Randall Gibbons has worked many jobs. He’s been a motorcycle and RV repairman, real estate agent, caretaker and book salesman.
One of his most lucrative roles has been answering strangers’ questions on the internet. In 2009, Gibbons – then a RV repairman – signed up as an RV expert on JustAnswer, a virtual platform where users can submit questions to experts in fields like mechanical repair, international law and finance.
At first, he just posted answers during his lunch breaks. Today, it’s his full-time job – earning him more than $115,000 last year, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. His best month, July 2021, netted him just under $25,000.
“If somebody had told me I was gonna make that kind of money on here, I’d say, ‘You’re nuts,’” Gibbons, 76, told CNBC Make It.
Gibbons answers roughly 300 questions per week about repairing and operating RVs, and is paid $20 per question – but the job isn’t as passive as it sounds. Gibbons brings 60 years of mechanical experience to the role, and his rate is a mark of his expertise: JustAnswer has a tiered system for its experts, with most starting at $5 per question and working their way up.
Click here to see the entire report from Megan Sauer at CNBC.
