Someone talk me out of (or into) these mock jury/focus group things. I keep seeing posts for paid studies around Midtown, and I have a normal 9-5. To make a weekday session I’d have to use PTO or tell my boss I have a 'building inspection' for the fourth time this year.

Are these actually worth it? I did a phone screener once for a beverage study, got asked 30 questions about sparkling water, then never heard back. A buddy did a mock jury in some office by Grand Central, sat for hours, got cut before deliberations, still got paid something but said the whole afternoon felt like waiting at the DMV with extra steps.

Is this a real side hustle or just something to do when you’re between jobs? Are there legit panels that don’t sell your number to seventeen robocallers? I’m in Inwood, so adding a Midtown trip after work isn’t nothing.

Funny, I was just re-reading the kitchen thread — Counter space is sacred: what appliance actually stays out in your NYC kitchen? Counter space is sacred: what appliance actually stays out in your NYC kitchen? — and I have the same feeling about focus groups: they take up a lot of space in your brain and only get used once a month. I’ve done a few paid studies, mostly evening stuff in Midtown. They’re real, but flaky. You’ll do a screener that takes 20 minutes, then hear nothing. If you get picked, it’s easy money for sitting in a conference room with stale bagels, but you can’t count on it. I’d say keep your PTO. Look for panels that run evenings or weekends, or find ones near your office so you can slip out for a long lunch.

No way I’d burn a vacation day for that. I got into one of those snack taste tests in Soho a while back. It was fine, they gave me a gift card plus cash, but by the time I got there, did the whole booth thing, and came home, my evening was gone. It’s not a side hustle, it’s a coupon with extra steps. If you’re actually trying to make side money, pick up a shift or sell the stuff you haven’t touched since you moved. The only people I know who do these regularly are semi-retired or between contracts.

Which companies do you all use? I signed up for a couple market research panels after getting hit with an instagram ad, and now my spam folder has a full-time job. I did a mock jury once in FiDi. They fed us, but the case was so dry I almost fell asleep. They cut a bunch of people after the first round because they had too many opinions. I guess being 'opinionated but not too opinionated' is the whole skill. FordhamRoadF, if you’re in Inwood, the uptown hospital research studies can be more reliable, but they’re usually longer and more medical.

I’ve done a handful of these over the years, mostly evening or weekend sessions, so I’d push back a little on the idea that they’re worthless. They’re real, but the better frame is occasional bonus money, not a side hustle. You can’t schedule your life around them.

The basic problem is the funnel: a screener takes 10-30 minutes, and most people wash out. Some studies are one-on-one, some are group discussions, some are mock trials. Mock juries tend to run longer, and yes, they will cut you if your answers or background don’t match what the attorneys want. That’s not personal. Focus groups and taste tests are usually shorter, but they can still be scheduled at inconvenient times.

If you work a regular 9-5 and value your PTO, I’d only do a weekday session if one of these is true: it’s near your office, you can work remote or flex your hours, or the session pays enough that you’d still take it after subtracting the value of a vacation day. LowerEast_L is right that burning PTO for a two-hour snack test rarely makes sense. FordhamRoadF, from Inwood, I’d focus on panels with offices near Columbus Circle, Grand Central, or the hospitals uptown so you aren’t losing an hour each way after work.

A few practical tips:

• Sign up with established market research companies that list a physical address and a phone number. Random Craigslist posts that ask for your age, race, and Social Security number right away are not the move.
• Use a separate email address. Seriously.
• Don’t pay to join anything.
• Track what you earn. Some places issue a 1099 if you cross a reporting threshold. If you do get one, report it; don’t pretend it was a gift from the bagel room.

I wouldn’t put it on a lease application unless you have a long paper trail and a consistent pattern. A one-off check here and there just makes underwriters ask more questions.

Good looks, transitplanner. That’s what I figured. I can’t really work remote on short notice, so I’m probably not the guy for weekday daytime stuff. The hospital study route might be better for me. I did an MRI research thing once in college and it was boring but easy. Maybe I’ll just stick to selling my old bike parts on the street when the weather turns.

I second the separate email. I made the mistake of using my regular one years ago, and I still get 'Paid Travel Study: Do You Use Electric Toothbrushes?' emails every Tuesday. The deli spread is underrated though. I once got a full spread plus cash for a two-hour survey about insurance websites. Still wouldn’t take a day off for it, but if it’s a remote Friday and I can keep my camera off, I’ll do it again.

Do any of you actually report this stuff? I’ve done maybe two or three paid studies and never got a 1099. Not saying that makes it right, but I’m not exactly running to my tax guy over a juice taste test and a bodega gift card. AlphabetCity_A, the hospital ones always want a time commitment and like three follow-up visits. I don’t have the patience. FordhamRoadF, if you’re selling bike parts, at least you don’t need a screener for that.

I’ll answer LowerEast_L, since it comes up a lot. If a study company doesn’t send a 1099 and the amount is small, most people treat it as occasional cash-like income and don’t lose sleep. I’m not going to pretend the IRS is auditing someone over a single paid snack session. The line gets more important when you make a habit of it, or when you’re doing several studies a year from the same panel and the payments start to add up. At that point, keep a simple spreadsheet and report it if a form shows up.

The larger question is whether this counts as a side hustle. I’d say no, because the work is passive, inconsistent, and not scalable. It’s more like getting paid to be a professional opinion-haver. For actual extra income, you’d be better off with something you can control: tutoring, dog walking through a real network, bar backing, office temp shifts, or selling gear you actually know. But those all require more effort and sometimes more time.

For anyone reading this later: your best odds are with panels that have in-person offices, a real screener process, and a history in the city. Check how long they’ve been around. Avoid any listing that promises a specific payout in all caps or asks for a 'registration fee.' Block the random text messages. And don’t use your work email unless you enjoy explaining to IT why you’re getting fifty 'Earn Money for Your Opinion' messages a week.

FordhamRoadF, if you can find one weekday session near your office and your boss doesn’t care about long lunches, try it once. Just don’t call it a building inspection.