Moved to NYC for a $33,000 a Year; Side Hustle to Live the Life I Want

I moved to Manhattan after college for a book-publishing job that paid $33,000 a year.

It covered my rent and necessities, but I constantly worried about money and became isolated from my friends, turning down invitations that might involve extra spending.

This wasn’t how I wanted to live, so I started side hustling to make some extra money.

I tried everything from clinical trials to clothing resale to selling my plasma.

Then, about two years ago, I discovered market research. Of all my side-hustles, this has been the most consistently lucrative, netting me an extra $300 to $600 a month.

How I’ve turned my opinions into thousands in extra cash

I subscribe to four market research companies’ email lists: SAGO/Focus Group, 10k Voices, ThinkGroup, and User Interviews.

In a typical month, I’ll get about 30 emails from these groups with offers like $125 for an hourlong Zoom about home internet or $275 for two hours discussing my dating habits.

I’ve discussed everything from water bottle prototypes and restaurant ads to athletic apparel and skincare products.

I apply for any opportunities that hit my inbox and seem relevant. Each application survey takes five to 10 minutes to complete, and if I’m matched with a study, the focus group itself takes anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours.

It’s worth noting that the competition is high. I’d estimate that for about every 30 applications I submit, I land just one or two focus groups, which can be frustrating. Plus, working a 9-5 job means I can’t always participate in some of the studies I match with, especially the in-person ones.

Even so, the consistent extra money is worth it.

I’m able to make at least a few extra hundred dollars a month for about 10 hours of my time.

Over the last two years, that’s added up to about $5,000 in supplemental income.

My favorite part of market research, besides the extra cash

One of the most interesting focus groups I’ve participated in recently was about dating apps.

Over Zoom, our group of five participants talked through the apps we’ve used, why we do or don’t use them now, and what additional features we’d be willing to pay for.

We also completed an online questionnaire where we ranked the desirability of a few possible paywalled add-ons.

I discovered that most of the other people in the Zoom room shared my complaints about the time-sink that dating apps can become, and I was surprised by how willing the other folks would be to pay for a better experience.

Besides the extra cash, this kind of people-watching is my favorite part of the market research experience.

How I prevent my side hustle from taking up all of my time

If I were on more than four email lists, this side hustle could easily expand to fill all of my free time.

By keeping the number of opportunities I receive fairly small, I’m able to balance my full-time job and focus groups, while still leaving time for hobbies, exercise, and friends.

Thanks to the additional money from focus groups, I pinch fewer pennies, and my budget is no longer a constant weight on my mind.

I say yes to adventures with friends, like happy hour after work and a bike race this weekend.

I’m still sensible about my spending, but I’ve achieved the freedom and peace that I started side-hustling to achieve.