Disclosure: Witty edutainment is a side hustle.

I write to indulge in boba milk tea, feed a family, and the perspective of hustles told.

Swagbucks as a Job? Hopefully not. 

Depending on your situation, it is a primary source of income.

That is not to discount that it falls somewhere between unstable and steady income. For a long time, Swagbucks was for me. In the last year, I earned about $6000 (or $16/day). Student loans, yo! I have one active referral, and he earned me about $30 (0.05%) last year.

My Story

After college, I planned to get a job and start student loans repayment immediately (side note: start sooner. Heck, start while you are still in college). About a month before graduation, my gut cried in pain. I was a typical broke student; I didn’t have the money to even go in for regular checkups, so the emergency room was a big deal.

The attending doctor came back and said it wasn’t my appendix, but I still needed surgery for a desmoid tumor. She punched my side gently. There was a hard mass near my abdomen gone unnoticed all these years. All the occasions of my mom (great lady, doesn’t mince words) making pregnant comments fits. I was a real-life Bonnie Swanson of Family Guy for years.

My dreams to work 9-5 halted immediately. I had the damn surgery; death was the alternative. This “benign*” tumor was so massive that it was closing into organs on the other side of my body. Six months to recover physically. Four months spent hunched. It was about another two years mentally before I returned to the workplace. Believe me when I understand how it felt like birthing a stillborn. The attending surgeon briefly cradled it in his large hands for science!

*Misconception/ rant: “Benign” doesn’t mean harmless, it medically means localized in one area. The distinction between benign and malignant is malignancy spread to other parts of the body. It has nothing to do with the degree of invasiveness. A large stationary boulder in your way is an obstacle. A normal person doesn’t develop tumors for the heck of it. It means their cells are attacking the vessel internally.

Desmoids are rare, you’re more likely to get struck by lightning (that itself is an accomplishment) before you have one of these babies. They develop anywhere. Grow undetected and charge at you with a vengeance (numbers game). We as an afflicted population are not a profitable market for drug research or development. Reoccurrence is high and routine surgeries are not recommended.

Drugs and chemotherapy don’t guarantee results either. Mine could have crushed me to death. It is NOT REASSURING at all to be told “What a relief. They’re harmless, right?”

No shame or regret: Swagbucks as a Job

I understand why everyone has their reasons for Swagbucks. It’s been such a big part of these last couple years, that sharing tried tricks is the right thing to do. I could be ashamed of earning pennies.. it’s not a profitable side hustle (time intensive for “beer money”) but it’s the go-to beginning online hustle.

I grew up a quiet person (distinction, not shy). The only area where I can truly be my rambling talkative self is writing online.

Swagbucks afforded me an opportunity to pay off some debts, meet great people in the community and listen to inspirational stories from people of all backgrounds. I “grind” for many years and certainly can do this more (I’d go bonkers). With Swagbucks savings, it’s given me the courage to step away and pursue a writing dream of mine: this blog/business opportunity.

One Stop Hub:
Swagbucks: referral link