Dailymail iconDailymailSep 20, 2026 ~8 min source read

How one neighbour made up to £250 a day doing odd jobs via apps — practical lessons for starting your own side hustle

A London tasker uses Airtasker to pick up gardening, deliveries and odd jobs. Her experience shows how much you can earn, what the app fees and protections look like, and practical steps before you sign up.

I make £250 in a day helping neighbours with odd jobs. How you can side-hustle using apps

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Useful takeaways from this story.

Know the platform economics: Airtasker reports an average task pay of £130, takes a 12.5–20% fee, and holds customer funds until both sides confirm completion.

Account for costs and protections: factor in travel, disposal or materials, check platform terms and cancellation rules, consider public liability insurance and inform your car insurer if you use your vehicle for paid work.

What she does and how much she earned

  • Apple clearance: 30 minutes, four full bin bags, paid £75 (includes disposal fee).
  • Balloon delivery: single job, paid £25.
  • A past unusual job: a Halloween costume that paid £200.

Airtasker connects people needing work done with local "Taskers." Reported platform figures in the story: 191,000 users posted tasks in the last 12 months and 89,000 Taskers registered. The average task paid £130 in the past year. Airtasker charges Taskers a commission of 12.5% to 20%, and it says the top 1% of Taskers can make £10,000 a month.

Customers pay through the app and funds are held by Airtasker until both parties confirm the job was completed. Taskers and customers get rated on reliability, communication and how accurate the task description was. Taskers can add identity verifications and badges for DBS checks or trade qualifications.

Practical financial and legal points

  • Do the maths first. Factor in travel, materials, disposal fees and the platform commission. Sarah Coles (head of personal finance at AJ Bell) warns it's easy to work hard for little net pay.
  • Check terms and fees. Understand cancellation rules and dispute procedures before you accept work.
  • Insurance and licensing. Airtasker provides public liability insurance for Taskers, but you should confirm coverage details. If you use your car for paid work, tell your insurer.
  • Tax note. The article begins to mention a tax threshold but the sentence is incomplete in the supplied text. Verify current self-employment reporting and tax thresholds before you start.

Flexibility and variety fit around caring responsibilities and other commitments. She values the social contact and the satisfaction of helping neighbours. High ratings (she has five stars across 125 tasks) help her win repeat work and bookings.

Quick checklist to decide if this suits you

  • Estimate net pay after platform fees and expenses.
  • Confirm platform protections and how disputes are resolved.
  • Check any required checks or licences for the tasks you'll do.
  • Arrange appropriate insurance and inform your vehicle insurer if applicable.
  • Start with local, low-risk jobs to build ratings before taking larger gigs.

More context around this story.

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