour matters to me.
The app may not consider it active working time.
My day does.
If I planned to spend three hours making extra money and only had 90 minutes of active orders during those three hours, I want to know that.
That doesn't automatically mean the gig isn't worth doing.
Maybe I was sitting at home folding laundry while I waited.
That's very different from sitting in a parking lot staring at my phone.
But I still want the information.
Then I can decide what it means.
I Want to Know What the Miles Are Costing Me Too
This was another big one for me.
We're driving our own vehicles to do this work.
Gas is obvious.
But mileage is more than gas.
You're also putting wear on the vehicle, using tires, getting closer to the next oil change, and simply adding miles to something that probably cost a lot of money.
That doesn't mean I'm going to calculate the exact cost of every mile before accepting a bag of bird seed.
I just want to know how many miles I'm driving to make the money I'm making.
Over time, that number can tell me a lot.
If I make $100 one day and drive 30 miles, that's very different from making $100 and driving 100 miles.
The earnings number might be identical.
The two days aren't.
This Isn't Just for Instacart
I made this because I was trying Instacart, but there's no reason it has to be an Instacart tracker.
You could use it for Spark, DoorDash, Uber Eats, Shipt, or another delivery or gig app.
You could even use it if you're trying more than one platform and want to figure out which one is actually working best for you.
That's part of why I wanted the platform listed on the tracker.
If I eventually try another gig app, I don't want to rely on the feeling that one seems better than another.
I want to be able to look at my own numbers.
Because what works for someone in another city—or even someone on the other side of town—may not be what works for me.
Grab the Tracker
I made this for myself because I wanted a simple way to see the whole picture instead of relying entirely on what a gig app decided to show me.
And then I figured there was no reason to keep it to myself.
So if you're doing Instacart, Spark, DoorDash, Uber Eats, Shipt, or another gig and want to keep track of your own time, mileage, and earnings, you're welcome to use it too.
I used half composition books and wrote the details I wanted (link shared below) but you can print these free sheets and get started today!
Affiliate Link -> https://amzn.to/3Vq3npr
[DOWNLOAD THE FREE GIG WORK TRACKER]
Print a few copies, stick them in a binder or clipboard, or keep one in your car with a pen.
It doesn't need to become complicated.
The whole point is to give yourself enough information to answer one question:
Is this actually worth it for me?
Because I've learned that the number an app puts on the screen isn't always the whole story.
Sometimes you have to count the money.
Count the time.
Count the miles.
And then decide for yourself.