Mar 30

Anyone who has spent more than a few hours on the Internet will be aware of the dubious “work from home” opportunities that are advertised on thousands of web sites. One of the more popular offers is the chance to take paid online surveys.

There are literally hundreds of online survey companies. They target stay-at-home moms, the unemployed, the elderly, teenagers, and college students. Many of them use unscrupulous methods to entice people, including the two I’ve listed below:

  • The cell phone scam. Using this technique, you will be asked for your cell phone number in order to “confirm” your enrollment. A few moments later, the call you receive on your cell phone will end up costing you anywhere from $1.95 to $4.95. These companies usually don’t try to charge you too much, in hopes that you won’t make the effort to reverse the expense. But “small drops make a mighty ocean,” and these small fees really add up for them.
  • The phone bill scam. This involves providing your telephone number while signing up for an unethical survey company. A bit later in the process, you agree to an offer for a free issue of a magazine… not noticing the fine print specifies that you are authorizing them to add $12.95 for a one-year subscription to your telephone bill. They assume that you won’t even notice the extra charge on your phone bill, and many people don’t.

These are just a couple of the scams that I have actually encountered while participating in paid online surveys. Taking online surveys can be fun and profitable, but you need to exercise caution when choosing a company to sign up with. Do not give out your cell phone number or social security number. Make sure to read the fine print of any offer that you accept.

If you would like to get paid to take online surveys through a reputable company, I recommend using one of the following:

Mar 27

There are over 500 online survey companies advertised on the Internet, and I’ve participated in many of them! I’ve found that, like most things in life, there are good ones, bad ones, and really, really ugly ones.

Good online survey companies actually pay you for your time in cash, gift cards, or points that you can trade for various rewards. They don’t sell your personal information to telemarketers, they don’t flood your e-mail inbox, and they tell you up front exactly what you will receive for completing it. The good survey companies are an excellent way to earn extra money from the privacy of your own home (or anywhere else you can use your computer). That’s all good news! The bad news about the “good” survey companies is that they are few and far between.

Bad survey companies may offer cash and actually pay cash, but they fill your e-mail inbox with so much spam that you have to get a new e-mail address to stop it. They sell your contact information to so many telemarketing and bulk mail companies that you will never again answer the phone without checking your Caller ID, and well over half of your U.S. Mail will go straight into your recycle bin.

The really, really ugly companies are outright scams. They won’t offer you any money, but will tempt you with the chance to win “thousands” of dollars in their sweepstakes. They will attempt to get as much personal information as possible and promptly sell it to third parties. They will try to trick you into signing up for “free” magazines or ringtones and then charge your telephone or cell phone bill for the subscription. They will do anything to try to weasel money out of you and not give a single thing in return.

The really bad thing about the really, really ugly sites is that they prey on the elderly, the young, and the greedy.

So enjoy taking paid online surveys at the good sites, be careful with the bad, and run screaming from the really, really ugly ones.

Mar 18

Recently, I’ve been hearing some interesting comments about taking paid online surveys… namely that they are all scams, ripoffs, and a waste of time. Depending on who the person is making those statements, I have two very different reactions.

If it’s a person that I don’t really care for, I go ahead and let them live with their misconceptions. I mean, why should I mind if their life isn’t all it could be? Actually, since there are really very few people who rub me the wrong way, that doesn’t happen very often.  :)

As for the rest of the population (and I guess all of my readers fall into this category), I will gently attempt to inform them of the error of their ways.

Like starting any independent business, it takes a bit of time and energy to get started earning an income doing surveys. Many people who try it and fail would most likely have the same result with any independent home business opportunity. There really IS no such thing as a “free lunch,” and anything worth having — be it friends, money, jobs, hobbies, or anything else – takes time, effort, and dedication. It doesn’t have to be unpleasant or painful, but rarely is it effortless.

Truthfully, it is entirely possible for survey takers to earn a solid income. It will take a bit of time to build up a steady cash flow, but that is no different from any other business you would choose to pursue.

Mar 12

…if you know which companies won’t rip you off!

 Get paid cash for 5-15 minutes of your time. Sound good? Well, that’s how it works when you get paid to take online surveys. So, why in the world would anyone pay you to take a survey? Don’t people do that for free every day?

Surveys are a form of market research that companies use to better understand how their customers use their products, which features they like, and which ones should be eliminated. This information is incredibly valuable to corporations, and they are more than willing to pay you to honestly tell them about the products you use, how you use them, and other information they can use to product a better, more marketable product.

So, how do paid online surveys work?

It’s very simple, really. You sign up on the company’s web site, and provide a limited amount of personal information such as age, gender, location, etc. This information will be used to pre-qualify you when a survey is available. If, based on the information you’ve already provided, you pass the initial screening process, they will then e-mail you an invitation to participate. This e-mail will usually contain a direct link to the online survey.

How much money can you make?

The payment amount and method will vary based on the company and the survey. While some companies will reward you with points that need to be saved to qualify for gifts, many will send you gift cards for popular stores like Wal-Mart, Target, or Sears, and still others will send you an actual check in the mail. Payment amounts can vary from $5 to $25 or even more, depending on how involved the survey is and how much time it is expected to take.

While most people won’t earn a full-time income just by taking surveys, it is possible to earn an impressive amount of cash, merchandise, or gift certificates.

But, you need to choose wisely.

There are some sites that pose as paid online survey sites that are actually nothing more than advertising companies. How do you tell the difference? One big tip-off is if, during the sign-up process, they make you go through a series of offers on items like book clubs, vacation deals, or jewelry items. If this happens, stop the sign-up process immediately and don’t get involved any further with them – you are almost certain to get spammed.

If you choose any of the paid online survey sites or mystery shopping opportunities offered here, you can rest assured that you will be doing business with a legitimate organization. I have thoroughly researched the offers I present , and I can confidently recommend them.

For the best paid online survey opportunities currently available, you will want to sign up for one of the following:

Mar 9

Are you looking for a job that has flexible hours, is easy, interesting, and fun? Well, look no further… taking paid online surveys sounds like exactly what you are looking for!

It’s easy to get started taking online surveys. No experience or special skills are required. You don’t need a background in market research or product testing, or even any specialized education. If you are a consumer, your opinion is valuable, and you qualify to make money taking surveys. Any consumer is welcome!

Participating in paid online surveys doesn’t require any special equipment, either. As long as you can use a computer with Internet access and e-mail, you’re ready to go.

Today, it’s easier than ever to get paid taking online surveys. It used to be that you needed to seek out survey opportunities on your own. This would involve hours of online research to find the legitimate companies that were actually interested in your opinions and who would reliably pay you for them. Not any more!

Now, it is possible to obtain membership access to a professional database of paid survey opportunities. This cost-effective process allows you work as efficiently as possible, since 100% of your time can be productively spent earning money, instead of tracking down authentic paid surveys to participate in.

For the best, most professional opportunities currently available to make money taking paid online surveys, you will want to sign up here!

Mar 2

In today’s economy, there are many people looking for jobs. Maybe they already have a primary career, and they are trying to find something part-time to boost their income. Maybe they currently stay at home and take care of children, and they need to supplement the living earned by their spouse or significant other. Maybe they are students looking for a part-time position to help finance their education or give them a bit of spending money.

Whatever their goals and intentions, let’s face it, if they go to work at a “traditional job,” it’s going to change their lifestyle, and not for the better. When you work a regular job, someone else tells you when to work, how long to work, and how much money you will make. Wouldn’t you like something better? Something that gives you more control over your own destiny?

That is what’s so great about making money doing paid online surveys! You can do it full-time, part-time, flex-time… any time you want! You are your own boss, so you set your own hours, and decide how much money you want to make.

  • Moms at home: You can schedule your work around your family’s needs, and not be forced into a schedule that requires you to be away from home at times when you are needed.
  • Students: You can complete surveys between classes or when you want a break from your homework.
  • Senior citizens: Paid surveys and mystery shopping will give you interesting activities to fill your free time and supplement your retirement income.
  • Full-time employees: You can fill out online surveys and mystery shopping questionnaires in your off—time during the week, or on the weekends.

Anyone can work from the comfort of your own home, and have the flexibility to use your time exactly as you want. Are you ready to get started today?

The hardest part about making money with paid online surveys is making sure you sign up with a legitimate company and avoid the scams. I have done extensive research on the available opportunities, and have found that the following companies are reliable and trustworthy:

Global Test Market

Panda Research

Your Free Surveys

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