A few years ago, I discovered a subreddit called Beer Money. The forum discusses online money-making opportunities you can use to earn some spare cash in your free time, like taking surveys and completing microtasks. You won’t get rich from these side hustles. But they will put a little extra money in your pocket to pay for indulgences like a takeout meal or a case of beer, which is why the forum is called “Beer Money.”
Over the years, I’ve used the gift cards and cash I’ve earned from beer money websites to pay for my wants. When I was aggressively saving for a house down payment, I challenged myself to pay for any unnecessary purchases like my Nintendo Switch with beermoney I’d earned. This enabled me to save more money toward my financial goals without feeling like I was depriving myself.
Want to start earning beer money too? Here are my favorite websites for earning side cash from my couch.
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a rewards website that allows you to earn points for completing surveys, playing games, watching videos, using search engines, and clipping and redeeming coupons. You can also earn points (called SB) when you shop at certain stores or complete offers such as signing up for a service like AARP. Swagbucks even has a gameshow called Swagbucks Live that allows you to earn extra points by answering trivia questions correctly.
When you’ve racked up enough SB, you can redeem your points for a wide range of gift cards from Amazon to Visa. I’ve earned a couple hundred dollars from Swagbucks over the years, which has enabled me to treat myself without compromising my financial goals.
Respondent and User Interviews
Respondent and User Interviews are websites that allow you to participate in user research to earn extra cash. Both sites have hundreds of focus group opportunities you can apply for and see if you qualify. Each client is usually looking for a particular demographic, such as homeowners or marketing professionals. Make sure you read the descriptions carefully so you don’t waste time applying for opportunities you’re not a match for.
The focus groups are usually conducted online, either one-on-one with the researchers or in a group. If you get chosen, you’ll earn about $50 to $100 for an hour or two of your time. The researchers will usually ask you questions to learn more about your needs and pain points as a consumer. All you have to do is answer honestly. You may also get a product demo and provide feedback on it. In one study, I was asked to play a mobile game and give my opinion on it.
Participating in focus groups is how I earn the bulk of my beer money, so I highly recommend that you try it. You’re just sharing your thoughts, so there are no wrong answers, making this a pretty easy way to earn some extra cash!
YouGov
YouGov is a survey website that allows you to take surveys on politics and current events and earn points you can redeem for gift cards. I enjoy YouGov because the questions are usually more interesting than a normal survey that asks for your opinions on brands and consumer products.
The surveys I qualify for are delivered straight to my inbox, so I don’t have to search for them or apply, which saves me time. Each survey usually takes about 20 minutes, and I earn a $50 gift card once every few months with minimal work. So I’d definitely recommend YouGov.
Amazon Mechanical Turk
Amazon Mechanical Turk is a microtask platform. It pays you for completing surveys and microtasks like editing and transcribing audio. Each task will earn you anywhere from a few cents to a couple dollars. Although that doesn’t sound like a lot of money, if you complete enough tasks, the payments really add up. It’s possible to earn several hundred dollars a month on Mechanical Turk in your spare time.
However, you may not be accepted to Mechanical Turk when you apply. Some people have to wait months or years to get accepted, and some people are never allowed to join at all. I’ve heard that people with older Amazon accounts that are at least a few years old have better luck getting accepted.
If you can’t get into MTurk, luckily you can still try out the other beer money opportunities in this article. You can also visit the Reddit Beer Money forum to get more side hustle ideas.
What are your favorite ways to earn beer money? Share your tips in the comments section below!
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