Man stands in line on behalf of other people and he's earning great money: "This job requires..."

Side hustles are becoming a need of the hour as the rising cost of living is causing a lot of stress for young professionals, who do not have high-paying jobs. At the same time, inspiring stories of people who turned side gigs into lucrative full-time businesses are also encouraging others to monetize their passion. One of them is Casey James Salengo, a stand-up comedian, who has discovered some unusual ways to make additional money.  In the fall of 2022, shortly after joining TaskRabbit, a platform for seeking odd tasks, the 37-year-old took on a unique duty. He was requested to deliver a fish as a birthday present for a man, and he had to say "Branzino boys for life" while doing so, a two-hour job that fetched him $32.

Jobs on the Side

Nowadays, Casey, who resides in New York, splits his time between stand-up comedy and odd jobs. A few times a month, he travels to neighboring states such as Connecticut, New Jersey, and Delaware for comedic shows. While he no longer spends much time on Taskrabbit, he accomplished several interesting assignments when he first started using the platform, including one that involved waiting in line for someone else.

Getting paid for simple tasks

Salengo once helped a client named Halia F. She was too busy at work to stand in line at a clothing sample sale in midtown Manhattan, so she hired him.

"The weather was nice when I did it," Salengo says. "I actually bought some doughnuts for the group around me so it was quite pleasant." He stayed there for three hours, talking to other people in line, playing Sudoku on his phone, and sipping coffee. After three hours, Halia arrived and took over. At the time, Salengo charged $19 per hour for such work, so he earned a total of $57 for the job.

Halia was pleased with Salengo’s work. She even left him a positive review, mentioning how she appreciated that he made friends with others in line and that she would hire him again.

Salengo suggests that anyone looking for an easy way to earn some money should sign up on Taskrabbit. "This job requires absolutely zero special skills," he says. "The line doesn’t even move. A corpse could do it." According to Salengo, when it comes to side hustles, "you can make a living however you want if you’re just willing to get weird with it." He suggests considering other simple side jobs like helping around the house, pet sitting, or participating in online focus groups. To get some inspiration, he recommends checking out the tasks people are doing on websites like Taskrabbit, Thumbtack, and Sidehusl.com.

TaskRabbit jobs to look out for

Delivery Service – Many people use tasking apps to schedule local deliveries, from furniture to take-out food.

Home Repairs – Small fixes around the house are in high demand. Skilled individuals are hired to do tasks like sealing windows, installing ceiling fans, replacing blinds, and more.

Cleaning Services – General cleaning services are needed for both homes and businesses. Some clients require weekly dusting, while others need help with larger cleaning projects.

Furniture Assembly (especially IKEA furniture) – With IKEA's partnership with TaskRabbit, the platform is available in every US IKEA store and many stores in Canada and the UK. Clients are willing to pay for assistance in assembling bookcases, shelves, tables, and other furniture items.

Moving Help – Whether someone is relocating or just needs heavy items moved, many turn to TaskRabbit to find local movers who can assist with lifting and relocating belongings.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on March 2, 2024. It has since been updated.