Build Passive Income While Doing Gig Work

Build Passive Income While Still Doing Gig Work

How I’m Laying the Foundation for Freedom — One Step at a Time
by Patrick Foster | HustleHows.com

If you’re like me, you’re doing your best to survive in the gig economy — but you know deep down that you can’t stay in this grind forever.

I’ve been working full-time as a gig worker for over 5 years now. I do Amazon Flex, DoorDash, and Instacart — sometimes even multi-apping to squeeze out more income. I’ve completed over 8,000 Instacart orders and nearly 6,000 Amazon Flex deliveries.

I know the game well. Some days you can hit $100 if you hustle hard enough, but it comes with a price:

working 6 or 7 days a week
fighting for orders that disappear in seconds
watching gas prices eat into your profits
wearing out your car and your body

It’s exhausting. And since COVID ended, the opportunities have gotten leaner and less predictable.

Yet here I am — still grinding, still trying to pay the bills.

Why Passive Income Became My Mission

For a long time, gig work was my safety net. I liked the flexibility. I could be my own boss and work when I wanted.

But as the years passed, I realized that flexibility without leverage is a trap. If I stop working, the money stops too. There’s no safety net. No wealth. No future freedom.

And honestly? I cringe at the thought of going back to a “regular” job with a boss. I’ve tasted autonomy — now I want financial autonomy too.

That’s why I’ve been on a mission to build passive income — to replace my gig earnings and create income that can scale far beyond what driving or delivering can ever offer.

My Journey (And Struggles) With Passive Income

I’ll be the first to admit: this has not been an easy path.

I’ve tried it all:

MLMs
Affiliate marketing
Selling Fiverr gigs
Drop shipping
Building bots
Blogging
Offering social media marketing
Building websites

Some things worked better than others. None have fully replaced my gig income (yet).

But I’m still here. I still believe it’s possible — because I’ve seen other people do it. And because something inside me refuses to let me give up on this dream.

I currently have:

a YouTube channel
a website and blog
an email list of about 1,400 leads
affiliate and MLM programs I promote (LiveGood, Save Club, Sparky AI, Savings Highway Global, and others)

Some days I want to throw in the towel. Some people think I’m wasting my time. But I can’t shake this vision of freedom. And that’s why I persist.

How You Can Start While Still Doing Gig Work

If you’re in the same boat — still doing gig work to survive but dreaming of more — here’s my advice:

Keep doing your gig work for now. It’s your current cash flow. Don’t sabotage your life trying to quit too soon.
Start building something on the side. Even 1–2 hours a day can move the needle. Focus on income streams that can grow over time (affiliate marketing, email list building, blogging, YouTube, AI-powered funnels).
Be serious about it — and stick with it. Expect the process to take time. It could happen sooner than you think, or it could take longer. But either way, if you keep planting seeds, the harvest will come.
Invest in leverage tools. I use systems like Sparky AI to generate leads and automate follow-up. This allows me to grow income streams even when I’m out delivering.
Document your journey. This builds trust with your audience and helps you attract the right people. (That’s what I’m doing right now with this blog and my videos.)

Why It’s Worth It

Building passive income while doing gig work isn’t easy — but it’s worth every bit of the effort.

Imagine this:

A few hundred dollars per month that show up whether you drive or not
The ability to take a day off without losing income
The freedom to create, to build, to dream bigger
A path toward unlimited earning potential

I believe this is possible — for me, and for you.

I’ve wanted to get out of gig work ever since COVID ended. The opportunity just isn’t what it used to be. The work is harder, the hours are longer, and the rewards are shrinking.

But I’m not giving up. And neither should you.