If you’re looking for ways to make extra money, you may not have considered the ways your truck can help you earn money.
Below are 14 ways you can make money with your pickup truck.
Table of Contents
How to make money with your pickup truck
Moving Services
When people move, they may not have the money or desire to hire professional movers to help. However, if they don’t have a truck or trailer of their own, they may want to hire someone to help them haul their belongings.
Look for gigs on Craigslist where individuals are hiring someone to help them move their stuff. Because moving is hard work, people are often willing to pay a significant amount to have someone else move their stuff.
You can also advertise your services online or with flyers in your area. This lets people know that you’re willing to offer your services, should they have a need.
Deliver Items
Trucks are great for people offering delivery services. Local curriers may be looking for freelancers to hire for deliveries.
You may also find jobs delivering items from stores to the homes of buyers. For example, customers with a small vehicle may not be able to get larger items from the store to their homes. Although most stores offer delivery services, you may be able to offer delivery for less.
Delivery doesn’t just have to be for big items. You can deliver food, furniture, appliances, small packages, and more. Advertise your services online and through word of mouth in your community.
Haul Junk
Hauling junk for others is a great way to make some extra cash with your truck. Because professional junk removal services are so costly, individuals are often looking for a local willing to undercut the competition’s pricing.
Find out how much it costs to unload a truck full of junk at the local dump. Factor in the cost of your gas and your time to figure out a price that’s fair to you and the person whose junk you’re hauling away.
Some junk, like metal or small appliances, can be sold to junkyards for a little extra cash. Watch for people giving away free items that you can sell for a profit. If you drive your truck regularly, you can always be ready to pick up items others have discarded.
Tow Other Vehicles
Not all trucks are strong enough to tow other vehicles. However, if your truck can handle the burden of towing, this can be a great way to make a little extra income with your truck.
There are several ways to tow other vehicles. You can use a tow cable, which is the least safe but will involve the least startup cost. You can also use a dolly, which is a little safer and a little more expensive.
If possible, though, you should use a trailer, as it’s the safest way to transport another vehicle. Because trailers are expensive, though, you may choose this option only if you already have one.
Once you develop the skills to tow vehicles, you can offer your services to others. Because of the risk of damage to the other person’s vehicle, it’s important you have enough practice towing before you advertise your services to strangers.
Plow Snow
A snowplow can be purchased and fixed to the front of your truck in the winter months. Because no one likes to shovel snow by hand, plowing snow can be a lucrative form of income in the winter months.
You can charge by the hour or for the entire job. Since this is such a valuable service, especially for businesses and apartment complexes, it’s not uncommon to be able to make nearly a hundred dollars an hour.
With a snow plow costing anywhere between $500 and $1000, it doesn’t take many snow days for your side hustle to become profitable.
Put Advertisements on Your Truck
Companies are willing to pay money every month if you’re willing to have an advertisement wrapped around your truck. Since many of these companies pay by the square foot, the large surface areas of your truck will be perfect for generating extra money.
Sites like Carvertise help connect businesses with individuals willing to advertise on their vehicles. Some advertisements may help you generate an extra thousand dollars a month just by driving your car around town!
Deliver Materials to Construction Sites
Reach out to local construction companies to find work delivering materials to construction sites. Since smaller companies may want to hire freelancers to save some money on delivery, this can be a great way to build a client base without advertising.
You can deliver materials between building sites and haul away leftover materials after a job is completed. The extra help can benefit these businesses while lining your pockets with a little extra cash.
Rent it Out
You can rent your truck out to other people, especially if you have another vehicle or don’t drive it very often.
Turbo is a service that allows users to rent vehicles from other users. Although Turbo has a few requirements, they also offer protection to you so you can rest assured when someone else is at the wheel.
Clean Up Construction and Renovation Sites
When a construction project is done, there are lots of materials that need to be removed and discarded. With your truck, you can offer your essential services to small construction companies.
You might end up hauling away dirt, rocks, branches, logs, leftover materials, or anything else that needs to be discarded after the construction or renovation.
If you develop a relationship with your local construction companies, you may be able to get regular work cleaning up construction sites.
Use Your Truck in Parades
Trucks are popular during parades since they offer the space to hold advertisements. They can also haul trailers that house parade floats.
If your local community has an upcoming parade, advertise your truck’s services in local chat rooms or with flyers. Although this opportunity is only available on occasion, it can be a great way to make a few extra dollars while contributing to a community event.
Start a Resale Business
There’s a lot of money to be made by buying items cheaply and selling them for a profit. Whether you watch for sales online through Facebook’s marketplace or keep your eyes open for free items on the side of the road, you can make some extra cash by starting a resale business.
Some items, like old furniture, may require a little bit of repair and cleaning. However, if you’re willing to give new life to old items, you may be able to make some money.
You can sell your repaired wares at flea markets, online, or on consignment at local stores.
Help Set Up and Tear Down at Events
Big events often require moving a large number of items in the set-up and tear-down process. Outdoor events often require tables, chairs, and tents that are hauled in from an outside location.
At local craft fairs and festivals, local artisans may need assistance in moving their items into place.
Watch for upcoming local events and reach out to event coordinators to offer your truck and your services in setting up and tearing down these events. While some events may have people in place for these tasks, others might be ready to hire you to do the heavy lifting for them.
Start a Landscaping or Mulching Service
Because the supplies for landscaping and mulching often need to be hauled by a truck, starting this type of business might be a good fit for you.
Homeowners and businesses often want their grounds to look pristine but often don’t want to do the work themselves. Laying mulch, mowing lawns, and providing other lawn care services can be a lucrative way to make extra money with your truck.
Similarly, you might find work delivering lawn care items for a local nursery. Although you won’t make as much money as you would doing the lawn care yourself, making these deliveries can help you make a little extra cash.
Transport Firewood
Local firewood companies may be willing to hire you to offer delivery to homes. Even if your community doesn’t have a local firewood company, transporting firewood to homes can be an easy way to make some extra cash.
If you want, you can get the appropriate licensing to become a tree-cutter yourself. Then all of the profit from cutting and transporting the firewood will be yours to keep. This can be a great way to clear your property for those with wooded land while making some extra money.
If you have a pickup truck, there are lots of ways to make some extra money. Whether you deliver items, start a business, or use your truck for advertising, there’s a lot of money to be made by truck owners.
The fourteen items listed in this article are just a few of the many ways you can make money with your truck.
