Your Fund: How Kristina Adds To Her Fund

Here’s the creative way that Kristina adds to her fund…

I have been very lucky to coupon to Disney using Market Research Studies in my area!  Since I live near a major metroplex, we have many of these companies to choose from and my family and I have signed up for about a half a dozen of our favorite companies.  Yes…I get the whole family involved!  After doing some research online and finding a few companies that I liked, I signed up for their mailing list and they will either call you or email you with opportunities for tastes tests, focus groups, toy research, product testing, and more.  As a stay at home mom, I am flexible to go to many during the day, but they also have studies at night and weekends as well, which works out great for my husband, who often does them after work, or on his lunch hour.  They even have some where you can take the product home and do it in your spare time.  But the best part is, you are getting paid handsomely for your time! In cash, visa gift cards, and checks.  In our house, I put it all towards our Disney fund and it adds up fast!  Most companies will pay you about $30 an hour for your time, or more!

Here’s some tips that work for us:

*When you are in the waiting room, at your study location, talk the folks around you, find out what other companies they go to. I have found several market research locations right near me, that I didn’t even know about, just by networking this way!

*Most companies have referral bonuses too, ask about them!

*Companies will often have a waiting period, after you complete a survey, you cannot do another one for a certain amount of time. Don’t get discouraged! This is why you get set up with multiple companies…so that there is always someone calling you!  I have several appointments each month this way.

*Companies need to fill their research quotas, and will often break that rule above, if they need to fill their quota for a survey. I will often call a company during the day, to see if they have any last minute openings, that they are eager to fill.  It works!

*Lastly, make it a family affair.  My kids love to do market research! They have earned toys from doing toy studies, and even large amounts of cash. Right now they are saving with us to earn for our Disney trip, it’s a great teaching tool, to get the whole family involved, to see just how much it takes to take such a big trip.

Oh…and of course…market research helps YOU out, because you get to voice your opinions about the products that you use every day and have a chance to make them better.

Want to find out how to find even more money in your budget? Be sure to check out all the articles in the your fund series.