Are you finding yourself pressed for time? Or perhaps you have too much time on your hands and need a way to use it? Welcome to the Gig Economy. “The Gig Economy” (a term often interchanged with “the sharing economy”) is a booming trend in New York and other densely populated cities around the world. The concept is familiar: the trading of any one person’s time or skills for another person’s financial capital. In other words, if you’re in a pinch, there is someone willing to help ease the time crunch.
FUEL FOR THE GIG ECONOMY
Technology and the emergence of social networking sites that have increased transparency and level of trust among strangers is the driving force behind the influx of peer-to-peer businesses. As more social media is linked and it becomes easier to verify a user’s identity, people are feeling safer interacting with strangers. Additionally, the culture in large cities like New York is tending more toward instant gratification and the need to spend time and resources to the utmost efficiency.A flood of these startups are now offering on-demand services and in a place like New York City, where some of the world’s most creative people live in a fast-paced world, original service ideas are popping up left and right to fill people’s needs. AirBNB offers instant and affordable home rentals, Drizly provides liquor within an hour, andWunWun delivers anything you can dream of for free within 45 minutes as long as it fits on bike (purchase value and tip excluded). These are just a few examples of startups connecting people, and below is New York International’s list of some of the most interesting gig services available.
COOL GIG ECONOMY SERVICES
 |
Lyft: Friendly and affordable car sharing service. Request a ride and be picked up by someone with the app within minutes |
 |
WunWun: Free delivery service for anything you could desire–as long as it fits on a bike. Payment is solely for the item, but a tip for the delivery person is encouraged. |
 |
Task Rabbit: Outsource errands you don’t want to do. Task Rabbit finds nearby qualified taskers that have undergone criminal record checks, in-person interviews, identity checks, and training sessions. Pay by-the-hour at your or their set price. |
 |
Dogvacay: Find a dog sitter near you on the go. Rates start at $25/night and include free pet insurance, 24/7 customer support, and daily photo updates to put separation anxiety at ease. |
 |
Post Mates: Delivery service from any restaurant or store within the hour. Real time tracking and ETAs. Pricing starts at $5 and is determined based on distance of delivery. |
 |
Fiverr: Hire anyone for your graphics and design, writing and translation, video and animation, music and audio, or programming and tech needs. Flat rate at $5. |
 |
oDesk: Network of freelancers who will do anything one can do on a computer, ranging from developing an app to software management. Freelancers can be hired for big or small, short or ongoing, and individual or team based jobs. You can also track workers. |
 |
Skillshare: Just as the name says, this platform enables talented people to share their skills with the online community. The company aims to reinvent education and provide universal access to high quality learning. |
 |
Kitchensurfing: Hire a freelance chef to come to your home and make dinner. Decide on the cuisine, price, and amount of guests and your chef will come and prepare the meal. |
 |
Exec: Enter your location and find a house cleaner in near proximity. All cleaners are professionally trained and use green products for the safest clean. |