Income - how does the math make this work a lucrative supplemental job?
I'm trying to move to Albuquerque - no partner, no kids, cost of living is quite cheap in NM, and I'm looking for some ways to get by reliably. I love dogs and have years of experience training/caring for them. Rover seemed like an excellent fit if I supplement it with maybe another part-time position. At least, that's what I figured until I sat down and did the math.
Strictly looking at dog boarding, a reasonable, competitive price in this city would be approximately $25 a night. The average part-time salary reported from three different sources as a Rover dog sitter is about $1,000. To make $1,000 a month ($800 after the 20% fee), you would need to sit for 40 dogs each month. That's one dog, and sometimes two, every single night without break if you're only considered to be working part-time. Full-time, at about $3,300 ($2,640) a month, that would be 132 dogs, or 4-5 dogs every night with no day off. If one were to expand their services to day-care and dog walking, I assume this would require several more dogs each day for services that are offered more cheaply than boarding.
My point is, how do you schedule your months to make a decent supplemental income without sacrificing a reasonably healthy work-life balance, while likely juggling another job as well? What does your life look like working for Rover? Is the $800/$2,640 average really accurate? I assume demand fluctuates throughout the year as well, depending on client need, so how do you protect yourself from a potential lull? I would love to sign up to be a Rover sitter but I don't want to go into this blindly. I would love any frank advice you have.
Well dog walking is definitely a great source of income I walk 2 -4 dogs a day which is 30 mins per walk and I make 60-120 dollars a day doing that a few times a week so it’s possible .and I also have a regular for doggy daycare which is 125$ a week 5 days a week it adds up to a normal jobs Pay
No...there numbers are not accurate. I offer All of their services and I do it full time. I rarely turn a customer down...I treat it like a full time business and I have a 5 star rating. I live in a vacation town. I am only averaging 580.00 per month and have been doing this for almost a year.
Rover’s numbers are completely inaccurate. I do Rover full time, work hard and screen for the very best fits- and still, after Rover takes their 20% cut and I make house repairs for damage, I’m barely staying afloat.
I board and occasionally do daycare...dogs only. I charge $35/25 respectively. This year has been crazy. I am booked almost every day up to Nov. with a Jan and March 22 reservations. The average stay is 10 days. This month I cleared about 1,000. I haven't looked at Rovers example but I'm sure it
And don't forget that bookings on Rover are declared income, as an independent contractor, which means you are self-employed and need to pay tax and self-employed taxes. In CA it amount to 25% in tax so on a $30 booking minus Rover's fee and uncle Sam not much is left. Plus any cost for supplies.