I recently implemented Adsense on a new site and, checking the results, I learned that yesterday I had two clicks for a total of three cents. As it turns out, I also made ten cents yesterday by picking up a dime off the parking lot at McDonalds.

So my earnings summary for the day looks like this:

Adsense
Page Impressions: 166, Clicks: 2, Earnings: $0.03

McDonalds
Parking Lot Impressions: 1, Pick-ups: 1, Earnings $0.10

Now, being totally honest, I have to admit that my site averages a bit more than ten cents a day on Adsense so perhaps the comparison isn’t fair. On the other hand, picking up change in the parking lot (while it does require bending over – always a risky proposition at my age) is less effort and doesn’t require dealing with ISPs or a high-speed Internet connection.

So before I invest a lot of time optimizing my site for Adsense and boosting traffic I thought I’d explore my options. Here’s my Top Ten Adsense Alternatives and their results:

  1. MacDonalds parking lot: 10¢ but I’m thinking of expanding to other fast food joints and maybe doing a little DTO (Drive Through Optimization) to drive traffic.
  2. The “penny pot” next to the cash register at the convenience store: 1¢ but I had to spend 96¢ to get it.
  3. Checking vending machines for forgotten change: 0¢, life was better when there were more pay phones around.
  4. Couch and chair cushions: 17¢ – might improve if I start entertaining a bit more.
  5. Laundry: $1.27 – the occasional dollar bill makes pants pockets a potential cash cow.
  6. Car seats: 12¢ plus a 37¢ bonus from the cupholder.
  7. Pitching pennies down by the school yard: I lost 13¢ (Julio’s good).
  8. Fountain fishing: $2.78 plus an embarrassing run-in with mall security.
  9. Recycling beer cans: I’ll get around to it eventually. In the mean time, this Bud’s for you, Google.
  10. Panhandling: $2.00 but I’m saving to buy a squeegee!

Popularity: 2% [?]