In order to clear up some of the confusion I've put together an FAQ for paid surveys. I know this won't answer every question you might have, but it should shed some light on the paid survey process and make it easier for you to understand what is and isn't a legit paid survey.

Is it really possible to get paid for filling out surveys?

Yes it is and many people like you and me do it every day. Paid surveys are a fun, free and easy way to make cash in your spare time.

Why would someone pay me for my opinion?

Large companies have been using market research for decades to find out how people feel about their products and services. Recently they have taken these campaigns online as a quick and cost effective way of getting peoples opinions. They hire market research companies to conduct the surveys and the market research companies pass some of the money along to you and I as an incentive for filling out surveys.

I heard that if you sign up for paid surveys you'll get lots of spam.

It's true that some of the sites will re-sell your email address, but these are usually the middleman sites that want you to register with them to get access to a list of the legitimate survey sites. The actual market research companies who are paying you to take their surveys will never re-sell your personal information, including your email address. In fact, some of them such as Greenfield online are publicly traded on the stock market. How much more legitimate can you get? If you still have questions read each companies privacy policy. It should give you a good indication of whether or not you can trust them.

Is it necessary to pay someone to get a list of paid survey companies?

No, you should never have to pay for this information, it is freely available on the internet. It's a shame that some sites try to take advantage by taking payment for the information, and I think these types of sites have contributed heavily toward the negative perception of paid surveys. Never pay for a list of survey companies. If you do a bit of searching you should easily find a free source of paid surveys.

Can I get rich by taking paid surveys?

You won't get rich and how much you'll make depends on a lot of factors, but I feel it is safe to say that many people can easily make several hundred dollars each month with a small investment in time. Of course how much you make will depend on several factors including your own personal information, how many companies you register with, where you live and how reliable you are in responding to surveys that are sent to you.

How does this whole thing work?

Each market research company works a bit differently, but in general it is like this. First you register and give them some basic information about yourself. After registering you can log into your account at their website and fill in additional more detailed profile information. This helps the survey researchers match you with appropriate surveys. When a survey that matches your profile becomes available you will get an email with a link to the site you need to go to participate. Each survey pays differently usually from $1 to $75 and can take as few as 2-3 minutes up to 30 minutes. The email will usually state how much the survey pays.

What will I get for taking online surveys?

There are a whole bunch of incentives ranging from gift certificates, to merchandise like small electronics or appliances to sweepstakes entries to good old fashioned cold cash. Many of the sites require a minimum amount in your account before they will pay you (like $20) which isn't bad if you think about it. Usually the minimum payments are pretty easy to reach anyway.

So then is it worth it for me to take surveys for cash?

I believe it is worth it, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this today. It is fun and so easy, plus there is no risk involved like other online money making schemes out there. With just an hour or two a day you can make a decent part time income all from the comfort of your home. Plus I like getting the chance to review products and service before they become publicly available.

And there you have it, answers to your most common paid survey questions. As long as you have realistic expectations for them then paid surveys can be a fun and easy way to make some extra money in your spare time. Theres' no risk involved and anyone can do it, regardless of their background. There are many worse things you could be doing to make money than filling out surveys to get paid.