Yes, (some of) the ads are true , you can make some additional money taking market research surveys online --but it's probably going to take you some time to get there, and it's not likely you'll earn a lot of extra cash doing it.
I've been filling out surveys for Global Test Market for about a year now. --The good news is that I've never been charged or had my email sold by them to third parties. The bad news is I still haven't managed to clear 1000 market points, which is the minimum to claim any pay-outs.
Currently, I'm sitting at 895 points, just a few surveys shy of that first check. In all frankness though, it's most likely my own laziness that's standing between me and that first check. Lately I've gotten rather frustrated at the number of surveys I do not qualify for, and in the past couple of months, have allowed them to pile up in my e-mail.
Two of my immediate family members work in health care so I'm screened out of a number of surveys about health care systems and pharmaceuticals due to conflicts of interest. I'm sure it doesn't help that my socioeconomic background is common one, and I'd imagine that Global Test Market has their quota of people-doing-this-for-the-beer-money filled pretty quickly. So while my own apathy towards staying on top of my market research participation is likely my biggest obstacle between me and that first $50.00, I don't know that I'd have that check all that much sooner if I was regularly participating.
Still, I intend to retain my membership and keep at it. It's not costing me anything and $ 50.00 buys a lot of cake mix. Or some decent bourbon. You can read a much better article about Global Test Market here.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Sweet Deals? Redplum.com (OR: Coupon Clipping, not just for my Aunt Bev anymore!)
I'm not sure which coupon circulars and mailers ya'll get, but one that's caught my eye in the past month or so has been Red Plum . It's the first circular I've received in a few years that doesn't end up in the recycle bin whole, in its entirety. I can't exactly say that clipping coupons has saved me a bundle, but hey every little bit helps right? --I know I get some little sad thrill out of actually getting to use a coupon I found, and generally, there's at least one coupon a week for a discount on something I buy semi-regularly.
Though there doesn't seem to be a way to sign up to receive a paper copy of the mailer in your mailbox(though my guess is, if I get it, you're probably getting it too), Red Plum offers printable coupons online if you don't receive their circular through the post. (Actually, the printable coupon thing might be way forward. Less paper is wasted I reckon, when it doesn't go to printing up coupons people don't want or won't use, but what do I know?)
Coupons of interest to me this week are $1.00 off Filippo Olive Oil, and $0.50 off any one Maggio Ricotta Cheese. There's also a couple of coupons up for some recent DVDs including $3.00 off Astro Boy, and $5.00 off the new Twilight movie (I'll try not to judge. I'm gonna go see the new Runaways biopic and the Twilight chick is in that, so, you know, you and I, not so different after all I guess).
Red Plum also offers several articles like the DIY Winter Pedicure and how to use coupon codes to buy clothes. It sort of kills me that someone felt compelled to write up a tutorial on coupon codes, but I did appreciate learning that some merchants allow you to stack, or combine these discounts. The articles are kind of like reading Red Book or Ladies Home Journal in a waiting room somewhere; a lot of the information and "advice" is either common sense, doesn't work, or not particularly useful --but it's free, and once in a while you glean a little tip you're glad to know.
Are the "secret sales" sections and newsletters worth signing up for? Mehhhhhhh... I can't really say yet about the newsletters as I just signed up for them, but the secret sales site only seems worthwhile if you already do a bit of shopping online. That said, they are currently offering some deals with popular companies like Target, Express, Walgreens and Omaha Steaks. They're free to join as well, so maybe if I ever remember to sign into my profile there ever again, I'll find something I can use later.
If nothing else, I've got a voucher for $1.00 off any fresh or frozen Shady Brooks Farm turkey.
Though there doesn't seem to be a way to sign up to receive a paper copy of the mailer in your mailbox(though my guess is, if I get it, you're probably getting it too), Red Plum offers printable coupons online if you don't receive their circular through the post. (Actually, the printable coupon thing might be way forward. Less paper is wasted I reckon, when it doesn't go to printing up coupons people don't want or won't use, but what do I know?)
Coupons of interest to me this week are $1.00 off Filippo Olive Oil, and $0.50 off any one Maggio Ricotta Cheese. There's also a couple of coupons up for some recent DVDs including $3.00 off Astro Boy, and $5.00 off the new Twilight movie (I'll try not to judge. I'm gonna go see the new Runaways biopic and the Twilight chick is in that, so, you know, you and I, not so different after all I guess).
Red Plum also offers several articles like the DIY Winter Pedicure and how to use coupon codes to buy clothes. It sort of kills me that someone felt compelled to write up a tutorial on coupon codes, but I did appreciate learning that some merchants allow you to stack, or combine these discounts. The articles are kind of like reading Red Book or Ladies Home Journal in a waiting room somewhere; a lot of the information and "advice" is either common sense, doesn't work, or not particularly useful --but it's free, and once in a while you glean a little tip you're glad to know.
Are the "secret sales" sections and newsletters worth signing up for? Mehhhhhhh... I can't really say yet about the newsletters as I just signed up for them, but the secret sales site only seems worthwhile if you already do a bit of shopping online. That said, they are currently offering some deals with popular companies like Target, Express, Walgreens and Omaha Steaks. They're free to join as well, so maybe if I ever remember to sign into my profile there ever again, I'll find something I can use later.
If nothing else, I've got a voucher for $1.00 off any fresh or frozen Shady Brooks Farm turkey.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
The last free internet radio service
is hardly Last.fm, but I have to say, it's the last --and first one I've used with any kind of consistency and effectiveness.
Do you have your own private internet (connection)? Then you've already paid the price of admission and are all set to start your own personalized internet radio station! If you're old enough to be familiar with Yahoo's Launchcast internet radio service, then you pretty much already know how Last.fm works. If not, Last.fm breaks down to this: you sign up for YET ANOTHER website and create YET ANOTHER profile. After going through the standard procedures of creating a user name, a password and verifying your email you are asked to enter the bands and musicians you like. Based on the bands and performers you enter, Last.fm will create a station tailored to your tastes and preferences. Niffty huh?
Also, if you're willing to download the last.fm scrobbler tool, they can track the number of times you play any track in your iTunes or Windows Media Player libraries and factor in your library play counts to the equation used to create your station. Another similar tool tracks plays from your iPod or MP3 player when you connect the device to your computer to change your playlists or add new music.
In addition to a commercial free radio station made to measure to your tastes, Last.fm also recommends artists not yet in your library that you may like, as well as free MP3 downloads. The MP3 downloads have surprised me the most so far. Shockingly they aren't all crappy local bands just looking for exposure, nor are they all crappy flavor-of-the-next-five-minutes bands that the big labels are trying to push. I actually like most the of the free downloads recommended to me. Some of the more pleasant surprises I've found in my "recommended free MP3" list Crunktessa's remix of Tiga's Shoes, a track from Oh No Oh My's Dmitrij Dmitrij EP, and this electronic piece by Pogo, a track 90% composed of sounds in Walt Disney's 1951 animated feature Alice in Wonderland.
Do you have your own private internet (connection)? Then you've already paid the price of admission and are all set to start your own personalized internet radio station! If you're old enough to be familiar with Yahoo's Launchcast internet radio service, then you pretty much already know how Last.fm works. If not, Last.fm breaks down to this: you sign up for YET ANOTHER website and create YET ANOTHER profile. After going through the standard procedures of creating a user name, a password and verifying your email you are asked to enter the bands and musicians you like. Based on the bands and performers you enter, Last.fm will create a station tailored to your tastes and preferences. Niffty huh?
Also, if you're willing to download the last.fm scrobbler tool, they can track the number of times you play any track in your iTunes or Windows Media Player libraries and factor in your library play counts to the equation used to create your station. Another similar tool tracks plays from your iPod or MP3 player when you connect the device to your computer to change your playlists or add new music.
In addition to a commercial free radio station made to measure to your tastes, Last.fm also recommends artists not yet in your library that you may like, as well as free MP3 downloads. The MP3 downloads have surprised me the most so far. Shockingly they aren't all crappy local bands just looking for exposure, nor are they all crappy flavor-of-the-next-five-minutes bands that the big labels are trying to push. I actually like most the of the free downloads recommended to me. Some of the more pleasant surprises I've found in my "recommended free MP3" list Crunktessa's remix of Tiga's Shoes, a track from Oh No Oh My's Dmitrij Dmitrij EP, and this electronic piece by Pogo, a track 90% composed of sounds in Walt Disney's 1951 animated feature Alice in Wonderland.
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