The Frugal Bostonian

The summer is upon us, and so are free movies!  The Hatch Shell has free flicks most Fridays at dusk (they have some entertaining contests for kids in the hour or so leading up to the movie).  Movies are family friendly, although the Hatch Shell schedule seems to be gearing a bit less to the youngest kids.

The Prudential Center will have free flicks on most Saturdays at dusk starting July 17th.  There are also free flicks at Jamaica Pond.

If you go, bring:

• a folding/collapsible chair or something to sit on
• bug spray
• snacks (everyone else will be eating, there’s food available, but a bit expensive)
• there are always a few dogs sitting around, so bring your well-behaved dog (dog needs to sit on your blanket and watch the movie, not wander around looking for food).

Here’s the scheduled for the Hatch Shell, the schedule for the Prudential Center doesn’t seem to be posted yet.

July, 2010

Friday July 9, Sunset
“The Wizard of Oz”
1910 13 Minute Film
& 1939 Classic Version

Friday July 16, Sunset
“Star Trek”

Friday July 23, Sunset
“Where the Wild Things Are”

Friday July 30, Sunset
“Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs”

August 2010

Friday August 6, Sunset
“Monsters vs. Aliens”

Friday August 13, Sunset
“How to Train Your Dragon”

Friday August 20, Sunset
“The Princess and the Frog”

Friday August 27, Sunset
“Up”

I got a post card in the mail today from the City Election Department. They are looking for folks to work the polls on city election day (in Boston, 9/22/2009 preliminary election & 11/3/2009 final election).   I won’t have time to do it this year, but this is a way to make money (I was a poll worker a few years ago, it is a very long day, but i am glad to be able to add this experience to my collection of odd jobs).

• You need to live in Massachusetts to work at the polls here.
• If you are in Boston, go to cityofboston.gov and follow the link to the elections department
• Complete an application
• If you are selected, there may be a training a few days before the polls open
• You’ll be assigned to a polling place, the tasks usually involve checking off voter names and getting folks situated.  You have some say in where you end up, depending on how many poll workers are scheduled to work.
• The pay is $135-$175 for a looonngg day (often 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.)
• You can’t wear pins, buttons, political stuff for any candidate
• some of the voters are really annoying, but they are usually only there for a few minutes
• At some polling places, no one shows up to vote, so poll workers sit around all day.  It gets boring.
• Usually you get to sit down, but depending on the place and who shows up, you might be on your feet most of the day.

From the City website:

Two weeks ago I found a posting on craigslist looking for people who listen to the radio to participate in a paid focus group.   I sent an email to the posting.  A week later I received an email advising that I had been accepted, and advising me when and where to appear.

The focus group was held about two weeks after the email.  I showed up and spent about 90 minutes with nine other civilians talking about Boston radio stations.  Really easy, somewhat fun.  It was in a function room of a bar/restaurant.  Each participant was handed a $50 bill at the end of the session.  The folks running this group only wanted information, they really don’t try to sell anything.

If you want to join the fun:

• Check craigslist (volunteer and etc. sections) for focus groups.
• Be honest about your demographic information and your likes/dislikes, you’ll be found out if you show up to discuss radio stations and you don’t actually ever listen to the radio.
• Have fun.  Everyone is usually friendly, and you’ll learn something about the subject of the discussion.

In July 2008, I participated in a hair care product study.  The company was researching a product they hoped would increase hair volume.  I found the posting on craigslist (http://boston.craigslist.org/) in the “beauty” section.  I went to the “salon” (it seemed like a combination “office” and beauty salon) to have my hair “evaluated.”  Someone looked at my hair and decided that I fit the bill.  They gave me a bottle of spray on hair gel that I used for a week, I wrote comments about my experience (I did not have alot to say, this was like any other hair product).  I returned 7 days later to turn in the remaining product and my commentary.  They were in their final testing phases, and the gel was exactly what I would expect of something I bought in a regular store.

This was very easy, and I was paid $100.   The place was located in Cambridge, near Central and Kendall, and could be accessed by bus or subway (with a walk).  After the study was done, the folks said I could come back to be paid to have my hair styled with the product.  Unfortunately, the appointments were during the day at times that did not work for me.  Apparently some people would go several times a week and treat it as a part-time job.  Nice work if you can find it!

I was recently perusing craigslist and found a posting from the same company again looking for salon participants.  They are paying $30 per session, which takes about an hour.  When it was explained to me in July, they said it was the equivalent of a blow-dry, no hair cutting is involved.  I am hoping to be able to schedule an appointment to make the $30, and you can do it too (take the survey to make sure you have the “right” type of hair).  Start out 2009 with this great income opportunity.

######

Salon Participants Needed - $30 to Get Your Hair Done! (Cambridge / Kendall Square)

Reply to: jessicav@livingproof-inc.com ^[?]
Date: 2008-12-29, 8:52AM EST

We are actively seeking Salon Participants to have their hair professionally styled with our new products. Each visit lasts roughly 1 hour, and the pay is $30 per visit!

Located on Rogers Street in Cambridge, our offices are accessible by public transportation, or parking is readily available for all guests.

Time slots:

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 1st appointment at 9:00am, last at 4:00pm
Tuesday: 1st appointment at 9:00am, last at 3:00pm
Friday: 1st appointment at 9:00am, last at 2:00pm

Ready to get started?! Simply take our survey at the link below to determine your hair-type, and we will be in touch to schedule your first appointment!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=FujJEndzNlwkNPz4B81w1w_3d_3d

For any questions regarding the survey, or for more information about No Frizz(TM), please feel free to e-mail JessicaV@livingproof-inc.com, or call 617-621-1800.

Location: Cambridge / Kendall Square

#######

I have an internet savings account through ING orange, I first signed up in 2002 because they gave me $25 just for opening the account.  Once set up, its very easy to use.  You make transfers from a “bricks and mortar” bank, and get money back in hand the same way (it takes 3-5 days to be back in the regular bank).  If you persuade a friend to join, they will give you free money ($10) and your friend free money ($25).  They used to give the freebie bonus for any amount of deposit, but now its $250 minimum.  I like the account, especially the fact that interest is way higher than what’s available at a regular bank, and there’s no minimum. 

Today I was enticed to open an “Electric Orange Checking Account.”  I got a postcard offering me $25 if I opened the account and used the debit card to make three purchases in the next 45 days.  The promo code on my card was “EL574“, and it did not look like a unique number, so you can use it too.  I logged into my ing savings account, clicked on the link to open the new account and transferred $100 from my orange savings account.  I should get the debit card and pin in 3-5 days. 

Since I am required to make three purchases to get the $25, I plan to use the card three times to make small, necessary transactions, such as a food item in the supermarket.  I then plan to take the card out of my wallet and hide it somplace until there’s another promotion.  The money in the account will earn 1% interest (not alot, but more than the .1% offered at bricks and mortar). 

If you don’t already have an ing orange savings account and plan to open one with a least $250, ask your friends for a referral code so you’ll get the bonus money.  If none of your friends has an account, look for a blogger offering referral codes (the blogger will get a bonus, but so will you), then start referring your friends (this would be a great fundraiser for a church or school group - everyone signs up and donates the bonus to the cause).  Since this is a pseudo-anonymous blog, i am not sending out codes to everyone, but if you know me, feel free to ask in the comments or via email.

ING is a great way to break into online banking - you’ll get free money just for signing up, and you can always take your money out and close the account if you don’t like it.  Go to www.ingdirect.com/electric to learn more.

I surfed around craigslist and found a few more focus group opportunities (these are usually in the volunteer or etc. sections).  Here’s a good one I did last week:

A market research company was looking for people with experience with microsoft office 2007.  I sent them an email, and got an email along with a quiz back in return.  I passed the quiz (excel and word 2007).  I was scheduled for a Sunday session.  The company offices were at the World Trade Center.  Parking was reimbursed - in cash!   After checking in, I was given a choice of drinks and snacks.  I spent about 90 minutes on a computer performing tasks in word and excel, then was asked to rate some materials produced in those programs.  This was very easy.  At the end, I was given a check for $150 for less than two hours.

The only drawback was a convoluted series of voice mail messages confirming that the quiz had been received, and confirming scheduling.  The directions to the facility could have been better (I pointed myself in the direction of the World Trade Center, then ended up running around looking for the actual office). 

Despite the faltering economy, these opportunities are still out there.

I recently participated in a focus group where I earned $75 for two hours of my time and got to eat delicious ice cream treats.

Focus groups are generally marketing done by an independent company for a company that wants to sell a new product.  The one I attended was for a national ice cream vendor contemplating bringing out new products.  They wanted reactions to specific marketing materials and comments about the taste of the actual product.

Just about anyone can do this.  Here’s how.  Find a company that runs focus groups, these folks post on craigslist all the time.  Register with them (it’s free, if it costs money, you probably don’t want to be part of it).  Either they will call you, or you’ll call them in response to an email or craigslist posting.  The telephone screener will ask question related to whatever they are researching and questions about your demographics.  If they are looking for men over 50 who use electric razors, and you fit into that catagory, you’re in luck!   If alot of people in your demographic are registered with the company, you’ll get fewer invitations due to the competition, but keep trying. 

You’ll be given an appointment to show up at the testing center (the one I went to was in an office building in downtown Boston).  Arrive early - sometimes there is an early bird raffle for those who get there early, and sometimes the company overbooks (and some people don’t get paid or get to participate).  They usually have sandwiches and soda while you wait (or after the group). 

The groups are usually held in a conference room, and are audio recorded.  There were eight people in my group, and one ”leader.”   Sometimes there is a two way mirror and other marketing folks are watching.  Everyone is on a first name only basis, and there’s usually a discussion about whatever topic / item / food the company representative brings up.  Sometimes you even get to eat the product!  The leader wants to hear from everyone, and its a pleasant experience contributing to the group.

At the end of the group, you’ll get an envelope with a check (or, increasingly rarely, cash). 

I enjoyed the experience.  The group was very diverse, and I enjoyed hearing different viewpoints about the same product.  And I am now “in the know” about a product that will probably hit the market soon.  Market research companies don’t want the same people all the time, so I will not be eligible for another six months.  But this was an easy and fun way to make a little extra money!

I drink soda, which is not a particularly frugal choice.  However, I try to make it less expensive by buying it on sale at the supermarket and bringing it to work, when getting in the car, etc. rather than buying from a vending machine.  For example, a 12 pack of soda can be found on sale for $2.50, which is about 21 cents a can, and with deposit, it’s a little over $.25 per can (Massachusetts has a 5 cent deposit on beer and soda containers).  This is alot cheaper than the $1.00 a vending machine usually charges for a can of soda.

One way I try to offset the price is by saving and returning the deposit bottles.  It seems that everyone is starting to recycle, and many people just put the returnables in recycling bins.  I pull out the deposit bottles from the shared bins in my building and add them to my stash.  For those in the suburbs, I see nothing wrong with pulling the returnable out of curbside recycling bins (provided that you don’t make a mess or noise).  The town is saved the expense of hauling them away (I am not sure if municipal recycling is now profitable, or if the savings are in keeping stuff out  of landfills - chime in if you know). 

A friend learned that I was returning bottles, and offered me his (which had been going into the recycling bins).   My workplace has big bins for returnables, the money is donated to charitable causes.  If your work does not do this, recommend that they start.  Otherwise, the returnables are fair game.   One thing I learned recently - in Massachusetts flavored water bottles have a deposit (plain water does not).  So if you find a pile of flavored poland spring bottles, they are worth a nickle each. 

Since I need to go to the supermarket anyway, and usually get there by car, I put the bottles in the back of the car once a week and redeem them.   This might be more complicated if you don’t have a car.  But, between my own returnables and those I find or am given, I usually pull in enough to pay for a 12 pack or two of soda per week, which totally offsets the cost.

Other uses for returnables:  Once I was walking to my car with my returnables when I passed a guy pushing a shopping cart filled with cans and bottles.  I gave him my returnables because he looked like he really needed the money.  Think about donating the returnables to someone or to a cause that needs money.  A few nickles here and there will add up.

I went on a mystery shop at a local chain restaurant this evening.  Mystery shopping usually results in a free meal or product and a little bit of money, or more money and nothing for free. 

Tonight’s trip was a free dinner with a friend, and a $6 stipent.  Here’s the process:

Register with a mystery shopping company.  You do not need to pay anyone anything to do this.  Do a google search to find mystery shopping companies.

Request an assignment.  I usually get an email asking me if I want to go someplace for a particular range of dates. 

When you get an assignment, read the directions carefully.  I typically get an email about a week before the scheduled shop.  It details where to go, when to get there, and what to do during the shop.  If you show up on the wrong date or at the wrong time, you won’t get paid.  A friend once ended up paying for an expensive meal because he arrived 20 minutes after the scheduled time (usually there is a window, so build a cushion in for yourself). 

For tonight’s assignment, I had to call a restaurant and recorded how long it took them to answer the phone, and what they said.  I later showed up with a friend for dinner.  We got seated and placed our order.  We ate the food, got dessert, and paid the check.  We were allowed up to two alcoholic beverages each, and almost $100 total for the meal (the actual cost was about 2/3 of this, plenty of money).  I had to check out the restroom, and keep track of when things got served, cleared, etc.

When I got home, I wrote my report, scanned the receipt, and emailed it in.  I will get reimbursed, along with my $6 stipend, after October 10th.

This isn’t a huge money maker, but it got me a free dinner, and a few drinks (I cannot believe they pay for alcohol, but they do!).  I have also shopped dry cleaners (getting my cleaning that I would pay for anyway, for free), department stores (paid $20-$25 to talk to salepeople about something on sale in the store), banks ($25 to ask about accounts), health clubs ($25 to ask about membership and take a tour).  I am not being specific about the places I have visited, but they are recognizable as national and regional chains (its in the agreement with the mystery shopping providers that I not publicly discuss their clients). 

Taking it one step further, when I get reimbursed for shopping and there is nothing in the store I want, I buy whatever appears to be most likely to sell on ebay or at a yard sale, then sell it.  Its like getting free inventory!

A few months ago I participated in a memory study at MIT and made $48 for about 2 hours of my time.  I just checked the “etc.” section of craigslist.org (in the jobs section, at the bottom of the list), they are still looking for participants (information is appended below).

I completed a brief screening by email, then scheduled a time to do the study.  I went to a lab on the MIT campus in Cambridge.  I was greeted by a pleasant student in a conference-type room that contained a real car (a newish volkswagen bug).  We filled out a few forms, a few electrodes were hooked up to me, and I hopped into the car to go on a “drive.”  A road was displayed on a screen in front of the car, and car responded to the projected images.  Somewhat cool, but the graphics were not very good. 

I “drove” the car for about 90 minutes.  Every 20 minutes or so, a voice would annouce numbers, which I had to repeat.  The base pay for the experiment is $40.  You get paid more if you do well remembering and repeating the numbers, but there are deductions for “crashing” the car, going too slow, or getting a ticket.   After my “drive”, I completed an exit questionnaire and was handed my payment (I got all the extra points for the memory test, but crashed twice, and went a little slow).

It started to get really boring, but they were paying me for this.  Enjoy!

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We are currently looking for drivers between the ages of 20-29, 40-49 and 60-69 who are willing to contribute to our growing body of research. If you have a valid driving license and have been driving for at least three years, you may be eligible to participate in our study. You will be compensated for your time and travel.

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