Uber, Lyft and allies break spending records on gig worker initiative. Here's how much

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6. My nephew is in the gig econ..

He works (Uber) when he wants and doesn't when he doesn't want to. Lots of his tips are in cash. He's gotten a few customers who contact him directly when they need a ride...meaning they bypass the app and giving up a cut of the fee. He met a gent who owns his own biz who needed a right-hand man to do odd jobs while allowing him to drive for Uber when he needed.

Everyone doesn't see a union as the ultimate arrangement. I worked for a sawmill several years ago and declined to pay dues to the union. I was seen as a pariah by many. The $38 per paycheck was more useful to me than the union.

I am concerned my nephew is not paying into SS and Medicare. That could bite him in the ass in the long run. But, he's a saver. And based on my advice, he's gotten catastrophic coverage with Farm Bureau.