Looking for a few extra bucks? Try moonlighting

By TODAY.com staff

As the economic downturn drags on, more Americans are looking for ways to make a few extra bucks. And more and more are turning to moonlighting.

According to The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, 8 million Americans pick up extra jobs and seek outside work.?

Personal finance guru Jeanette Pavini has uncovered ways to find reliable employers who actually pay people to eat chocolate, go shopping or even to dine at a high-end restaurant.?

More and more companies are paying people for their opinions on everything from potato chips to computer chips.? It's not enough to survive on, and the work comes in spurts, but it can help with some of those monthly bills.? Pavini calls it "moonlighting money" and it can be a great way to earn a few extra dollars while having fun.

Here are some moonlighting jobs Pavini says are available:

Focus groups
Companies want to test new products and services on consumers before financing a new launch.? Creating, making, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, advertising is a very expensive proposition for companies, so they're going to test it out before they do anything.?

For more on focus group opportunities:

Mock juiries
Before heading to the courtroom, some attorneys test their cases on a mock jury. These mock trials are done in person through market research groups paying about $250 a day.?

For more on mock jury opportunities:

Mystery shopper
A variety of businesses, from restaurants to clothing stores, hire mystery shoppers to get an idea of what their customer's experience is like. Many times, in addition to your pay, you get to keep the merchandise.??

For more on mystery shopper opportunities:

Poll worker
Visit your county's website for more information. Some counties even have programs for students and some pay as much as $200 for a day's work.? They offer training and some counties want you to commit to two years of work.

One big warning: Don't get scammed. There are a lot of unscrupulous companies out there. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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Source: http://lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/18/12810847-looking-for-a-few-extra-bucks-try-moonlighting?lite

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