What a side hustle really pays per hour

A side hustle can look well paid until you count the hours nobody bills for. Takings are not income, and delivery hours are not all the hours. Enter your monthly takings, the costs that come off the top, and both the delivery and the prep hours; the tool shows net income, the flattering rate you get from counting delivery only, the honest rate once every hour is in, and the takings you need just to break even.

Result

On 5,000 of monthly takings, after platform commission 500, materials and travel 900, and a 300 set-aside for taxes, net income is about 3,300. Counting only the 20 delivery hours, the wage looks like 165; but once the 10 hours of talking and prep are included (30 hours in all), the real net hourly rate is only 110. Below 1,700 of monthly takings you work at a loss.

Net income: 3,300
Real net hourly rate: 110
Looks like, counting delivery only: 165
Break-even monthly takings: 1,700

The hourly rate follows the hours and costs you enter; unbilled time is the figure most people miss.

Assumptions & limits

Taxes and any self-employment contributions vary by place; check what applies where you are. Watch three straight months before deciding to scale up.