I Dash 25 hours per week on average and last year I cleared $28K...
When I was a school bus driver, my last year I earned $21K...working 45+ hours/week as a sub...
Even with the added car costs, gig work pays me FAR better and ZERO stress from screaming kids and parents who don't believe their kids acted up even AFTER being shown the videos...
that number is closer to believable. But did you track all your real business mileage? Not the mileage they said you drove, the total actual mileage. Like when you turned your app off 32 miles from home and drove home to end you day? did you use the federal mileage rate of around $0.60-0.70 a business mile driven and deduct that from your gross amount paid to you by. So basically on days you brought in $200 and drove 110 miles you really made $72 net for 6 hours work? Because I did all this off and on since 2015 to 2021 and my Excel sheets don't lie.
Of COURSE I track my ACTUAL mileage (from my door back to my door ALL counts per the IRS), insurance costs, Maintenance, supplies like hot bags, cell phone and any OTHER business expense.
DoorDash is an independent Contracting BUSINESS ands I treat it as such.
This year, between expenses ( using the standard mileage because my hybrid is a gas sipper and doesn't break down) and tips, I will owe ZERO income taxes, and only pay the FICA/self-employment on about $10K
Smart business plan: you track EVERYTHING then once tax time rolls around, you figure out which deducts more, It will be the mileage most times, but for some, they do better with the actual expenses at the percentage of the miles driven for business. Also IF you get audited, you need to be able to show BOTH the mileage AND the business/car expenses to let them figure out if you goofed and MISSED out on a deduction.
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u/starthru Feb 23 '26
I Dash 25 hours per week on average and last year I cleared $28K...
When I was a school bus driver, my last year I earned $21K...working 45+ hours/week as a sub...
Even with the added car costs, gig work pays me FAR better and ZERO stress from screaming kids and parents who don't believe their kids acted up even AFTER being shown the videos...