Product Testing - Pawn Yourself!

The OK Times

Cheers, Jeeves!

Sometimes, a person has more than enough money to get by on. They can comfortably buy most of the types of food and drink in supermarkets, even those things with special silver labels instead of blue and white. They can socialise in pubs with their friends, go to the theatre and gigs, take their better halves out for dinner, they travel home and see their families, they buy themselves nice clothes that they proooobably shouldn't, but go on then, it's just a treat, it's affordable, just. Nice! Contentment.

The Rough Times

Have a scramble down the couch

Then, there are times in peoples' lives when they don't quite have enough money to get by on, so they watch their spending for a bit. They probably refrain from going out when they planned, making excuses and promising to come next time. They might rent a DVD instead of go to the pictures, they turn away from the pair of shoes that they promised themselves last month. They might pop to Lidl instead of Tesco for the month, because saving a few quid here and there means a lot. Their food cupboards become peppered with  extra-value, own-brand tins from the supermarket.

The Rougher Times

Sooooo then. Then. Then there are those times when people are dangerously close to having no money at all. I mean no money. Not even any credit left on a card. They are literally pounds away from the edge of their overdraft. There is no physical money under their mattress. Not many options exist at this stage, but hopefully anyone in this situation will be waiting for some money to filter through, or they have thought of some way they can make a few quid. The more obvious means include borrowing (from better halves, family, friends, the bank), selling things like jewellery - (cash for gold companies have boomed during the economic downturn), clothes (ditto with 'cash for clothes' outlets), books, DVDs and CDs, but there are more innovative ways to squeeze a few quid from one's assets that may require a little out-of-the-box thinking.

Sell your Ass to Science!

Well, in my case, I didn't really have to think outside of the box. At the moment, I am in the middle of scenario #3 (above). I was approached by a company for which I took part in a sort of medical trial for during my last 10-week stint of unemployment in 2008. It has since changed its name, but the general jist is that it signs people up who fit certain criteria and test products on them. Simple as that.

Lie back and think of the brown envelope

It should be, anyway. The last trial I took part in was to test the effects of (I assume, fairly safe) detergent on human skin. Unfortunately, I had to abandon the trial halfway through as I had an allergic reaction to all of the products and also to the surgical tape. My irritated skin was rated a 'level 6', with permanent scarring being a 'level 8'. I was given a nervous good bye and handed £25 for my participation. Please don't think I'm complaining - I knew there may be some irritation involved and I also forgot to mention that I have sensitive skin. Plus, I wasn't scarred, so no harm done.


I can't relate the details of the trial I embarked upon today due to a contract I signed, but I can say that it involves testing two different hygiene items to see if either helps to soothe or heal a relatively kosher part of the body. The whole thing involves 7 visits to the site (which is right by my house - easy), and I will be given £100 for my troubles at the end.

Fraud?!?! Surely Not

        

But, this doesn't make me a bad person!?!?

With reference to whether this affects **cough** claims for jobseekers allowance or not, I don't know. I didn't want to jinx myself by asking. There's nothing online about it and this is a big company, so maybe the government allows you to keep anything you may earn by sacrificing your major organs.


Maybe the company doesn't like these kinds of questions - after all, your money is handed to you in an envelope at the end and off you are. No questions were asked today regarding my employment status. I may not even get to the end of the trial - they sometimes have too many people halfway through, or your results may not go their way, so the company just pays what it owes you, on a per-visit basis, then let you go.


So, I will carry on and I will not raise the subject. Is this moral? Well, I'm sorry Mr Cameron, if you're going to make it as hard as possible for me to find a job and you're also going to make it as hard as possible for me to claim jobseekers allowance for a month or so after I have worked non-stop and paid my taxes since I was 16, then I'm claiming my hard-earned £100 - to hell with your objections.

Sorry to all of those good people who may see this as an abuse of the benefits system, I really am. I assure you that if I sign up for any more of these product tests, I will look into the issue. Promise.

Anyway, I will keep you up-to-date with the trial and any possible side-effects, hitches or abnormalities that occur. This is me, signing off, instead of on. Just for today.