Make Money on Focus Groups

The month of February I'll be offering a money-making tip every weekday. Here's the one for today:

Become a focus group participant.

Here are the details on this idea from CNN Money:

Become a focus group participant: An old co-worker turned me on to focus groups about 8 years ago and after I made 75 bucks giving my opinion on a series of coffee ads, I immediately went home, opened the phone book (remember those?), and called dozens of market research companies to get my name added to their databases for future groups.

Over the years I've made thousands of dollars telling people what I think about ads, product concepts, packaging, services, and the taste of food and beverages. Once, I even made $200 tasting vodka for an hour. Talk about easy money! Check the "Etc." section of Craigslist for current focus groups in your area, or do an online search for market research recruiting companies and then can call and have your name added to their databases.

I'm in the marketing field and have done many focus groups in my life, so I can vouch for this idea. The trick is, however, to get listed as a potential participant for focus groups -- which is why they suggest calling market research companies to put your name in the hat. Otherwise, your chances of being selected are pretty small.

Comments

[Krazy Eyes]

I did a bunch of focus groups for about 5-6 months a few years ago. The biggest earning problem for me was that I'm a white male. By myself they told me my opinion wasn't as valuable but once I was able to talk my wife into doing a few couples-only groups we got paid a pretty good amount of money.

Overall though I found the whole hassle of getting to the groups -- often during rush hour -- to be more of a hinderance than they were worth and we didn't continue.

[Kaitlyn]

Wow. I think this is the most useful "make extra money" post I've seen. I've been trying to figure out how I can make more when a) no one is hiring that would pay more than I make at my experience and b) I work so much overtime with such weird hours I can't pick up a second job.

[Broke]

I enjoyed doing the psychology experiments at Harvard University for $100 a pop.....and it didn't have the same effects as it did on Ted Kaczynski. Columbia University has quite a few going on right now. Check out the Craigslist in NYC.

[rdub98]

You can also do opinion research online. E-rewards is one. You don't make money with them because it is in the form of rewards, but there are others out there like mysurvey.com that do provide cash. It just takes forever to make any real money out of them.

I used to to mysurvey.com, but it got too tedious. I am currently doing e-rewards because I get rewarded in Gamestop gift cards, something I really enjoy getting.

[Acai]

E-rewards is one. You don't make money with them because it is in the form of rewards, but there are others out there like mysurvey.com that do provide cash. It just takes forever to make any real money out of them.I used to to mysurvey.com, but it got too tedious. I am currently doing e-rewards because I get rewarded in Gamestop gift cards, something I really enjoy getting.

[Kim]

Funny this post popped up today. I'm scheduled to do a focus group tonight that will pay me $150 for 90 minutes of work. I'm signed up with a few of these companies and have given opinions on food, commercials, financial products, radio stations, etc. They pay really well for just a couple hours work. In comparison, I've also done mystery shopping, which pays a pittance for all the work you have to do at the location and filling out evaluation forms. I've pretty much stopped signing up for all but the most lucrative shops.

[Angie]

I know they won't be as lucrative, but are there any reliable online focus group companies? I find most of the in person focus groups are mid-day on a weekday. There is no way I could take 3 hour lunch and go. An online one where you could set up a headset and mic on your laptop in the evening or on weekends would be great!

[Angie]

Last week I started browsing through craigslist. Already got two call backs in my city. $75 each for 45 minutes

Thanks! I was always under the impression they were impossible to find. And once you go to one you tend to stay in the database.

[amy]

can someone please hook me up with some links for focus groups
i live in nyc
thanks so much,a
amy

[christine talley]

I would love to join focus groups in Chicago

[marta castineira]

do you pay taxes on money earnied in focus groups. How do you declare them in the income tax.

[FMF]

Marta --

You pay taxes on all income earned. :-)

[Philip]

I just did an interview with a "professional" focus group participant. She claims to be making about $1,000 a week from her full time effort. She lives in a big city, which I think is the key. She is also very good at getting to know the companies that do the focus groups. I found it fascinating that someone could do this full time.