Can you make money completing surveys online? Yes. Can you make a living at it? Mostly likely not. I have been looking for ways to make some extra cash working at home so I registered with three online survey companies. I have found the experience to be enjoyable and entertaining. Although I have been offering my opinions since February of 2009, I am not getting rich but I have earned a few dollars.
The research company I find to be the most fun in one called Ipsos i-Say. After you complete a survey for them you are eligible to play a game called “Poll Predictor.” Every time you play you are awarded points depending on how accurate your predictions are. The points are then entered into a sweepstake. There are usually three or four sweepstakes from which you can choose to enter your points. The sweepstakes change periodically and new ones are added. I have yet to win a sweepstake but playing the game is entertaining.
In order to get paid by Ipsos you must earn points. You get paid according to how many points you earn. The minimum amount of points to redeem for cash is 50. For 50 points you earn $5.00. Since February of 2009 I have earned 177 points. I could redeem my points for $15. Once I earn 200 points, however, I can get $20.
The second online company I am registered with is Global Opinion Panels. Most of the surveys with this company are short, taking between 10 and 15 minutes. Points accumulate rapidly and in large numbers. I have earned over 13,000 points since I began in February of 2009. In order to redeem points for cash you need a minimum of 5000. For 5000 points you earn $5.00. The surveys on this site are visually appealing and fun to complete.
Global Testmarket is the third and last of the sites with which I am registered. When you complete a survey on this site you are automatically entered into sweepstakes. Once again, I have not won a sweepstake up to this date. As with the other research companies, you receive market points for completing a survey. In my experience it takes longer to become eligible to redeem points for money on this site. However, the prize money is greater. The minimum amount you must achieve for redemption is 1000 market points. The value of 1000 points is $50 U.S. dollars. Since I began with this company last February I have earned 417 points.
There are other benefits to be gained from filling out the surveys. I have been asked twice to sample new products and then asked for my opinions. In each case I received a free sample of the product. One was a dish washing detergent and the other was a mouthwash. Both products are items that I normally use anyway so for me it was a win-win situation.
Some of the surveys can be long and boring; however none have taken longer than 45 minutes. The average length of time spent on a survey is about 20 minutes. There are times when I answer a few questions and learn I am not eligible for that particular questionnaire. That does not bother me but some people may find it annoying. The longer you are with a company and complete surveys, the more often you will be sent surveys. The more surveys for which you qualify, the more points you will earn.
As I mentioned earlier I find some of the surveys to be entertaining. Some of the surveys may feature a visual of a new product and ask questions about the packaging of that product. To me it is exciting to be a part of the development stage of marketing. Answering surveys has made me become more aware of name brands, prices of products and appreciative of advertising methods. I may not become rich filling out the surveys but I also do not feel it is a waste of my time.
