Dec 14, 2007 
So I’ve been curious in finding ways to have some “extra” income outside of my job’s normal pay. I’ve been selling off some stuff that I don’t use anymore on craigslist and eBay, but that can only last as long as I have stuff to sell. A popular option for some passive income is usually to have a blog and sell advertisement. But we all know based on the fact that I can’t seem to keep any sort of normal schedule for a personal blog, there is no way I’d be able to produce good content on a blog that would generate advertisement revenue. So I’ve been search for other alternatives.
One that has come up recently and somewhat paid off already is participating in surveying. A few months back I signed up for a a few survey websites that send you various surveys based on your demographic to have you fill out, and for your time you are compensated. The best ones send you cash to a PayPal account, but there are some that run off a point system that is then translated into gift certificates or mileage credit. So far, over the past…. 2 months I’d say I’ve taken maybe 2 hours worth of surveys, probably less. Most are less than 5 minutes and even if you don’t qualify, will get partial credit just for filling out your age, job function and income level. For those two hours of work I’ve received $30 worth of PayPal funds and a bunch of points that I can cash out at anytime for quite a few miles on an airline of my choosing. Not bad!
More recently, I was talking to a friend at work who participated in a little more advanced surveying that paid much better. She sent me the email address of a woman that contracts the taste testing for Wendy’s International. Since Wendy’s is based in Columbus, when they are getting ready to release a new product, they need to test it against the market to see what kind of response they can expect and to see if the product needs any adjustment based on consumer feedback. I sent my information to the testing contractor, and this past Wednesday did my first taste testing. It was the easiest money I’ve ever made. I drove a couple minutes away from where I live to Wendy’s headquarters, walked and signed in. A few minutes after I arrived (along with 20 or so other people), we were led back to a lab type area where we were seated in front of a computer screen and desk. A food item (I signed an agreement not to disclose what it was exactly) was distributed and as we ate it, were instructed to complete a survey on the computer. It took me around 10 minutes to eat and complete the survey (the item was quite delicious) and as I walked out, was handed $25 in cold hard cash! I practically skipped to my car that was so easy.
I’m definitely going to keep my eye out for more opportunities like that. I’ve heard of things like mystery shopping and mystery dining, where your meal is paid for, for trying out a new restaurant and reporting on it. The Midwest (especially Columbus) is the middle of test market USA, and I don’t know why I haven’t discovered these opportunities until now.
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