Now that I've shared a breakdown of my 2010 expenses in an earlier post, it's time to take a peek at my creative efforts to generate some cash during 2010.

Here's the breakdown, ranked from highest to lowest income:

Temporary contract work Sept - Dec): $16,319
I'll be getting one more paycheck the 1st week of January, so my total net is actually a little more. So sorry this lucrative assignment is ending!!

Net unemployment benefits: $13,818

Census Bureau net income: $5,338
This mostly part-time work ran from late April through early August.

2009 IRS tax refund: $3,968
I don't usually get a refund, so this was very helpful, being out of work.

Freelance writing: $1,925
I know I could make more than this in 2011 if I made a greater effort.

Focus groups: $575

Online surveys: $427
The breakdown, if you're interested, is $87 from Pinecone (plus all those fun product samples) and $340 from Toluna.

Interesting, I made just a little less doing the online surveys than I did doing the focus groups. The online surveys are very time-consuming and tedious to do, but at least you can do them at home, whenever you like. I think I prefer the quick cash from doing the focus groups, though.

Medical research studies at Yale: $249
I would have done more of these but I soon found that finding a place to park was a hassle, and you had to pay the meters. Plus the drive made many of the lesser paying studies not worth it.

State tax refund: $141

Gifts: $125

Craig's List sales: $110
I have a few more things I can try selling, but this is a hit or miss kind of thing.

Manufacturers' rebates, discounts: $48

A friend's tag sale: $27
I made a few bucks by bringing some of my own items to a friend's tag sale I was helping out at, plus she gave me a nice bedspread, a bird statue, a glass I liked, a napkin holder and odds and ends like that.

Class-action lawsuits:$22
Just got some notices in the mail that prompted me to fill out a form online.

Jury duty: $20

So total income for 2010 actually came to $43,279, exceeding my radically pared down expenses by $8,600! So I was actually able to save money while being "underemployed."