Fancy a slice?
Tuesday 4th November, 2008 - £7,499.83 in debt…
If you’re anything like me, the idea of listening to a succession of miserable indie bands’ amateur dronings will make you violently sick. But what if you were getting paid anything up to 12p a listen? Yes, I thought that would perk you up.
Okay, so getting 12p (maximum) for every 60-second clip you review is hardly going to make you rich. But this is what Slice The Pie offers, and it’s easy work. The site is full of song clips by ‘up and coming’ artists who are itching for your considered opinions.
I have three main problems with Slice The Pie. First off, I’m not as heartless as Simon Cowell: I don’t like the thought of crushing some poor indie kid’s hopes and dreams by giving them a bad review. Even if they’re rubbish.
Secondly, Slice The Pie increases the rate you earn according to various factors including your “accuracy”. This is based on how similar your reviews are to other people’s reviews, which I think negates the whole point. If an artist wants an honest review, they should be prepared to hear something that doesn’t just follow the herd.
Thirdly, there’s the money. At the maximum rate, you could review 60 clips in an hour and earn £7.20, if it was possible to review one track while listening to the next. But the 12p rate is a distant dream when you start out on 3p a track.
On the other hand, if you’re trying to save money or pay off a debt, anything you can do to earn cash from home in the evenings is a welcome boost. I reckon Slice The Pie is probably not made with people like me in mind, but if you’d normally be listening to unfamiliar guitar-based dirges in your free time, you might as well get paid for it.
The Joy of Text
Monday 30th June, 2008 - £8,850.98 in debt…
How far would you go for money…?
If you’re having money troubles, especially if you’re a woman, you might have considered some form of ‘adult’ work. The idea might be embarrassing or morally wrong to some, but an increasing number of women - and men - are happily settling into jobs at the outer edge of the sex industry: as textline operators for adult chat companies.
I’ve got nearly £9k of debt to pay off, and a bit of evening work on the textlines would undoubtedly make the process quicker. Should I go for it?
Here’s how it works:
A textline works on the same principle as a sex chatline, but it’s operated via text message. As well as making things easier for shy customers, this is also seen as an easier job for the operator at the other end, who is afforded a bit of thinking time and doesn’t have to stifle their giggles or explain any overheard conversations to the kids. It’s perfectly legal.
Benefits:
The entire process - signing up, training and working - can be carried out from home, meaning no overheads apart from broadband access (texts come through online).
Depending on your employer, you can work in pre-arranged shifts or pick your own hours, signing onto the system when you feel like working.
You won’t be required to discuss anything illegal: the employer will have a list of taboo subjects that must be steered away from.
Most employers are responsible and professional, and can offer support if you’re having a difficult time. They will ask you to send proof that you’re over 18.
Drawbacks:
Some employers will only pay up if you send over a certain number of texts in a month.
Predictably enough, the texts you receive can be very explicit, and you might receive explicit pictures of the customer.
The industry is very secretive, and your contract will probably state that you mustn’t reveal the details of your job or pay, and sometimes even your employer’s name.
The job is potentially dangerous. Under no circumstances should you reveal your real contact details to any customer – not even your email address. Obey this rule and you should be perfectly safe.
Many people avoid this job for moral or social reasons. If you’re open about what you do for a living, you might find yourself treated differently by friends and family. Some operators have even been verbally abused by customers.
Earnings:
Earnings are normally based on a per-text rate, from around 5p per message.
Many operators are in the job for extra pocket-money, but some are successfully making a living. If you’re prepared to quicken the pace and put in full-time hours, you’ll get a reasonable full-time wage.
Payment is usually straightforward – monthly or fortnightly by BACS.
You’ll have to register with HM Revenue and Customs as self-employed, and complete a yearly tax return.
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Operators are regularly monitored to make sure they’re following the rules and keeping regular customers happy. As with any job, if you’re not taking it seriously, you will lose it – if you treat it like “a bit of fun”, you won’t last long.
My source, whose full-time operator job allows her to pay the bills and support a family, has some advice: “The trick is to make your texts fun and interesting, to keep the customers coming back. You need to have a good imagination and be very open minded; It can be an education …”
If you’re interested in becoming a textline or chatline operator, Google some company names: Excel Telemedia, Text121, Evoke and SMS Friends all offer this kind of work. Or go to this thread on the Money Saving Expert forums for more information.
Am I going to do it myself? Well, no. I don’t think I could do it and be completely happy with myself. I have the utmost respect for anyone who does this job, but I wouldn’t be comfortable having that kind of conversation with a complete stranger for money.
Having said that, one more month of only decreasing my debt by £69.21 and I might have to rethink…
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If you’re thinking of a job in the sex industry, please visit the International Union of Sex Workers for support and advice.
My name? It’s Oli….i mean Groucho
Friday 23rd May, 2008 - £9,361.55 in debt…
I can’t tell you exactly what I’m doing next week as it’s a top secret mission involving espionage, stealth and quiet browsing. Don’t tell anyone, but Olivia Buck is entering the clandestine world of the mystery shopper. Sshhhhhh…
I’ve always thought mystery shopping would be a bloody good thing to do, especially if I were required to mysteriously shop for some amazing shoes or a new car or something. But I also thought it was a bit too good to be true.
Then yesterday, by chance, I was visiting a friend when she got a phone call from a company called Retail Eyes. She took some notes, asked when the assignment had to be done, put the phone down, donned a panama hat and aviator-style sunglasses, asked me to look after her children “if anything happens – you know…”, and left the house with a £5 note and a look of blind panic.
Who wouldn’t want to be a mystery shopper? The excitement; the glamour; the promise of £7.50 if you hand in your report by 7pm… I wanted a slice of her lifestyle and, by golly, I was going to get it.
The sign-up procedure was simple – a huge contrast to those of the online survey companies and, I suspect, far more worth it in the long run. From now on, I just have to keep up-to-speed with the assignments available (by checking the website) and make sure I can absolutely, definitely complete any assignment I sign up for. Otherwise I will be hunted down and shot in the knees (or so the terms and conditions seem to suggest).
My first assignment is on Wednesday of next week, but obviously it’s all very hush hush. I’ll be paying with unmarked notes and covering my tracks by zig-zagging wildly up the road before entering the shop. Can’t be too careful.
Any advice? Have I said too much? What’s a reasonable price to pay for a bullet-proof vest? Over to you…
