Mar
2013
Ways I’ve made money: a rundown of the highlights
This post is part of Women’s Money Week 2013.
To kick off Women’s Money Week 2013, we’re talking about increasing income. I’ve had multiple gigs going on for most of my working life, and done a lot of odd jobs from waitressing at events to tutoring, mystery shopping and taking part in all kinds of market research. Here’s a sample of the highlights…
The weirdest way I’ve made extra money
I’ve done a few strange things in the name of market research. For the sake of cold hard cash, I’ve eaten KFC, sampled a range of margarines, and even had electrodes attached to my head. That took place in a downtown hotel conference room, where we all sat still for a couple of hours and watched a lot of Mr Bean, interspersed with a few ads, while they monitored our brain activity.
The easiest way I’ve made extra money
Running around putting up flyers on university campuses was probably the cruisiest thing I’ve ever done. And it paid pretty well at the time – something like $15 an hour plus mileage.
The most flexible way I’ve made extra money
It’s basically impossible to beat working from home for flexibility. For me, freelancing in spare time has been the most convenient way of increasing income.
The most efficient way I’ve made extra money
I’ve pulled back from mystery shopping as it just isn’t worth the time anymore, but back in the day one of the companies I worked for paid $10 per bus survey, and they were dead easy. I lived near a transport hub and could catch any number of buses between my house and town, and I had an unlimited bus pass. I’d catch different routes every day, earning a few bucks just for commuting, and when I had free time (lunchtime, or at the end of the day, or sometimes even on weekends) I’d just hop and off 3-4 buses an hour, going back and forth along key arterial routes.
The hardest way I’ve made extra money
In my last year of school, I worked for a local family doing babysitting/tutoring and homework help, 2 hours a week, 3-4 times a week. I was paid $15 cash for two hours (basically the equivalent of the minimum youth wage at the time. Thankfully, later on I progressed to proper grownup tutoring at $20-30 an hour). As with most people/service oriented gigs, it was incredibly hard graft, incredibly frustrating at times, but also incredibly gratifying when I actually got through to the kids.
The easiest AND hardest way I’ve made extra money
I can negotiate an ad deal or put together a sponsored post worth hundreds of dollars in under an hour. But it’s taken hundreds (maybe thousands? My sense of time ain’t so good) of hours to get this wee blog to the point where this is possible.
Budget & the Beach
March 5, 2013 at 04:12 (76 days ago)When I lived in Seattle years ago, a friend hooked me up with a job where you got paid $100/day to be an “accident victim” for a training program where firemen were getting their EMT certification. Basically all I did was lay there while I got bandaged up by hot firemen.
Leslie
March 5, 2013 at 06:57 (76 days ago)^^winner for best side gig!
Amanda
March 6, 2013 at 00:01 (75 days ago)I wish I could sign up for that somewhere here!!
I just tutor, take random photography gigs, or yknow, photograph your wedding
I used to do promo in supermarkets but people are surprisingly nasty to you… even when I just smile and acknowledge the fact that some people are on a strict grocery-shopping timetable and don’t want to be interrupted!
My Money Design
March 5, 2013 at 06:25 (76 days ago)“and even had electrodes attached to my head”
You’ve got to do a whole blog post about that one. The things we do for $$
I do Vemma
March 5, 2013 at 07:15 (76 days ago)Man, I found this blog on a good day! I’ve been doing side jobs since I was born.
I grew up in Michigan (in a trailer park), and we had snow allllllll the time. I’d make $100 or more in a day shoveling sidewalks for $5 a piece. Of course, there had to be a good storm, which wasn’t every day…but for a 12 year old kid…I might as well have been pouring my own gold bricks.
Some other stuff I’ve done:
1 – Website design (that’s my full time gig anyway)
2 – Dog walking business (no kidding…)
3 – Sold websites on eBay. Each one utilitized Google Adwords
4 – Caddie. Yep, washed clubs, loaded clubs on carts (28 years old at the time – laid off waiting on a new job).
5 – Wrote some eBooks (one on Kickstarter, one on marketing)
6 – Tried to make it as a golf pro once.
7 – Purchased a Golden Tee video game machine and placed it in a few bars. Made money, but not enough. Sold it on eBay.
…and probably a million other things.
I still hold down a six figure salary on my regular 9 to 5 gig…but I’m still trying to hustle no matter what.
[Edited to remove blatant MLM product plug - but you can keep the link in your name]
I do Vemma
March 5, 2013 at 09:18 (76 days ago)At least you called it “epic”
– the post was, and is real though.
Leslie
March 5, 2013 at 10:37 (76 days ago)How does the arcade machine thing work? The bar pays you some money to “rent” it then you both split the quarters?
I do Vemma
March 6, 2013 at 02:40 (75 days ago)Leslie,
My game did take quarters, but it was a golf game that also took dollars..and took about $7 bucks to play a full 18 holes…not everyone does that, but some get hooked and play every day at lunch time.
Anyway, the deal for us was to always split the proceeds 50/50 at the end of the month….that’s the only transaction that would ever happen. We didn’t have to pay any rent or lease a space or anything like that. Just a gentlemans agreement.
If you really got into this and came to a new bar and outfitted the place with all new machines…you’d make a killing…duplicate that across your area…you’re looking at driving around collecting money all week.
Not too bad of a gig huh?
I’m on to something bigger and better though now, I don’t even have to drive around to collect money!
krantcents
March 5, 2013 at 07:51 (76 days ago)When I was in college, I did experiments or tests for the U.S. Navy. They were pretty lucrative for the time and easy too. As an adult I have done marketing groups that pay you to participate. By far the easiest is when I cover classes for other teachers. I am paid at my teacher (hourly) rate for baby sitting.
The Norwegian Girl
March 5, 2013 at 09:11 (76 days ago)I worked as a teacher assistant for my “mother-in-law”! But it was superfun and very educational. I had the sole responsibility for a girl with special needs (Downs Syndrom), which taught me so much!
Tammy
March 5, 2013 at 10:17 (76 days ago)I had an awesome job as a taste tester for a flavor enhancement company. They didn’t want my opinion, instead my job was to tell them which of a pair of samples was sweeter. I did that job for five months until I discovered a food allergy (outside the job) that was grounds for being let go. I was fired for being allergic to artificial cinnamon!
Girl Meets Debt
March 5, 2013 at 10:42 (76 days ago)I love reading about crazy wacky things people have done for money. I wish I had some crazy stories to share but so far I haven’t done anything too “out there” yet. I’ve “sampled a range of margarines” sounds rather unique
Kevin Watts
March 5, 2013 at 13:27 (75 days ago)There has been a few odd ways that have made money. In college I participated in a few marketing surveys where I was paid a flat rate of $20. I have also passed out flyers for a fee and did the whole online coupons.
Shannon @ The Heavy Purse
March 5, 2013 at 13:54 (75 days ago)I feel boring as my jobs have been traditional. But I applaud your savviness and willingness to eat fast food and watch Mr Bean to add a little extra money to your pocketbook.
Holly@ClubThrifty
March 5, 2013 at 14:43 (75 days ago)I have done all kinds of difficult jobs- waitressing, being a nanny, working in a factory. I am spoiled now with my comfy office job!
KK @ Student Debt Survivor
March 5, 2013 at 15:17 (75 days ago)I used to do mystery shopping but haven’t done any shops in a while. In grad school I was an alcohol proctor (got paid $20 an hour to monitor drug undergrads for the university, score!)
Linda
March 5, 2013 at 17:08 (75 days ago)I’ve never worked any strange jobs, but my first job (which I held all through high school and into my first year of college) was pretty dysfunctional. I really didn’t know any better at the time, though.
CF
March 5, 2013 at 18:04 (75 days ago)I’ve done market research in the past for extra $$ and it’s always a blast. I’ve sampled Subway and Tim Hortons, watched lottery commercials, done brainstorming sessions on fashion and listened to music
Financial Independence
March 5, 2013 at 22:53 (75 days ago)I put additional 3 hrs a day during a year to get a pay rise $ 3,000 a year. I paid myself less then $4 dollars an hour for this : -)
I do Vemma
March 6, 2013 at 02:42 (75 days ago)Had to add this one to the list: I used to manage about a dozen websites for a sperm / egg donor company in Northern Virginia. No fringe benefits, lol, and no, I never made a deposit!
Mackenzie
March 6, 2013 at 14:20 (74 days ago)I’ve never worked any strange or wacky jobs, but I would say the toughest one was working at a daycare for children under 3. Tiring, exhausting, and someone was always sick, which meant you got sick too!
Serenity
March 6, 2013 at 16:19 (74 days ago)crazy stuff! back when I lived at home in between semesters at college, I worked weekends as a hotel housekeeper. I didn’t even want to tell some of my friends I was cleaning hotel rooms. it took me a long time to get past the whole “ick” factor and accept it was a good opportunity to make extra cash.
the most insane job I think I ever had was actually tutoring younger children at a big-name tutoring center a few years back. the hours were miserable, the kids were not pleasant or attentive, and the management was completely incompetent. I’m glad I only worked there a few months!