Driving for dollars

We, the BRC, are quite frugal and like to find odd ways to increase our income. Between of the two of us, Craig is a definitely more aggressive at the search. Being in a college town, medical studies are quite prolific but I tend to be protective of our bodies. He participated in a flu study last fall and has given plasma in the past but that is about where I draw the line. When he mentioned he saw another study in the paper, I was about to say "No!" but he quickly explained that this was not a medical study but a transportation study. Since I am the main driver, I was the one who had to qualify, which I did.

I went last Friday to start the process. They installed a GPS system in my car while I filled out a questionaire about my driving behavior...

• How often do you drive without a seatbelt? Never
• How often do you drive 10 or more mph over the speed limit? Never
• How often do you feel the need to "get back" at driver's who pass you? Never

and personality...

• True or False: I like exciting activities (skydiving, etc). False
• True or False: I like to take risks. False
• True or False: I like to experience frequent changes. False

After discovering that I am a boring driver and person, they gave me a couple booklets to record my trips. It's not hard, every time I go somewhere, I just record the date, time and purpose of the trip (commute, errands, recreation, etc) and at the end of the day, I email my results in. After three weeks, I take the GPS system back and get $100. A little extra cash and no more risk of bodily harm than my typical driving, it's a compromise both Craig and I can be happy with.

PS: They are still looking for participants so if you are a male or female between the ages of 18-25 or a male between 35-55 living in my area, you should check it out and see if you qualify. Here's the website.