Babies are expensive and twins can put a huge strain on your budget. Here are my side hustles that fund my mad money piggy bank.
Amazon Mechanical Turk - Crowd-sourcing Marketplace:
Amazon Turk is free to sign up and you don't need to do any tests to start working. You will be given a long list of small tasks like verifying receipt dates, captioning photos, and transcribing data. There are a ton of tasks available and most are simple. Payment also varies from $0.01 to $200 but the higher paying jobs could take you weeks to complete. It is easy to cash out especially if you're willing to get paid in Amazon points. You won't make a ton of cash with this program but it's quick cash.
Media Insiders - Phone App:
This is a great source of passive income. You download the app on a maximum of three mobile devices and one computer. The more device tracking the better because you get paid extra for each device. You can also earn more by allowing a VPN connection and social media tracking. Sometimes the company sends me surveys that pay $3 on average. That's like gold compared to most paid surveys online. They also give you $5 loyalty bonuses for being active for a long time. You cash in your points through their Perk Points services which has been very reliable. I have redeemed points for restaurant gift cards, Amazon gift cards, and Paypal direct deposits. If you don't mind this service spying on your TV viewing habits then this is an easy source of consistent cash.
Slidejoy - Phone App:
This is a free app you can download on Android devices. It places adds on your lock screen and you have to swipe the ad off to unlock your phone. Every swipe translates to cash but don't try swiping over and over because the app catches on to unnatural swiping. This is another great source of passive income. I don't even notice the ads anymore but I do notice the average $4 a month. This might not seem like much but this is pretty good considering you're not doing anything. Payments can be slow. Your first reimbursement might take three months but then you will receive a reliable monthly payment. You can cash your points for Paypal deposits, gift cards, or Amazon credit.
LionBridge - Search Engine Evaluator:
I worked for LionBridge for three months as a Internet Assessor while I was on maternity leave. This company could be a great part-time job paying $14.50+ an hour. The application process in grueling. You have to go through a detailed online application, followed by a ton of training videos, followed by a tough test. Once you are accepted there is more training to go through and many people get discouraged by the constant push the company has on training programs. I joined when the company had a high demand in tasks so they were offering a hefty amount of bonus opportunities. They paid me for the time it took to get through the test as well as for additional hours that exceeded my original contract. The work can get monotonous but they usually offer a variety of tasks to complete. My job was to rate webpage quality and give my opinion on the page content. All work is done by a remote computer connection and some workers have the option of using their phone. Keep in mind that you are an independent contractor with this company so you have to pay taxes at the end of the year on your wages. Payments are deposited right into your bank account and I never had an issue with this.
TextBroker - Content Farm:
Whenever I want to make some extra mad money for a new pair of shoes I'll write some articles for TextBroker. To become a member you have to write a test article and the company will rate your skills. Your star skill rating will determine your starting per word pay. I have never had problems finding work on this website and by writing a lot for them my star rating has gone up meaning I'm paid more per word. Article topics vary from health advice to product reviews but you need to pay attention to the order instructions. Sometimes you have to meet a specific key work count. Payment has been reliable and can be done through Paypal once your balance exceeds $10.
Receipt Hog - Phone App:
I have not made much money through Receipt Hog but the cute app has been fun so I've toughed through the service for two months now. Basically after you go grocery shopping you take a picture of your receipt to earn points. You can also take pictures of other shopping receipts to earn a slot machine pull. The slot machine has point prizes but I've been very unlucky with the game. I have had some trouble with the app reading my receipt totals and dates incorrectly but the company is quick to fix mistakes. You can redeem your points with Paypal or with Amazon gift cards.
MyPoints - Get Paid for Shopping Online:
I do a lot of online shopping and have actually made a good chunk of change through this service. Once you sign up you have a couple of options to make points. You can download an add-on to your browser that tracks your online purchases and awards you a percentage of your purchase. You can also shop featured deals through their website and earn points. They also offer points for using coupons, using their browser, and taking surveys. I already use the coupon.com service which you can use through MyPoints which will earn you extra points. All of my Amazon and ToysRUs online purchases earned me over $50 last Christmas. You can redeem your points for various gift cards for places like Amazon.com and Walmart.
My Failed Side Hustles
Some of my experiments have failed and I think it's important to list them so you won't waste your time on them.Pyramid schemes:
I know many "consultants" are not going to be happy with my opinion on this matter but this is my experience with multilevel marketing. I'm going to lump all of these mom traps into one category including The Pampered Chef, PartyLite, Mary Kay, Avon, Shakeology, It Works, Pure Romance, Jamberry, Princess House, Beachbody, Nu Skin, and many many more. I'm not going to tell you which ones I've tried because they are all the same. The biggest problems I came across with these companies was the high upfront costs and running out of customers. I would make some sales at first by selling to family and friends but they eventually got tired of my business pitch. I was also encouraged to sign people up to join my sales force but then everyone I knew was a salesperson and we had no customers. The parties I was told to throw cost me more than the amount I actually sold. Some companies required me to buy my product upfront and then I was responsible for the sales. This caused me to be stuck with a lot of make-up. I also had issues with my contacts who were responsible for fulfilling my sales orders. Some contacts were unreliable and I had to dole out refunds when they dropped the ball. These programs caused me more stress than they're worth and they also put a strain on my relationships with people. My friends and family often felt pressured to buy my products and some felt exploited. In the future if I want to be an entrepreneur then I'll be a true one with my own business and product. At least then all the stress will produce a profit that is 100% mine.
Surveys for Cash:
There are many online services that offer cash for taking lengthy surveys. Some I've tried are InBox Dollars, I-Say, and My Survey. My biggest frustration is that I'll answer 15 questions only to be told that I don't qualify for the survey and will not receive my points. Another problem is that I'll spend an hour answering questions but can not receive my points unless I agree to "one of the following" offers. Usually, these offers require me to purchase something. Payouts can also be a problem because the companies require that I have at least $30+ dollars in order to cash out. It would take me months to make $30 off of surveys that pay $0.02 each.
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