For those who want to make money online and don't want to learn affiliate marketing or how to sell on ebay there is a easy alternative. Paid online surveys do not require learning any special skills. The only thing required to be successful at doing paid surveys is give an honest opinion about a product. Companies are willing to pay for learning what consumers think about their products which can be anything from groceries to electronics. Most surveys pay between $5 and $125 and take 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Doing paid online surveys is a job that can be done from the comfort of home. While nobody will likely get rich or earn a living solely from paid surveys it is possible to make a nice easy part time or supplemental income. An income of hundreds of dollars a month is entirely possible if one is willing to put 3 to 5 hours a month into it and complete several survey offers. Paid online surveys are ideal for homeworkers, students, retired people seeking additional income or anyone looking to make some extra money.
Paid surveys have a couple of advantages over a traditional part time job. First of all in a part time job there is no control over what time and how much time is worked. One can choose not to complete a paid survey offer. And though most surveys have a time limit to be completed there is much more flexibility than most jobs. Secondly paid surveys can be more financially rewarding than traditional part time employment. Those who are able to complete surveys quickly or receive higher paying survey offers will find they earn much more than they would at a part time job.
The first thing for anyone interested in doing paid online surveys is to sign up with a paid survey company. These paid survey companies will usually charge a one time nominal fee to register with. The paid survey company has proven screened companies find paid surveys for the new member. It is important when first registering with a survey company to give them as much background information as possible to help them find the most survey offers possible. Companies that issue paid surveys will generally reward those that have completed surveys honestly, thoughtfully and with quality input with more paid surveys and surveys that pay more. Paid online surveys can be a great and fun way to start earning money online.
Paid surveys online are no different than other money making ventures online when it comes to the safety of the sites you come across. While there are some scam paid survey sites out there the vast majority are legit and safe. Of course some scam sites do exist, but this has been vastly blown out of proportion.
What about making a living by taking paid surveys online? While some people are making a good amount of money taking paid surveys online it isn't likely you'll be able to quit your day job. If you are looking to make an extra income, similar to a part time job then this can certainly be done. Several hundred to a thousand dollars a month can be made through taking paid surveys online. And, it's easy to do even for those who are brand new to making money online.
Based on my own experiences you will make the majority of your money from a dozen or so companies, but by signing up for as many as possible you can maximize your paid survey earnings. I have registered with literally hundreds of paid survey sites and the worst that happens is you get some spam (which pretty much gets sent to my BULK folder anyway) or they cancel your account before you can get paid (that is MUCH MORE frustrating).
If you want to try to make some extra money with paid surveys here are some tips:
1. Don't use your personal email address. Get a new free email address specifically for paid surveys.
2. Never register with a site that makes you pay a fee to join. No legit paid survey site will ask you to pay for access.
3. Steer clear of sites that promise you the moon and stars. You won't make thousands a week taking paid surveys. And surveys that pay $75 and up are available occasionally, but they are NOT the norm.
4. Avoid sites that do a lot of advertising. Legit paid survey companies don't need to advertise. The sites that do advertise are usually paying others to get them referrals. So, your membership fee is mostly a commission to the person that referred you to the site.
5. If in doubt about a site do some homework about it first. Use Google to find out what others are saying. Try searches like this 'sitename'+scam.
6. Never give out your SSN during registration. The site may claim that they need it in order to pay you, but this simply isn't true. They shouldn't need it for tax purposes unless you earn $600 or more in a calendar year. So, you will need to get paid from them quite frequently before they need your SSN.
Many of the paid survey sites won't even pay you in cash directly. Some will pay with gift certificates or they will pay in points that can later be redeemed for prizes or cash. They will also often have monthly contests, but with the large market research companies your chances of winning are very slim.
As with anything else online, if the paid surveys sound too good to be true, take a pass!
Both Aaron Ballantyne & Steven Walters are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.