Reporting gig income (DoorDash/Uber) for CalFresh - how often to submit proof?

You don't need to report every week! California uses a Semi-Annual Reporting system for CalFresh, meaning you only need to report significant income changes on your SAR7 form (every 6 months) or if your income goes above the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT). Your IRT should be listed on your approval letter. For gig work, just keep track of all your earnings through the apps, save screenshots of your weekly earnings, and track your expenses like gas and car maintenance since those are deductible business expenses. When you complete your SAR7, you'll report the average monthly income from the previous months. You should also keep documentation of your expenses since those reduce your countable income.

i also do doordash and i just average my income wen filling out the sar7. been doing this for like 18 months with no problems so far. just take ur total earnings for the month and divide by however many weeks. they dont ask for proof every week thats crazy lol

The system is DESIGNED to make it impossible for gig workers!!! I did Instacart for 8 months and they kept telling me different things every time I called. First they said report monthly, then they said only on SAR7, then they said I needed to report when I went $200 over my "normal" income... whatever that means when every week is different!!! Then they hit me with a $890 overpayment because I "failed to report timely" even though I did EXACTLY what the worker told me to do. The whole system is broken and they don't understand gig work AT ALL.

I deliver for UberEats and DoorDash too. Here's what my worker told me: 1) Track ALL income weekly, 2) Keep track of ALL miles driven for work (I use the Stride app), 3) Only report if you go over your IRT (Income Reporting Threshold) for the month, 4) On your SAR7, report the average monthly income after expenses for the reporting period. Don't forget your expenses! They make a HUGE difference. Like if I earn $1200 in a month but spend $300 on gas and put 1000 miles on my car (which is like $500+ in deductions at the IRS rate), my actual countable income for CalFresh is WAY lower.

If you're having trouble reaching someone at the county to clarify this, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. It helped me get through to a CalFresh worker in about 10 minutes after I spent days trying to get through on my own. Their service calls the county for you and then calls you when they reach a real person. Saved me hours of waiting on hold. Check out their video demo here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 or their website claimyr.com. I used it when I had a similar issue with reporting my freelance income.

wait you guys are reporting doordash income? lol

I'm in a kinda similar situation - I do freelance graphic design and my income changes all the time. My caseworker explained that with the SAR7 system, I only need to report if my MONTHLY income goes above my IRT (Income Reporting Threshold). So I actually keep a simple spreadsheet where I track my weekly income, and then at the end of the month I check if I'm over the threshold. For your SAR7 every 6 months, you need to provide info about the past 30 days, plus any expected changes for the coming months. That's when I submit proof of all my income and expenses. Don't forget about the "self-employment deduction" too - you can either track all your actual expenses OR take a standard 40% deduction from your gross income. Sometimes the 40% is easier if you don't want to track every little expense.

my freind got in big trouble for not reporting doordash she had to pay back like $2000 and got band from calfresh for a year so dont listen to ppl saying dont report

Thanks everyone for the help! So it sounds like I should: 1. Track my weekly earnings from both apps 2. Track my expenses (gas, maintenance) and/or mileage 3. Only report mid-certification if I go over my IRT for the month 4. Provide all income and expense details on my SAR7 5. Consider the 40% standard deduction vs. actual expenses I'm still confused about whether I need to average my income or report it exactly as is on the SAR7, but I'll try to reach a worker again to clarify. This is way more complicated than when I just had a regular job!

Just wanted to add - definitely keep screenshots of your weekly earnings from both DoorDash and Uber Eats apps! I learned this the hard way when my county asked for proof of income and I had to go back months trying to find everything. Both apps let you download weekly summaries, and I now save them to a folder on my phone every Sunday. Also, if you use multiple apps like DoorDash AND Uber Eats, make sure you're combining the income when you check against your IRT threshold. I was tracking them separately at first and almost missed going over my limit one month because I wasn't adding them together. One more tip - if you're using your personal car, definitely track those miles! Even if you go with the 40% standard deduction, having mileage records can be helpful if you ever need to prove your work activity to your caseworker.

I've been doing gig work (Postmates before it became Uber Eats) for about 3 years now while on CalFresh. Here's what I've learned works best: Download a mileage tracking app like MileIQ or Everlance - they automatically track your driving and categorize work vs personal miles. This is huge for your deductions! I was manually logging miles for months before I discovered these apps. For income reporting, I created a simple system: I have a Google Sheet where I log my weekly earnings from each app (DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc.) and then I have a monthly total column. At the end of each month, I check if my total is over my IRT - if yes, I report it. If no, I just keep tracking. The key thing that helped me avoid overpayments was getting my IRT amount IN WRITING from my caseworker. I emailed them asking for clarification and they sent me back my exact threshold amount. Now I have proof of what they told me to do. One last tip - when you do your SAR7, attach a simple summary sheet showing your monthly totals and expenses. It makes the caseworker's job easier and shows you're organized. I've never had issues since I started doing this. Good luck! The system is definitely not designed for gig workers but you can make it work with good record keeping.

I've been doing gig work (DoorDash and Grubhub) for about 8 months now while on CalFresh. The reporting can definitely be confusing at first, but here's what's worked for me: First, don't stress about weekly reporting - you're right that would be excessive! Like others mentioned, you only need to report if your monthly income goes over your IRT (Income Reporting Threshold). What I do is keep a simple notebook in my car where I write down my daily earnings and miles driven. At the end of each week, I add it to a spreadsheet on my phone. This way I can quickly check at the end of each month if I'm over my threshold. For expenses, I track EVERYTHING - gas, car washes, phone mount, even the car air fresheners since I'm driving customers' food around! It all adds up and reduces your countable income significantly. One thing I learned the hard way: always keep your 1099s from the apps when they come in January. My caseworker asked for them during my recertification and I had to scramble to download them from the apps. Also, if you're doing both DoorDash and Uber Eats, make sure you're combining the income when checking your IRT - I made that mistake early on and almost missed reporting when I should have. The system definitely isn't designed for gig workers, but with good record keeping it's totally manageable. Feel free to ask if you have any other questions!

I've been doing UberEats and DoorDash for about 6 months while on CalFresh and I totally get the confusion! The income reporting for gig work is honestly a mess, but here's what I've learned: You definitely don't need to report every week - that would be insane! The SAR (Semi-Annual Reporting) system means you only report changes if your MONTHLY income goes over your IRT threshold, or when you do your SAR7 every 6 months. My advice: Get a cheap composition notebook and keep it in your car. Write down your daily earnings and mileage RIGHT when you finish your shift. I use one page per week and just tally everything up on Sundays. Then I check if my monthly total is over my IRT. For the SAR7, you'll report your actual monthly income and expenses for the reporting period. The county averages it out for your benefit calculation. DEFINITELY track your expenses! Gas, car maintenance, phone charges, even things like hand sanitizer and masks since we're handling food. I either itemize everything OR take the 40% standard deduction - whichever saves me more money. One more tip: take screenshots of your weekly earnings summaries from both apps every Sunday. Save them in a folder on your phone. When SAR7 time comes, you'll have everything organized and ready to go. The system sucks for gig workers but it's totally doable with good record keeping. Don't let it stress you out too much!

I've been doing gig work with Instacart and Shipt for about a year while on CalFresh, and I had the exact same confusion when I started! The county workers really don't seem to understand how gig income works. Here's my system that's kept me out of trouble: I use the Stride app (it's free) to automatically track my mileage and let me snap photos of gas receipts. At the end of each month, I add up my total gig income from all apps and check it against my IRT. If I'm under, I don't report anything until my SAR7. The key thing that saved me was asking my caseworker to EMAIL me my exact IRT amount and the reporting requirements. Having it in writing protected me when another worker tried to tell me something completely different later. For expenses, I've found that itemizing usually works out better than the 40% standard deduction because of all the car costs. Gas, maintenance, car washes, phone mount, insulated bags - it all adds up fast with delivery work. One more tip: when you do your SAR7, include a simple cover sheet that shows "Month 1: $X income, $Y expenses" for each month. Makes the worker's job easier and shows you're organized. I've never had any issues since I started doing this. The system definitely wasn't designed for people like us, but with good records you can make it work!

I've been doing DoorDash and UberEats for about 4 months while on CalFresh and went through the exact same confusion! The good news is you definitely don't need to report weekly - that would be absolutely insane. Here's what finally worked for me: I keep a small notebook in my car and write down my daily earnings and miles right after each shift. Every Sunday I total up the week and add it to a simple spreadsheet on my phone. At the end of each month, I check if my combined income from both apps is over my IRT threshold. The key breakthrough was when I called and specifically asked my caseworker to EMAIL me my exact IRT amount and what I needed to report. Having it in writing saved me when I talked to a different worker later who told me something completely different. For expenses, definitely track your mileage! I use the free Stride app now which automatically tracks driving and lets you photo receipts. Between gas, car maintenance, and the IRS mileage rate (58.5 cents per mile for 2025), my actual countable income is way lower than what the apps show as earnings. One last tip - when you do your SAR7, create a simple summary sheet showing "Month 1: $X income, $Y expenses" etc. Makes everything cleaner and shows you're organized. The caseworkers appreciate it and I've had zero issues since I started doing this. Don't stress too much - with good record keeping this is totally manageable even though the system wasn't designed for gig workers!

I've been doing gig work with multiple apps (DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub) for over a year while on CalFresh and I totally understand your frustration! The system is definitely not gig-worker friendly, but here's what I've learned: You're absolutely right that weekly reporting would be excessive. California uses the SAR (Semi-Annual Reporting) system, so you only need to report if your MONTHLY income exceeds your Income Reporting Threshold (IRT), or during your regular SAR7 every 6 months. My foolproof system: I keep a small car notebook for daily earnings/miles, use the Stride app for automatic mileage tracking and receipt photos, and maintain a simple Google Sheet with weekly totals. Every month-end I check if I'm over my IRT by combining ALL app income. Key tip that saved me: EMAIL your caseworker asking for your exact IRT amount and reporting requirements in writing. Different workers will tell you different things, but having it documented protects you from conflicting advice later. For expenses, definitely track everything! Gas, maintenance, phone charges, cleaning supplies, insulated bags - it all counts. You can either itemize actual expenses OR take the 40% standard deduction, whichever saves more. With delivery work, itemizing often works out better due to vehicle costs. For your SAR7, create a monthly summary: "Month 1: $X income, $Y expenses" etc. Makes the caseworker's job easier and shows you're organized. Don't let this stress you out - with good records it's totally manageable!

I've been doing DoorDash and Postmates (now Uber Eats) for about 2 years while on CalFresh, and I went through the exact same confusion when I started! The key thing to remember is that you're NOT required to report every week - that would be completely unrealistic. Here's my tried-and-true system: Keep a small notebook in your car and jot down daily earnings and miles immediately after each shift. I use a free app called Everlance to automatically track mileage (similar to Stride that others mentioned). Every Sunday, I update a simple spreadsheet with my weekly totals from all apps combined. The most important thing I learned: Get your Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) amount IN WRITING from your caseworker via email. I can't stress this enough - different workers will tell you different things, and having documentation saved me from a potential overpayment issue. Monthly check: Add up ALL your gig income (DoorDash + Uber Eats combined) and only report if it exceeds your IRT. Otherwise, you wait until your SAR7. For expenses, track EVERYTHING - gas, car maintenance, phone bill (portion used for work), cleaning supplies, even air fresheners since you're delivering food. The mileage deduction alone (58.5 cents per mile in 2025) can significantly reduce your countable income. Pro tip for SAR7: Create a simple monthly breakdown sheet showing "Month X: $XX gross income, $XX expenses, $XX net income" - caseworkers love organized documentation and it makes the process smoother. Don't let this overwhelm you - thousands of us gig workers are successfully managing CalFresh with good record keeping!

I've been doing gig work (DoorDash and Instacart) for about 6 months while on CalFresh and went through this exact same confusion! The weekly reporting thing was driving me crazy too until I figured out the actual system. Here's what works for me: I keep everything super simple with a small notebook in my car where I write down daily earnings and mileage right after each shift. Then every Sunday I add up the week and plug it into a basic spreadsheet on my phone. At month-end, I just check if my total income from all apps combined is over my IRT - if not, no reporting needed until SAR7 time. The game-changer was emailing my caseworker to get my exact IRT amount and reporting requirements IN WRITING. I've had three different workers tell me three different things over the phone, but having that email saved me from confusion later. For tracking expenses, I started using the MileIQ app after seeing it mentioned here - it automatically logs your driving and the mileage deduction (58.5 cents per mile) adds up FAST. Plus I track gas, phone bill portion, car maintenance, even the hand sanitizer I keep in my car for deliveries. One thing that made my SAR7 way easier: I create a simple summary showing "Month 1: $X income, $Y expenses = $Z net" for each month. The caseworker told me it was the most organized self-employment documentation she'd seen. Don't stress too much - once you get a system down it becomes automatic! The key is just consistent record keeping, not daily reporting to the county.

I've been doing Uber Eats and DoorDash for about 10 months while on CalFresh and I totally feel your pain! When I first started, I was literally calling the county every week thinking I needed to report my income changes - thank god the worker finally explained the actual system to me. Here's what I wish someone had told me from day one: You only need to report if your MONTHLY income goes over your Income Reporting Threshold, not weekly. I keep a super simple system - small notebook in my car for daily totals, and I use the Stride app everyone's mentioned to track mileage automatically. Every month I just add up all my app earnings and check against my IRT. The absolute most important thing: EMAIL your caseworker asking for your exact IRT amount in writing. I learned this the hard way when I got conflicting info from different workers. Having that email literally saved me from an overpayment when a new worker tried to tell me something completely different. One tip I haven't seen mentioned yet: If you're doing both DoorDash and Uber Eats, create separate sections in your tracking for each app but ALWAYS combine them when checking your monthly IRT threshold. I made the mistake of tracking them separately at first and almost missed going over my limit. Also, don't forget about the self-employment expense deductions! Gas, car maintenance, phone charges, even things like the thermal bags you buy - it all reduces your countable income. The mileage deduction alone (58.5 cents per mile) makes a huge difference. For your SAR7, I make a simple monthly summary sheet: "Month 1: $X DoorDash + $Y Uber = $Z total income, minus $A expenses = $B net income" - makes everything super clear for the caseworker. You'll get the hang of it! Just focus on consistent record keeping rather than stressing about weekly reporting.

I've been doing Uber Eats and DoorDash for about a year while on CalFresh and I went through this exact same stress when I started! You're absolutely right that weekly reporting would be insane - don't worry, that's not what they expect. Here's my system that's kept me out of trouble: I use a simple car notebook to jot down daily earnings and miles right after each shift, then every Sunday I update a Google Sheet with my weekly totals. At the end of each month, I add up ALL my gig income (both apps combined) and only report if it goes over my IRT threshold. The most crucial thing - and I can't stress this enough - is to EMAIL your caseworker requesting your exact IRT amount and reporting requirements in writing. Different workers will tell you completely different things, and having that documentation has saved me from conflicting advice multiple times. For expenses, definitely track your mileage using an app like Stride or MileIQ - the automatic tracking is a game changer and that 58.5 cents per mile adds up fast! Also track gas, car maintenance, phone charges, even cleaning supplies since they're all legitimate business expenses that reduce your countable income. When SAR7 time comes, create a monthly breakdown showing "Month X: $XX total income - $XX expenses = $XX net income" for each month. Makes everything clean and organized for the caseworker. The system definitely wasn't designed for gig workers, but with consistent record keeping it's totally manageable. You've got this!

I've been doing gig work with DoorDash and Uber Eats for about 8 months while on CalFresh and I completely understand your confusion! When I first started, I was panicking about whether to report every single week too - thankfully that's not necessary. Here's what works for me: I keep a simple system where I track daily earnings in a small notebook I keep in my car, then transfer everything to a spreadsheet weekly. The key is only reporting if your COMBINED monthly income from all gig apps exceeds your Income Reporting Threshold (IRT). My biggest tip: Email your caseworker to get your exact IRT amount and reporting requirements IN WRITING. I've had different workers tell me completely different things over the phone, but having that email documentation protects you from conflicting advice later. For expenses, definitely use a mileage tracking app like Stride or Everlance - they automatically log your driving and the 58.5 cents per mile deduction adds up incredibly fast! Also track gas, car maintenance, phone charges, even things like hand sanitizer and thermal bags since they're legitimate business expenses. When you do your SAR7, create a clean monthly summary: "Month 1: $X total income - $Y expenses = $Z net income" for each month. Caseworkers really appreciate organized documentation and it makes the whole process smoother. Don't stress too much - once you establish a consistent tracking routine, it becomes second nature! The system definitely wasn't designed with gig workers in mind, but thousands of us are managing it successfully with good record keeping.