Teachers Who Door Dash-Part Two

After my first blog on Door Dashing I decided to post a follow up on how it is going. Several of you have reached out via social media to ask how I like it , if it is for you and if it is even worth it. The last question is a tricky one, because when you are trying to save money, the first thing to do is really reel in the spending, but you won’t see that change in the near future. It takes a minute to feel the burden of finances lesson, and if you are as impatient as I am, that wait is just too long. I also must admit, I have been a little offended when people write is it even worth it, because anything that betters your family situation is always worth it in my mind, as long as it’s legal and in doing some digging I can tell you that 50 percent of teachers have a side hustle (this taken from a 2005 report as that is the last study where the data is available). So yes dear, sweet, precious reader it is worth it. For example, both my kids spend money like it is going out of style and yes I love my time with their lovely, hormonal, angry bodies, but sometimes I would rather drive around for a few hours on a Saturday afternoon and make a few dollars than watch my son play x-box with no air conditioning, so as always, take my advice with a grain of salt and you do you boo boo, but please stop asking me if it is even worth it, because you are starting to peeve me just a little.

So let’s begin with all the perks of Door Dashing. Perk number one. FLEXIBILITY. The biggest component that drew me to Door Dash was that I don’t want to be held to a six hour shift someplace, especially when school begins. I am not going to miss a soccer game so that I can door dash. For that, I should be very clear. In this job, you can schedule when you want to dash, do it for one hour, two hours or six. You can do it in between the summer camp of your children, on the way to the grocery store or back, in between a coffee run. You get the picture. I LOVE THAT PART. Additionally, there is a drop down menu, so if you are ever overtired, have an emergency or want to switch plans, you can click set this dash to your last dash and be done right after that one! Wahoo, super easy right?

The other perk is that you don’t really have to talk to anyone if you don’t want too. I am a great little communicator with customers via door dash, but I do this mostly via messenger, unless I get lost and I do love that component. I don’t need to be being screamed at by angry customers, or cussed out by a boss. Most people are hungry and happy to have you delivering food and they are pleased as punch when you show up in the driveway.

Which brings me to perk number three, work as much or as little as you want too. When I am doing parent teacher conferences, you can bet your bottom I will be doing zero door dashing, but at Christmas time you might find me zipping around on the double, taping candy canes to McDonalds bags. It’s on me if I want to go out and on me if I don’t. I decide who, how much and how many. Just like Julia Roberts told me.

Perk number 4. As much I try to get away from people and conversing with people, I have that innately in me. That need to take care of others and to nurture. This gives me sublime happiness when I delivered Panera to a wonderful customer who had recently broken her leg and I lifted her bagels through the screen of her window while holding her cat in with my left hand. Helping people feels good and you get paid for it. Not to mention, when I delivered to sweet Bernard and he left signs for me everywhere on his driveway on where to park, where to set the food and then called me to tell me how well I was doing. He would hug me, but he is scared of the Covid. Precious Bernard and I waved at each other through the window. Love that for me!

If you are new to Door Dashing and need some tips. The best ones that I can give you are to bring snacks and water with you while you dash, depending on how long you go. Fuel up at the lowest gas price station of course and when you are delivering to two people at the same time, toggle back and forth between them, explaining why things might be going slow but that you are on it. The best times to deliver are lunch and supper, but other times work great too. Normally around 8:00 is when a lot of people get stoned and since I am such a great Dasher I have the red card I can also shop for them at Walgreens. Two nights ago, I picked up half baked ice cream, chocolate chip cookies and Slim Jims. I got tipped ten dollars for five minutes of work!

This brings me to the downsides of DoorDash. Did you know some people can tip zero dollars? I didn’t either. It has happened to me four times. You can bet your buns I called the Door Dash help center and explained to them that if they met me, I for sure know they wouldn’t tip me zero dollars and who’s child is this that tips like that? The help desk assures me that I am doing fabulous and you just have to move on. One time I drove twenty minutes and couldn’t find where to drop the Denny’s. The customer would not answer via text or phone and I was hiking through the woods trying to drop off a cheeseburger, only to find a ten-year-old in their underwear playing x-box. Are you Michael I asked? Oh yeah, sorry my phone is dead. Here is your cheeseburger. No tip. Those times are a bummer, but then I have also delivered Applebees to a customer out in West Gardiner who tipped me thirty dollars just for driving around the bridge construction. Patting self on the back right now.

My worst door dash experience happened at the Travel Plaza. I think the app got confused as I was filling up and sent me to Auburn. I have a pretty stellar rating so I didn’t want to mess it up. I drove clear to Auburn you guys. By the time I got there, I was already late, and then I discovered the daycare I was driving too was barricaded by construction. I parked where I could and began on foot to deliver the sandwiches. I could not get around the big ass excavator and I was motioning to the operator that I needed to get around. He motioned back with the hand signal, I guess he thought I was asking for his number .I shook my head no, holding up the sandwiches and he begrudgingly let me through. Then I was dinged for the sandwiches being so late and only a dollar tip. The customer service door dash people told me I could type a grievance as to what happened in the Door Dash box. You type it in , you type it in the box I shouted over the blue tooth. It was a very fold in the cheese moment for T-Money. All-in-all I am liking it, it is humbling and worth the extra money. Most restaurants and customers are incredibly kind to me and super efficient. Aroma Joe’s continues to be a little snobby. The other day, they were out of a certain kind of sandwich and the employee was like oh no that might mess up your rating.

I calmly explained that I have taught during a pandemic with three screens and two of them I didn’t know how to use, so yeah I think we could figure out an alternative sandwich. Problem solving 101 Aroma! Besides that I love to deliver Cafe De Bancock because the rice smells amazing, but my best tips come out of Applebees and Panera Bread. I mostly deliver McDonalds, but I don’t mind because they are generally super quick and the employees are usually at the ready for me.

So that is the general gist of how it is going. Yes I am still directionally challenged, but the app helps me with that too and I listen to my favorite books and podcasts while I do it. This makes Door Dashing great for my mental health and my wallet. Until next time reader!