A few months ago I talked about way to make money if you are broke. One of the things I mentioned was participating in focus groups and surveys. I have been participating in both side gigs since September and to date I’ve earned over $300 in cash and gift cards. This week I have two focus groups that I am participating in. One is a taste test and the other is a focus group on local media. The payout is $75 and $40 for just a few minutes of my time. This will bring my earnings up to over $400.
I probably could have made more had I been persistent but life happens and I don’t follow through sometimes. To find focus groups in your area do a Google search on [your city] + market research participant or [your city] + market research join. Search for focus group facilities in your phone book and call to see if they recruit focus group participants. Also search Craigslist.org in the jobs list. Look at the ETC. section for research firms who are recruiting participants. The city you live in determines if you see ads or not. The bigger your city or metro area the more likely you are to see ads.
Just today I saw an article on CNN about weird but legal ways people are making extra money. One lady sold her hair for $1200 and one man does medical studies (something that I have been looking into) and has made over $28,000 so far this year.
There is no shortage of ways to make extra money it just takes some research and creativity to find opportunities. As I said before, the holidays are prime time to earn extra money. It is a busy time of year for most people and they need help.
On the radio this morning there was an ad about earning money giving out the new AT&T phonebook. All you need is a car, insurance, and time. You are your own boss and can make your own hours. That is perfect for single moms. There are other phonebook companies that offer the same opportunities and they need people during different times of the year.
The 2010 Census is coming up soon. The government will be recruiting people to go door to door to get census information. People expect it so you will be welcome and the pay should be pretty good.
Market Research Companies (just a sample)
Schlesinger Associates
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
Bernett Research s another focus group company that regularly conducts Focus Groups. We are located on the scenic waterfront in Boston. Our phone number is (617)746-2600. Our website is http://www.bernett.com. We typically pay between $75 and $150 for a two to three hour focus group. I hope to see some of your follwers at our facility. We have other facilities in most of the major cities, as well. Drop me an email at andrew@bernett.com.