Prizes.org is the new social contest website by Google. Users create contests and let people compete for a monetary prize, generally $10-$50. When a contest is created, people submit their ideas within an allotted amount of time, usually a few days, and users vote on their favorite submissions.

At the end of the contest, the contest host chooses their favorite submission and that person wins the prize money. The person with the most votes earns a special badge and bragging rights. Both prizes may or may not go to the same person.

Some of the most interesting contests so far are:

• Create a Mixtape: Soul Tunes. Prize $10
• Plan my romantic honeymoon in Italy. Prize $50
• Name this Halloween baby! Prize: $20
• Help me gain muscle mass fast! Prize $35

The guy hosting the muscle contest is named Leo. He’s 6’1 and weighs 140 pounds. I imagine a scrawny guy in a Rocky work-out montage doing some awesome victory run after gaining 20 pounds. I’m really rooting for him.

Name suggestions for the Halloween baby include Evelina, Willow, Autumn, Luna, Bellatrix and Candy for a girl. For a boy, the choices are Jack, Edgar, Damien, Thorne, Casper and my personal favorite: Gog Togger.

Currently, contest creation is by invitation only so it is unclear whether or not Google charges for the service. A similar website called Ideaoffer.com charges a fee of 20% of the reward for using the service. Another website known as Fiverr.com allows people to offer their services in exchange for $5 but Fiverr automatically takes $1.

Nowadays, it seems that thoughts have become worth a lot more than just a penny