Remember when food delivery meant you were getting pizza or maybe Chinese food? Those days are over. DoorDash and several other delivery apps will bring food from just about any restaurant in your area to your door.
Just download the DoorDash app or visit doordash.com to start an account and earn a sign-up bonus.
Now is a great time to start using DoorDash, the food delivery app, or even working for the app as a Dasher.
Current DoorDash Sign Up Bonus
- DoorDash Sign Up Bonus for Drivers: Up to $750
- DoorDash Referral Bonus for Drivers: Varies
- DoorDash Sign Up Bonus for Consumers: $20
- DoorDash Referral Bonus for Consumers: $20 per referral
DoorDash Sign Up Bonus for Drivers: Up to $750
New DoorDash drivers can claim a large cash sign-up bonus in some cities.
Search for DoorDash promo codes for your city to see if any bonus money is available. This depends on market conditions and the number of drivers already registered in your area.
If you can qualify for a bonus, it could range from a couple hundred dollars to $750! You’d have to make a minimum number of deliveries to qualify for the cash bonus amount.
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DoorDash Referral Bonus for Drivers: Varies
You can also refer new drivers. You’ll get a DoorDash driver referral code.
Once your new recruit makes his or her minimum number of deliveries, you’d get a nice cash bonus.
DoorDash Sign Up Bonus for Consumers: $20
By claiming the current sign-up bonus you can get $20 in credit for starting a new DoorDash account and placing your first order.
You’ll get $5 off your first order and then $5 off your next three orders.
This $5 discount is a great incentive because it could knock off a good slice of the typical DoorDash delivery/service fee.
You’d be trying out the service at minimal cost to you. (Don’t forget to tip your delivery driver, though!)
DoorDash Referral Bonus for Consumers: $20 per referral
If you’d like to stretch your bonus dollars even further, send invitations to all your friends who don’t already dine with DoorDash.
You could get another $20 in referral bonus credit for every friend you refer who signs up using your referral link.
Once again, you can use this credit in $5 increments. If you claim the initial sign up bonus and then get two friends to join, you could get 12 separate $5 discounts — that’s a lot of low-cost food delivery.
This referral program doesn’t have to end there. You can claim it anytime a friend uses your referral link to open a new account.
Driver Requirements for DoorDash Dashers
Not just anybody can drive for DoorDash. You have to be 18 years of age (21 to deliver alcohol), have a valid driver’s license, and a valid Social Security number.
You’ll have to provide a cell phone number along with your ZIP code when you apply.
You’ll also have to complete a brief background check and attend DoorDash Orientation, which normally happens in-person at an office in your area.
Once you complete all this, you can download the Dasher App on your smartphone and start earning.
Benefits of DoorDash Driving
Other than the extra money and the DoorDash driver sign-up bonuses available in some markets, I like driving for services like DoorDash because:
It’s Flexible Work
How many people can work when they want to work and take a day or two off any time they can afford it? That’s how DoorDash works.
Just switch off the app and forget about the job whenever you want. This makes DoorDash a great fit for college students who have a couple of hours off between classes.
They can switch the app to “Dash Now” and start accepting assignments on their own schedule.
Also, if you work all week and need some extra money, why not try DoorDash in the evenings or on a weekend afternoon?
It Keeps You Moving
Dashers who bike around downtown areas and urban cities get paid to exercise.
Even if you’re in a car-centric city like Los Angeles, Atlanta, or Houston you’ll still climb plenty of steps and dash through a lot of parking lots.
Limited Customer Interaction
You don’t handle any money, ever, as a DoorDash driver. A lot of drivers feel like this increases their safety.
Now, because of Covid-19, dashers in most cities just leave deliveries at customers’ doorsteps instead of chatting at the door.
And unlike with Uber or Lyft driving, you don’t have to carry on a conversation with a stranger.
And even if you’re not crazy about the way the food smells, at least it won’t cough or sneeze in your backseat.
Weekly Pay in Real Money
So many “make money online” ideas, and even some delivery companies pay out in gift cards or in points you have to cash in.
DoorDash pays weekly with actual cash — your delivery fees plus 100 percent of your tips can land in your bank account every week.
You can also claim extra cash bonuses for some assignments. And, if you need money before a week passes, you can accelerate your pay for a $1.99 fee.
Disadvantages of DoorDash Delivery Life
It’s not all fun and money for new DoorDash drivers. You’ll have to deal with:
Schedule Competition
The more dashers on the road, the lower your chances of earning money. So DoorDash limits the number of drivers on the road in your area at once by scheduling drivers to specific time increments.
You can’t always “Dash Now” at your own leisure. Not all drivers can be active during the best-earning windows.
Menu Confusion
DoorDash is a third party service. Its connections to restaurants don’t always work seamlessly. Menu choices don’t always line up.
Some dashers report showing up at a restaurant that’s closed.
App Trouble
From what I hear, DoorDash’s app works better than most. You can see the mileage and expected earnings before you claim a dash.
But sometimes the app freezes during busy times or when you go through a weak spot in your wireless network.
This has happened with both the iOS and Android versions. Having an up-to-date phone operating system will help, though.
Maintaining Your Vehicle
An expensive car repair could wipe out your profits for the week. I recommend staying ahead of regular maintenance on your car to avoid lengthy breakdowns.
Also, staying on the road more increases your risk of car accidents, and a wreck would probably increase your car insurance premiums.
No Paid Time Off
This is one of the downsides across the entire gig economy. You make money only when you’re working.
Yes, you can turn off the Dasher App and forget about the job, but only if you can afford to.
What Should You Do With the Extra Money?
If you’re short on cash and need a side hustle to pay the bills, you won’t have to worry about where to spend the money you earn with DoorDash. The money’s already spoken for.
But if you have some flexibility in your budget, here are some ideas for using the extra money you’ll get dashing:
- Start an Emergency Fund: Open an online high-yield savings account — I like CIT Bank and Ally Bank — and direct your DoorDash profits straight into it. Try to save money to pay for three months of living expenses. This will keep you from using credit cards when things get tight.
- Open a Robo-Advisor account: I recommend Betterment. This app puts your money into exchange-traded funds (ETFs) which tend to be stable. Keep making small, regular deposits, and be patient.
- Open an IRA: You can put up to $6,000 a year into your Individual Retirement Account and avoid paying income taxes on the money. Just about any bank has IRAs available. Or, you could open a Roth IRA and defer the tax break on the money until after you retire.
- Pay Down Your Debt: High-interest credit card debt can erode your future financial freedom. Why not pay off as much debt as possible with your DoorDash cash?
- Save for Something Special: I once delivered for Postmates in order to buy an engagement ring. You might be saving for a down payment on a house or an investment property. Whatever your dream, why not work hard and save for it?
Claim Your DoorDash Sign-Up Bonus Today
Sign up as a DoorDash new customer today to claim your $20 in credit.
Then, use your DoorDash referral code to sign up your friends. You could earn another $20 in credit for every friend who signs up and starts ordering food.
You can also find promo codes with cash bonuses for new drivers in some markets. Just search for DoorDash driver promo codes on the site.
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