How Much Do Papa Pals Make?

It’s an unfortunate reality that people lose their support systems as they get older.

Kids grow up and move away, and other family members have their own challenges.

As a result, many senior citizens find themselves in a position of need without anyone to help.

They may not be able to drive, lift things in the house, or do yard work.

Even worse, they may not have anyone to sit with and talk or watch TV.

Fortunately, there are people out there who want to help senior citizens live better lives.

But, it can be tough for them to connect with older adults who need help.

Enter Papa.

This app-based company hires college kids to spend time with elderly folks.

These college students help them out with chores and drive them to appointments.

Sometimes, they’re hired just to hang out.

Papa “Pals” are independent contractors.

So,  working for them allows you to choose your own hours and be your own boss.

It is undoubtedly rewarding work.

But, unfortunately, emotional rewards don’t pay the bills.

So, you may be wondering: How much do Papa workers actually make?

As it turns out, Papa Pals do quite well if they work a lot.

And below, you will find a breakdown of just how much you can earn while spending your free time with senior citizens.

How Much Can You Make Working for Papa?

If you like your chances of getting hired, you’re probably wondering about earning potential.

How much do Pals make?

On the Papa website, they suggest Pals can make between $150 and $500 a week.

It’s hard to predict the exact amount.

Earnings depend on the type of jobs you take and the number of hours you work.

For example, simple check-ins cost around $10 per session.

A check-in consists of stopping over at senior’s house to make sure they’re okay.

You may need to move something, help them set something up, or just talk for a few minutes.

If you live near the client, this can be a really easy way to make $10.

However, if you need to drive more than twenty minutes, then the total effort might not be worth it.

After fees and taxes, you’ll only earn around five or seven bucks.

If you spend a day driving them around, on the other hand, you’re paid a lot more.

You can earn up to $50 for taking a senior to lunch.

After fees and taxes, you’ll make around $30 plus whatever you spend on gas driving to and during the visit.

Most “lunch” visits take about two hours.

So, that’s about $15/hour.

Do this three times a week and you’ll make around $270 during that month.

Obviously, extended visits pay more.

If you spend an afternoon grocery shopping and driving them to appointments, you can net $60 in a day.

For those who can make this their primary gig and can do that five times a week, that adds up to $300 a week and just about $1200 a month.

It’s not bad for a few hours of work, especially for a college student.

How to Make More Money as a Papa Pal

Papa is keen to point out that its best workers make around $1500 per month.

While this is surely possible, it’s hard to come up with a scenario where you make that much by just doing visits alone.

In our example above, if you do five visits a week of four hours, you’ll make around $1,200 per month.

If you bump that up to seven days a week, your monthly earnings go up to almost $1,700.

But working all seven days a week is tough, and it’s far from a guarantee that there will be this much work in your area each week.

So, then, how does Papa get to this $1,500 number?

The way to do it is to take advantage of Papa’s bonus and gas compensation programs.

To show you how this works, we’re going to detail these two programs and discuss some examples to figure out how to take advantage of them to boost your earnings.

All of our examples are using the post-taxes rate of $15/hour.

Here are a few things you can do to make extra money as a Pal:

Collect Your First Month Bonus

Papa offers a $100 bonus to anyone who works more than 50 hours during their first month.

This is a way to reward new Pals and to incentivize them to take more jobs.

Want an extra hundred bucks?

Hit the ground running and book as many hours as you can during your first month on the job.

Take Advantage of Weekly Bonuses

The best way to make more money, and the way to realistically earn the $1,500 monthly salary Papa advertises, is to take on more jobs.

This is because Papa has a reward program that incentivizes Pals to work more.

If you do four two-hour lunch visits each week, you would make $120.

But, you would also receive a $25 bonus for working eight hours in a week.

This bumps your weekly earning up to $145, which comes out to just a little under $600 per month.

If you do five four-hour visits in a week, you’ll earn around $300.

But, you’ll get a $50 bonus for working more than 15 hours in a week.

This brings your monthly total up to $1,400.

If it’s your first month, then there’s an extra $100.

At the end of the month, you’ll have $1,500.

There are countless scenarios we could draw up, and each will produce a slightly different result.

But the point is that making more money as a Papa worker requires you to take on more jobs and work more hours.

When you do this, the bonuses kick in, and these can have a serious impact on your overall earnings.

Gas Compensation

Traveling further way to make more money with Papa.

After all, some clients live a bit out of the way.

But, they need help too.

Papa rewards you for tending to those people.

Unlike other driving-based gig jobs, Papa reimburses you for gas mileage.

And, they do so quite generously.

Here’s a breakdown of how Papa pays you for gas:

• The first five miles are on you. So, if you only take local jobs, you aren’t paid for gas.
• If you travel beyond five miles to get to the job, you are compensated $0.25 per mile for up to 30 miles. This does not include the initial five miles.
  • So, if you drive 25 miles for a visit, you’ll receive an extra $5 in your pay., A 30-mile trip would earn you $6.25.
• If you must drive more than 10 miles during the visit (to a grocery store, restaurant, etc.), Papa pays you $.45 for every mile.

Example: if you drive 25 miles on a visit, you are compensated for 15 of them.

You’re paid $6.75 on top of your pay for the visit itself.
Knowing this, you can see how there is more money to be made.

If you’re doing five visits a week and earning $1,400 a month, but your driving 25 miles to each visit, that’s an extra $30 a week and an additional $120 a month.

On top of that, if you’re driving during the visit, you can bump those earnings up even more.

Of course, your earnings depend on the type of car you own.

If you drive a gas-guzzling SUV, long-distance trips are going to cost you more money.

Earnings also depend on the price of gas in your region.

But, if you drive a fuel-efficient car in a region with affordable gas, your gas compensation could be more than double the amount you spend.

The money you earn driving to and during jobs might not seem like much.

But, it adds up over time.

As you complete more and more tasks, you’ll find that it accumulates into a healthy chunk of change every month or so.

Avoid Cancellations

As you can see, Papa’s bonus and gas compensations system allows you to bring in some good cash.

However, you need to follow the rules if you want to qualify for these bonuses.

Specifically, Papa requires that you give more than 24 hours notice before canceling a visit.

When you cancel too late, you become ineligible for bonus payments.

This policy is designed to prevent people from backing out of their commitments.

Although you’ll still qualify for bonuses the following week, you’ll leave money on the table during the week of cancellation.

Earn a Papa Recommendation

Once you complete 100 visits, Papa makes you a Recommended Pal on their website.

This helps boost your credibility and earns you more jobs.

Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to get jobs early on.

The high-paying gigs, in particular, tend to go to more experienced Pals.

But, once you hit that 100-visit mark, the ball starts rolling.

A Papa recommendation helps your profile stands out and improves your chances of landing the better-paying gigs in your area.

It doesn’t matter how long each of your first 100 visits is.

As long as you complete them, they qualify.

So, don’t be afraid to accept all of the jobs that come your way, even if they’re just short pop-ins.

They’ll not only help you earn bonuses but will also get you to 100 visits faster.

What is Papa?

Papa is an app-based service that connects college kids to senior citizens.

Its goal is to help healthcare students gain experience while providing necessary care to the elderly.

But, Papa’s focus goes beyond just helping people out.

Unlike other on-demand platforms, they provide more than just a convenient service.

In their words, they provide “freedom, friendship, and an amazing day.”

In other words, they want Pals to really be pals.

This is why Papa’s slogan is “Grandkids on Demand.”

Much like its competitor Care.com, the company offers the following services:

• Transportation to airports and doctor appointments
• Home care assistance  (cleaning, moving furniture, yard work, etc.)
• Help with grocery shopping
• Technology help
• Companionship (games, watching TV, etc.)
• Assistance with pets
• Caregiving

Papa is based in Florida.

Currently, the company only operates in the following cities:

• Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Miami, FL
• Jacksonville, FL
• Boca Raton, FL
• Orlando, FL
• Palm Beach, FL.
• Port. St. Lucie, FL
• Sarasota, FL
• Tampa, FL
• Vero Beach, FL
• Pittsburgh, PA

However, there are plans to expand to other locations.

If you don’t live in one of the cities mentioned above, stay tuned for Papa to move into your area.

Papa not available in your city?

Try Care.com Senior Care instead!

How Does Papa Work?

For senior citizens, Papa works on a task-by-task basis.

You contact the service and explain your needs, and Papa gives you a quote.

For Pals, Papa works similar to other gig jobs.

If you meet the requirements, you can apply.

Once you’re approved, you will use the app to accept jobs.

Papa sends you jobs as they become available.

Each time there’s an open job, you’ll receive the details and a payment estimate.

From there, you’ll either accept or reject it.

Becoming a Papa Pal

Senior care is sensitive work.

Therefore, the Papa Pal hiring process is somewhat extensive.

To get hired, you must meet a few specific requirements.

Then, you’ll have to complete an interview, take a personality test, and pass a background check.

Requirements

To become a Pal, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be currently enrolled in school (College, university, technical school, etc.)
• Be at least 18 years old
• Have access to a 4-door vehicle
• Have car insurance
• Have a clean record

It’s important to note that Papa only works with college students.

Students have the perfect schedules for this type of work.

And, they recognize that Papa care is a great way to gain experience for future jobs.

The company prefers to work with students in health-related fields like nursing, medicine, and psychology.

This is not a requirement, but it improves an applicant’s chance of getting hired.

The Application Process

The application process is a bit more involved than some other gig jobs.

This is due to Papa’s commitment to providing excellent service.

Here’s an outline of the process:

1. Apply online at joinpapa.com
2. Pass a personality test
3. Complete a 10-minute phone interview with the Papa team
4. Pass a background check
5. Pass a vehicle inspection
6. Submit a copy of your driver’s license and proof of insurance
7. Complete an online training session
8. Download the mobile app and start working

If you have a decent vehicle and you’re able to pass a background check, you’re in good shape.

But, as we’ve mentioned, Papa values quality care.

Demonstrate a positive attitude during your interview to improve your chances of being hired.

Conclusion

Working with senior citizens is rewarding on its own.

It’s always good to spend time with people of different generations.

But, Papa makes this work even more rewarding by offering competitive compensation.

Above, we’ve outlined just how much you can expect to make.

If this seems attractive and you meet the requirements, get in touch with Papa today.

You’ll be making money and doing good work in no time.