10 Tips for Doing Well With Online Surveys for Money

The first thing that people want to know about taking paid online surveys is the amount of money they'll be making. While this is certainly something that's important to keep in mind, there are some things you should know before you even begin to take any surveys.

Here are are my ten best tips that I've developed during my 6+ years of experience taking paid surveys.

Though I am sure that there are some things that I have missed, I fell as if the most important things have been covered below. So keep reading and follow these tips before you do anything else!

Tip 1: Watch Out For Scams

Some sites will tell you how many wonderful paid survey sites are available. They will build up your hopes and at the end of their spiel they will tell you that for only a small one-time fee you can get the list for your own use. This may sound like quite a deal to the internet novice, NEVER EVER pay for a list of survey companies. Why in the world should you pay for something that you can find on your own with just a little bit of independent research?

The answer is that you should not. Think about it, if these so-called companies really knew how to make great money with online surveys, why would they be running this scam-err…business- instead of taking surveys themselves? Also, never pay a survey site to get started making money with them. You do not go to McDonalds and pay the manager to begin working do you? Of course not! The whole point of a job (freelance or otherwise) is to make money, not pay to become involved in a money making SCAM.

Tip 2: Get a Dedicated Survey Email

Your main email address is probably where you get the bulk of your mail. It comes from friends, collogues and others. This makes it very easy to miss important emails from the survey companies you have signed up with and missing emails can cost you money. So before you begin, open up a new email account that is just for your survey work. This way you will not miss any messages. Many companies will send you invites to take a survey and the offer is only good for a limited time.

Tip 3: Go With PayPal

Even though survey companies who pay you through check by mail are not necessarily a scam (I have worked for one before and always got my check), PayPal is the best way to get paid. If you do not have a PayPal account, set one up before you begin your survey work. This makes it much easier to get paid and payment can be received immediately. Checks can take up to two months to arrive in your mailbox. If you are trying to earn money by taking online surveys, you need the money now, not two months from now!

Tip 4: Never Give Personal Info

If a survey company asks for personal information that nobody has any business asking for, do not ever give the information and report the company to the appropriate authorities. For instance, do not give out your tax id number, your social security number, any passwords or credit/debit information. Identity thieves are getting more creative every day!

Tip 5: Don't Offer Your Phone Number

Be wary of any survey company that asks for your cell phone number. These companies can be tricky and before you know it you will be getting charged a monthly fee for something you had no idea you signed up for. The only reason you should give your cell number is if the surveys are text based, and even then you should do your research on the company beforehand.

Tip 6: Be Ready

Make sure that you check the email account you created for your survey mail frequently. Some of the highest paying surveys are only valid for an hour or two and you do not want to miss big opportunities. If you have a smartphone you should set your account to the phone so that you are alerted each time you get an email to the account.

Tip 7: Complete Optional Profiles

When you sign up to take the surveys, make sure that you fill out each and every profile available. By doing this you ensure that you get the maximum amount of surveys possible. Even if you are not that interested in a certain category, sign up anyway so you can make that money!

Tip 8: Stay Organized

Keep detailed records for every survey that you complete. This includes the email invitation to take the survey, a confirmation of completion and even a screen shot of the completed survey. This is a good way of covering yourself so that you are sure to get paid for every survey that you take. If you have the proof in your hands then there is nothing that can be disputed to cheat you out of your pay.

Tip 9: Avoid GTP Stuff

Always steer clear of sites that offer “get paid to try” offers. They typically ask you to sign up for memberships and are almost always scams where you never see a dime of pay.

Tip 10: Use RoboForm

Typing in your information over and over again can get pretty tedious. In order to avoid this you should download the RoboForm app. This app fills out forms for you with all of your correct information so you can save your typing fingers for taking paid online surveys!

If you follow these tips I think you will find that you really can make money taking online surveys and work with fair and legitimate companies.

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Want to to learn how you can get paid to take surveys? Then this post by Spencer Mitchell is for you. In addition to teaching you about surveys for money, the site also delves into tips for working from home, including productivity and new opportunities.