Paid surveys offer one of most simple ways to earn extra cash. Most of the companies offering paid surveys do so for straight cash that is credited to your PayPal account. On the other hand, a few companies offer gift vouchers, gift coupons, special prizes, or Amazon gift cards, etc. in lieu of cash. Whatever be the mode of payment, the advantage with paid surveys is that you would be able to earn the payment from the comfort of your home. You do not need to commute to make money. You require only a computer and an Internet connection.

Entries for Paid Surveys are Generally Free

Majority of the paid surveys programs are free. However, a few paid surveys that are offered by big corporations on a regular basis might require a small fee to be paid initially as registration. If any private website asks you to pay an amount for offering paid surveys, you should take that offer with a pinch of salt. There are a few scam websites that make money in this fashion and you would never hear from them again. You need to remain cautious about such scams.

Types of Paid Surveys and Earning Amounts

In general, companies pay between $1 and $30 for participating in their paid surveys programs. The exact amount depends on the size of the survey and the complexity of the questions asked. Paid surveys in the category of online focus groups fetch you between $20 and $100 normally. Elaborate phone surveys get you payments in the range of $50 to $100 or even more in certain cases.

Another type of paid surveys is the request to try a new product. You are required to use the product and then fill up the survey form from the consumer perspective. Some companies ask you to use the product and then return it with your filled up survey form. They pay you at an agreed rate. A few other companies do not pay you in cash but ask you to keep that product as your reward.

One more type of paid surveys works on point systems. With each survey you take, you would be allotted certain points. When the points accumulate to a certain level, they could be redeemed as cash. In the paid surveys market, 5 points are equal to about $0.25. When you accumulate 50 to 100 points, you are allowed to redeem them and the cash is paid out to your PayPal account.

In the present times of economic downturn and credit crunch, paid surveys provide a lucrative alternative to making money from the confines of your home, without the trouble of commuting. There are hundreds of legitimate paid survey opportunities that could be used to your advantage. Some of the paid survey programs are confined to the US or to the US and Canada. Some of them cover North America and Europe. Still more are global and are available to people all over the world. Hence, wherever you are, there is ample scope to earn extra cash in a simple way through paid surveys.