Paid Surveys – Milking the proverbial moneymaker

When you really need to make some extra money and you find a great opportunity, you want to take it for all it’s worth. Paid surveys are just that. They are the proverbial “cash cow” of flexible work-from-home cash. Surprisingly, though, people aren’t squeezing them out the way they should.

Many people jump on paid surveys and are disappointed by the differences between the hype and the reality. There are many claims that you can earn up to $75 doing surveys and up to $175 per hour doing focus groups. While this is true, these opportunities are not as frequent as one might think. Unfortunately, many unscrupulous Internet entrepreneurs are marketing paid surveys as get-rich-quick schemes. This is simply not what paid surveys are all about.

Paid surveys are a great source of extra income.extra income… and they’re supposed to be fun. The frustration of overextended expectations only hurts your ability to win. Do you realize you can still earn hundreds of dollars in extra cash each month? Here’s how to take paid survey opportunities for what they’re worth:

1. Sign up for multiple survey companies. Don’t expect to have a steady stream of survey invitations if you only sign up for two or three companies. Some of the highest paying companies only give you a few surveys a month. That doesn’t mean survey companies are bad, it just means that maybe their demographics weren’t necessary for the business that hired their service. Signing up with a significant number of survey companies can only increase your odds of success.
2. Survey Filter – filter out survey companies that are not providing quality surveys and timely payments. Your time is still money. No one wants to spend half an hour taking a 50 cent survey, and trust me, those kinds of survey companies will continue to email you leads if you don’t respond. Do not abandon your program, just wait for the right offer.
3. Recognize gift cards as cash – that’s what it really boils down to. Some people don’t want to sign up for companies that offer gift cards, or points redeemable for gift cards, etc. This is a big mistake. Gift cards are just as good as cash. There have been several times where I’ve received over $25 in Amex gift cards for a single product trial and survey…and I don’t mean giving out my credit card number. I was expecting only $2 and a free product. I received $27 and a free product. It can work, and they don’t always advertise the actual amount of compensation. Consider it a bonus and a nice surprise. If you really need the money and are collecting saved points, just make sure you pick the prize that suits your immediate needs, not just your “wants.”

These are three simple rules for evaluating success and satisfaction. You should never lower your expectations of what your time is worth, but be realistic and recognize real opportunities for what they are. When you do this, you will see what a great opportunity paid surveys can be and how you can capitalize on a great work from home opportunity. Sign up to as many companies as you can and you will see more profit in the end.