It’s time for the next installment of Tasker Money Talk: Welcome Tasker Phil M. from Central Texas! As a 42-year-old Tasker who enjoys tasks like Help Moving, Packing & Unpacking, and Errands, Phil’s more than happy to share financial tips and lessons he’s learned and how tasking has given him the freedom to also focus on other creative pursuits. Read on to gain some golden tidbits from a Tasker with 160+ 5-star reviews.
Getting to Know Phil
Finding Taskrabbit came at a pretty opportune moment in Phil’s life.
“Finding full-time employment wasn’t getting fast enough results so I turned to gig work because I know exactly the kind of quality I achieve on my own,” he says. “All that was missing was the right situation.”
In addition to his success as a Tasker, Phil’s also a successful animation artist and comics illustrator who just published his brand new book, Retail Sunshine: Everything Must Go! His book can be found in a few bookstores around Austin, Texas and online at Book People.
“Tasking has given me more space to be an artist full time. Because I make my own schedule, I have the freedom to take an extra day ‘off’ and put some solid time into my work without cramming it all into the weekend or evening hours that come with a 9 to 5,” he says. “That’s super important to someone like me because cartooning and animation requires a lot of uninterrupted focus.”
The Finances of Tasking
For Phil, a typical monthly income depends on how many jobs he’s done from tasking.
“My Taskrabbit monthly income ranges between $1,000-2,000 depending on how much time I dedicate to tasking,” he says.
His other income consists of earnings from gigs like working as a personal assistant, a tech support person, and selling his work as an artist in stores and at weekend events.
To make sure he’s on top of his finances, Phil tries to live a pretty frugal lifestyle while tracking his spending.
“It’s something that has helped in times where there aren’t as many tasks coming in,” he says. “Finding ways to bring in more money and hold onto it for longer is something I work hard at every month! Honestly, what’s helped me a lot is keeping good records on a spreadsheet.”
To do so, Phil figures out what his monthly expenses are and then breaks that down to his daily rates on Taskrabbit. He also has long-term financial goals he’s saving up for like buying his first house after paying off old debt. “I also give myself a daily goal that’s slightly higher so I can create a bit of a financial cushion,” he adds.
When thinking about his biggest expense when it comes to tasking, Phil says his car is his number one priority.
“It’s how I reach my clients and in some cases, I’ll use it to help people move or haul away trash,” he says. “I don’t have too many expenses other than keeping my car in great working condition.”
A Day in the Life of Phil
A typical day when Phil’s tasking usually consists of being booked for one to three tasks.
“If I only have the one task, then I try to schedule other clients around my existing Taskrabbit schedule. For me it’s all about efficiency so that I’m not making too many extra trips around town,” he says.
“Keeping a good personal calendar is critical to balancing all responsibilities,” he points out. “I also have designated two days a week where I usually won’t work any gigs at all. It forces me to have time for personal errands or running my art business.”
When it comes to tasking, no matter how well you plan there’s always bound to be unexpected moments here and there. How Phil sees it is that it’s best to be prepared for anything so he can still do a job well-done in the end.
“Occasionally a client will need me to purchase something in the moment in which case they reimburse me as an expense through the app. In order to make that possible, I keep my credit card fairly empty at all times just in case,” he says.
Phil also has some memorable moments during his tasking gigs that really allow his personality to shine. In some cases, Phil thinks that it doesn’t even feel like he’s working, with those tasks coming so naturally to him.
“I was once hired to be the entertainment at a themed birthday party! The client allowed me to expense a court jester costume and I literally got to be silly for a few hours while manning the front door to the event,” he recalls. “As someone who has been entertaining people his whole life, that situation felt custom-tailored to me!”
Another task he had a few months ago put his talents to good use in a different way, this time bringing much-needed ease to his customers.
“I was hired to perform an errand which involved sending vital documents from one part of the country to another. The client was incredibly stressed and had encountered a lot of roadblocks along the way,” he remembers. “Being able to support them and get the job done felt so good because I could hear their relief. Customer service has always been important to me and I especially enjoy the jobs where I can remove stressors from someone’s life.”
And finally, Phil’s third memorable task reminds him that it’s not always so glamorous. However, that doesn’t make the job any less impactful to those who hire him.
“Sometimes as a Tasker, you’re required to enter someone’s home. This can be a little unnerving, but I distinctly remember helping a client clean out their overly cluttered home office,” he says. “The best part was when they thanked me over and over for simply being there because it helped them stay on task. Sometimes, all people need is a little encouragement to go with the job itself and it can really change their life for the better!”
Financial Lessons Learned
When asked what financial advice he’d give to his past self, he had this to say: “Take super detailed notes and put the date on everything so you can have an easier time sorting through it later. This is critical for an easier tax season!”
He also emphasizes, “Same-day tasking is your friend! I have gotten so many jobs from this just because either clients have last-minute jobs or something fell through for a previous Tasker.”
And another tidbit for fellow Taskers or anyone out there who, after reading this, thinks that they’d be interested in becoming a Tasker, Phil has this to say: “Tasking can be very rewarding but it’s important to stay as organized as you can! I would also encourage letting clients know you can be booked again by setting up tasks as ‘ongoing’ so they can more easily find you.”
Tasking came as a great opportunity for Phil and has also taught him so much about himself.
“I’ve always been motivated to be self-employed,” he says. “Tasking has put me in a position where the best way for me to succeed was to get more organized, create and manage my monthly budget, and to continue thinking outside the box on what a ‘normal job’ has to look like.”
If you’ve been inspired by Phil’s story, hire a Tasker near you and see firsthand how hardworking this community is. If you yourself want to experience financial freedom while being your own boss, consider signing up to become a Tasker today!
