I’m a hard-working, blue-collar type of guy. On weekdays, I work as a bricklayer for a small construction company, at night I apprentice at a tattoo shop.
The bricklaying pay is good, but my dad once told me I’ve got to keep hustling to secure a good future for my wife and daughter. I was never one to rest on my laurels, so I started looking for ways to make additional income.
A friend suggested I look online. I was skeptical at first. I thought earning opportunities on the internet involved brainy activities like teaching lessons, writing reviews, and taking surveys.
My attitude changed when I discovered Dolly. No, I’m not referring to the cloned sheep. Dolly is an app that lets you offer moving or hauling services to other people. It’s like an Uber for heaving lifting!
Since I’ve developed a pretty strong back from my day job, I decided to give Dolly a try.
After a few months of using Dolly (and telling everyone about it) my friends suggested I write a review and post it in this forum. I don’t really share stuff on the internet, but here goes my review.
Dolly: The Uber for Heavy Lifting
Dolly refers to itself as a moving, delivery, and heavy lifting concierge. The site connects truck owners (called “Helpers”) to people who need help moving or hauling stuff. So yeah, it’s like Uber for people who need stuff moved.
How Does it Work?
It’s really simple. You register on the website, then specify your role. You can assume one of two roles on Dolly:
Helpers - Helpers are people who own their own trucks, vans, or pickups, and are willing to use them for the jobs they get. Helpers also lift stuff. Dolly specifies that you be able to lift 75 lbs.
This is the role I picked, because I own a truck, and because lifting 75 lb. objects is no problem at all.
Hands - Hands are like Helpers, minus the vehicle ownership. They tag along and help you carry and load stuff onto your truck.
You will also have to provide information about yourself, including your location and availability. The cool thing about Dolly is that I could set my own schedule (weekends) and accept bookings that are appealing to me (clothing shops, because it’s easy to move clothes).
Once you have everything set-up you can start taking jobs through the app. Some of the more interesting jobs I’ve gotten include:
- Moving statues from a wax museum to their new location.
- Moving one gentleman’s sneaker collection (over 4,000 pairs!)
- Hauling the entire inventory of a glass eye maker.
- Moving a theater actor’s collection of wigs and capes.
And my all-time favorite:
- Moving furniture that has been with one family for over three hundred years. The home had become condemned, but the furniture was still in relatively good condition. Several of us Helpers and Hands moved the items (very carefully!) to a safe location.
As you can tell, this is a pretty interesting job. Even when I’m hauling everyday stuff like sofas and appliances, I always meet nice people. Definitely a change from brick-laying!
Getting Paid
Of course, I don’t suggest you do this just for the stories. We’re all trying to make a few extra bucks, right?
I live in a pretty busy part of town; people and businesses are constantly transferring buildings. All that activity enabled me to earn a pretty good amount of money through Dolly.
The site itself claims that members can make about $1,000 per week on average. My earnings were slightly lower than that, but it was still enough to make for some decent savings.
There’s no haggling on Dolly. Potential clients post how much they’re willing to pay for a job, and you can either accept it or pass. The app also permits tipping, which is pretty awesome.
And since the app facilitates the transaction, you don’t need to carry around cash. The client pays through the app via credit card. Each week, the app will then transfer earnings to you (minus their cut, of course).
Where is Dolly Available In?
Currently, Dolly is only available in eight cities in the United States: Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Denver, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston. I’m from Seattle, but I wish the service would be available in more cities. I imagine haulers from New York would make a killing if the service were available there!
How to Join
If this sounds like the job for you, and if you’re located in any of the cities listed above, here’s how to join. First, you’ve got to download the app on your mobile phone:
Link: https://dolly.com
iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dolly-your-move-anything-app/id881999615?mt=8
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?hl=en&id=com.dolly.dolly
Next, you register. You’ll have to choose between Helper or Hand roles. You can always switch roles later one.
If you choose to be a Helper, you will also have to provide your vehicle information, including make, model, and registration details. This is to ensure that your vehicle is roadworthy and suited for the job.
Take note that when you do get accepted, you won’t be an employee of Dolly. You will be an independent contractor accepting jobs through their app.
And that’s it! Switch on the app during your preferred times, and start accepting jobs.
Dolly - The Good and the Not-so-Good
Now it’s time to give you a list of the stuff that’s good and bad about Dolly. But to be honest, there really isn’t anything “bad” about Dolly. Let’s just call it not-so-good.
The Good
You can set your own schedule - This is a big deal for people such as myself who also have day jobs.
Tipping is allowed - Every dollar counts!
It’s a fun job - You’ll get to interact with people you don’t usually encounter during regular days.
The pay is mostly good - Most people know the value of the work we do, and price their job requests accordingly. Hats off to you people.
The Not-so-Good
Vehicle wear and tear - Since you’ll be using your own vehicle, you will also be responsible for its repair and maintenance. And since you’ll be hauling large and heavy items, there’s an increased chance of damaging your vehicle.
There are a few stingy customers - I mentioned that pay is mostly good, but there are still a few customers who try to make low-ball offers. We never take those jobs, but I find it insulting when people offer $20 to anyone willing to haul heavy machinery.
The Verdict: Legit or Scam?
Dolly is legit! It’s going to be a great way to supplement your income. It’s a fun job, and I have no problem recommending it. Just be mindful of the wear and tear on your vehicle.
Dolly Screenshots
Your Turn
This review is based on my own experiences getting moving and hauling jobs through Dolly. Now it’s your turn to share! Have you tried this app?
Let’s hear your stories!