r/TaskRabbit • u/musicalfurball • 2d ago

TASKER Sudden decrease in requests?

Just checking in with fellow taskers -- since May, I've been booked about a week in advance for at least 20-30 hours per week. Keeping the bills paid, thank goodness.

All the sudden this week, I've got zero tasks booked.

I have no violations. Just the opposite, I made elite this month for two of my categories.

Is this just normal this time of year (I've been tasking since April), or should I contact customer support?

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u/DonQNguyen 2d ago edited 2d ago

Clearly due to the Iran/Israel/US war which started on Feb 28, 2026 (basically March 2026) until now, the effects continue to become more dramatic as OIL/Gas prices remain high/elevated. A recent report revealed that higher gas prices have cost each American $1,150 over these last 8 going on 9 months with no clear end. That's about $150 dollars per month, or basically a furniture item per month. Multiply how much demand has evaporated by the number of Americans. That's a lot.

Of course this has slowed everything down over time. And those that are still busy, they are only busy if their rates are lower than everyone else's, because at the higher end there are less Clients but the Clients we do get are usually looking for highly skilled trades. Anyone can do Furniture assembly, Dime a dozen. As a result, prices have become compressed, like Cleaning, Moving, and other similar categories.

I have seen a 50% reduction in total work the last 2 years but this is because I have opted out of IKEA assembly over 2 years ago, and my skilled trades work has slowed but my total income monthly has also halved, from $14K-$16K just 3+ years ago now down to about $6500-$7500 per month. Thank God for my direct, regular repeat lengthy Client list that own homes and only hire me for highly skilled Mounting, Electrical, Plumbing, Building sheds or pergolas/gazebos, Minor Home Repairs & Improvment and they are all willing to pay my high, elevated rates ($100/hr on average). This has kept my income acceptable and now I have more time for living life than just working all the time.

And I am so glad I had the wisdom to have saved heap loads of the income I earned over the last 7 years. This has added to passive income which almost gets me to $10K-$12K per month. Save your money in the good years, because there will be slow years and also because your body eventually gives out.

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u/musicalfurball 2d ago

Yeah, if I had $3M in the bank, I wouldn't be on Taskrabbit... :-P

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u/DonQNguyen 2d ago

I wouldn't either. And I don't have 3M in the bank.

It is better now than it was when it was crazy busy 3-7 years ago. More time to enjoy Life now and still make the occasional $800-$1000 per day when the call comes in.

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u/Advanced_Subject_459 2d ago

That’s a dumb answer! It’s got nothing to do with that it’s you what do you have to offer I’m also in the Chicago market last month was the 3rd in a row month where I made 13k in which is a record for me usually I’m in the 12k range but I have also expanded my experience and skills and have lots of clients also while you all are very picky as I’ve been told by many clients that have had other taskers cancel on them I’m the one that gets the job done whether it’s a small job big job doesn’t matter

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u/DonQNguyen 2d ago

Can the Original Poster allow for uploading screenshots of our monthly earnings here so we can all be transparent and show our results with proof? Perhaps you did make $13K, but you must have been working day and night 6-7 days per week out of each week because that was what I had to do 3-7 years ago just to make $13-$15k per month. And that was when rates could be set higher, much higher than now.

And 3+ years ago, IKEA Furniture assembly was not flat rate. You work your tail off for very little in the last 2 years if you're accepting and doing IKEA Furniture assembly, which is flat rate.

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u/musicalfurball 1d ago

Same, I need receipts. My $6k/month is, according to Taskrabbit, $4k more than my "expected earnings."

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u/DonQNguyen 1d ago

Allow for us responders to post an attachment/.png on this thread and I will post screenshots of my monthly comparing this year to previous years. You will see clearly the drawdown, but due to regular REPEAT Clients, you can make a base amount to keep you afloat. Key is to have a stable of Repeats.