How I Make Money As An Unemployable Person

So, as an autistic who can't mask for shit, I've had to be creative to make ends meet. Finding a job hasn't always been so hard; used to be I only went 2 months max without a job. Lately it’s been closer to 8 (oof). I have been applying for a competitive position in healthcare as a surgical sterile tech, and after nothing but rejections for the last 2 years (I had a job that first year), I have been forced to consider the lower paying but plentiful market I am used to.

It really sucks, but high turnover jobs are eager for a temporary patch. I just wish I could be free from that pit and making more money, like my partner. They work in payroll and have a pension. A pension! I feel like such a loser by comparison, but they hate their job, so there's that. They'd also love to leave it, but ya know…

Anyway, unless I somehow get really good at interviewing, I'm gonna have to work in nontraditional ways. And I've done this on and off for the last 25 years: crowdsourcing sites, like Murk (no longer recommended), Prolific, and more recently, Cloud Research. I've found other cool sites through r/beermoney. Most paid pennies, but those pennies added up to reliable cash outs through the year.

As a heads up, I will be using referral links when applicable. Those help by giving little bonuses; a nice headstart for beginners, a lovely boost for referrers.

• Prolific: My main source of income, as they're one of the best survey sites. They aren't perfect, but allow for better screening. I make roughly $300 a week, aiming for $50 a day. I work 4-5 hours a day, depending on how many studies there are. Avoiding burnout is highly important!
• Cloud Research: Kind of a mixed bag, but they occasionally have some really good studies. There are these longitudinal prediction studies that pay around $9 or so. It's what I turn to on those slow days.
• Freecash: It's one of many “get paid to play games” sites. It's my favorite out of others I've tried. Major caveat: you gotta spend money to make money and even then…it’s really good to know when to quit. I've wasted money on some, but made bank with others. I've made $1300 in the 150 days I've been using it.
• OnePulse: Simple survey app. You get mini surveys that pay based on your level. I'm making 40 cents per survey right now. Cash out is $20 once a month. I hit that 2-3 times a year. Pennies, but it adds up. My referral code is IU2FJR
• SerpClix: $5 minimum cash out. This extension pays you to click links in Google and Bing. I recently got my account back and have been racking up money while working, writing, etc. I used to make $15-20 a month with them, sometimes more. Currently on track to make $10, and I only got back to it last week. I'm aiming for at least $15.
• • Update: I made over $20!

Everything else I use either offer crumbs or have steadily gotten nerfed. Evidation is good if you can get accepted for clinical trials. I once got a solid $600 for a long term study involving SSRIs and blood work. I've done smaller paying ones make often, including tracking my heart rate or testing needle-less blood drawing devices.

I use other survey sites that alert me to the rare survey and almost always pay out, or offer credit for screen outs. The latter, Forthright, is great. It's just not in my daily rotation.

Altogether, I make up to 15k a year. Some of that comes from book sales. Okay, more like $200. I may never make a living from my writing, but I have long made my peace with that.