Pumpkin Palooza: Get Paid $1,000 to Taste and Rate Trader Joe’s Fall Foods

Update: Submissions for the Pumpkin Pundit Side Hustle are now closed. Thank you for participating! 

At FinanceBuzz, we love a good side hustle, and this one combines some of our favorite things: autumn, delicious food, and Trader Joe’s. 

Warning: You must love pumpkin to apply for this side gig.

We're looking for someone who can help us taste and evaluate all the fall-inspired Pumpkin Palooza foods at Trader Joe's. You'll need to eat your way through a grocery list including foods like pumpkin-stuffed ravioli and pumpkin samosas. For breakfast, you'll chow on pumpkin waffles, pumpkin-flavored cereal, and cinnamon rolls. It wouldn't be a full meal without fall desserts like apple cider donuts and pumpkin ice cream. Wash it all down with autumn-inspired drinks like apple cider and pumpkin-spiced ginger brew. 

We'll use your market research to help shoppers decide which foods to budget for and which to skip.

If selected as our Pumpkin Spice Pundit, we'll pay you $1,000 for your work and cover the costs of your fall feast with a $500 Trader Joe's gift card. 

Why we want to pay you to taste test

Groceries are an essential part of everyone’s budget — and usually a good chunk of your monthly spending too. It’s disappointing when you branch out, buy a new food to try, and it ends up being a let down.

Here at FinanceBuzz, we want shoppers to get the best finds while spending less on groceries. Our Pumpkin Spice Pundit will help provide valuable recommendations and grocery shopping hacks for everyone to use!

Why Trader Joe’s? There are so many Trader Joe’s fan favorites available year round, but their limited-time fall selections get shoppers really excited whenever they hit shelves.

What you’ll get

If selected, you’ll get paid $1,000 for completing our taste test. Additionally, you’ll get a Trader Joe's gift card worth $500 to fund your fall food shopping spree!

The assignment

You must live near a Trader Joe’s where you can shop in person. Using your gift card, you’ll purchase one of each of the available seasonal fall foods to taste test. For each food, we'll ask you to take a photograph of the item, write a brief description, and rate the food on several criteria. We’ll then share the results on FinanceBuzz so shoppers can budget only for the best snacks.

This side hustle is not affiliated with or endorsed by Trader Joe's. We're just big fans of their products.

How to apply

If you’re already hungry thinking about Pumpkin Palooza 2022 and think you’re the perfect fit for this role, fill out the form below and tell us a bit more about yourself.

Applications are due by August 28th, 2022 at 11:59 ET. The chosen candidate will be selected by September 2, 2022 and contacted via email. The candidate will have from September 2nd to 18th to eat their way through the Trader Joe’s fall foods and submit their ratings.

Applicants must be based in the United States and be at least 18 years of age. We will also update this page to announce our newest team member, and share the final results.

Other ways to make more money

• Add to your income. There are plenty of legitimate ways to make extra money that can supplement what you’re already making.
• Take advantage of the weekend. Take on a weekend side job so you have another way to earn money.
• Make your money work for you. Learn how to invest money to help build your wealth and set yourself up for financial success.