It’s easier than ever before to make money online. If you have an internet connection and a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or even just a smartphone, you can start earning money right now—all from the comfort of your couch (or anywhere else you choose to be).
One of the simplest ways to go about making cash online is with paid online surveys. While you won’t replace a full-time income with this gig, you can add a boost to your budget that can help you pay off debt, purchase needed items, or sock away for a rainy day.
In this post, we’ll give you the best tips for taking paid surveys at home so you can be on your way to making extra cash. The best part? You can start right now!
How Can Market Research Help You Pay the Bills?
Big brands and organizations care a whole lot about public opinion. After all, if nobody is purchasing or using their products, they don’t make a profit. But figuring out what customers think is not always easy. That’s where paid surveys come in.
Companies work with market research firms to create questionnaires that can help them gather the data they need to make informed decisions about what to do next. Whether they are considering changing their packaging, unveiling a new flavor, or using a new tagline, they want your feedback.
The market research firms then partner with survey sites to offer a reward for filling out surveys online. Usually, it’s cash, but you might also get paid for surveys with gift cards.
Once they have collected the data they need, they can decide what to do next. So, if you’ve ever thought your opinion didn’t count, you’re mistaken. Companies make major decisions based on the feedback of people just like you.
Why You Should Start Taking Paid Surveys
Do you like money? Do you have a few minutes to spare now and again? Almost everyone can answer yes to these two questions. All of us can use a bit of extra cash.
As far as having a few minutes to spare, think about the times you spend sitting around with nothing to do during the day. You may think you are short on time, but what do you occupy yourself with when you’re waiting for a dental appointment or on break at work? That’s right—your phone.
Experts say that the average American spends 5.4 hours a day on their phone. Instead of paying scrabble or scrolling through social media feeds, you could be earning money during those in-between times. It takes minimal effort.
Even if you already have a full-time job, could you use a little extra cash to save for a vacation, buy a pair of shoes, or check out that new restaurant that just opened? If the answer is yes, paid surveys offer an easy way to reach these goals.
The Perks of Paid Surveys
There are a lot of benefits to getting involved with an online survey site. Here are just a few of them:
- You don’t need any special skills or qualifications to start making money from online surveys. There are no tests, interview questions, or hoops to jump through. Anyone can sign up and start earning.
- You get to influence brands and have your voice heard. If you enjoy sharing your opinion, this is your chance to make it count.
- Paid online surveys are fun. Each survey is typically just a little bit different, so you’ll never be bored.
- Surveys don’t eat up a lot of extra time out of your day. Most are just a few minutes long.
- You can take surveys anywhere, as long as you have an internet (or data) connection.
- Surveys are great for students, retirees, or stay-at-home parents who can’t get out of the house.
- You can earn with paid online surveys anytime, day or night. Survey sites never close, which means you can log on and do a survey whenever you want, 24/7. Got insomnia? You can even do surveys in bed.
- You can start earning right away—as in, now. You don’t need to wait to get involved. As soon as you sign up with a legit survey site, you can begin.
How To Get Started With Paid Surveys
If seeing the perks of taking paid surveys has convinced you to try this side hustle, getting started is as simple as following the steps below.
Find a reputable survey site. This could easily be the most time-consuming aspect of getting started with paid surveys since there are so many sites to choose from. However, not all survey sites are the same. Some have dismally low payouts or only exist to steal your personal information. So finding a legit survey site is imperative.
Naturally, we recommend Branded Surveys. That’s because it’s a solid company that has been in the survey business since 2012. Additionally, Branded has over 42,000 genuine user reviews and a rating of excellent on TrustPilot, something not many companies can say about themselves.
Go through the sign-up process. Signing up is easy. You fill out a quick form and confirm your email. That’s it. Seriously. It takes less than two minutes, and you’re in.
Log in to the site. Once you’ve signed up and confirmed your email, you can log into the site and have a look around. Get familiar with the layout. You’ll notice there are surveys available to you right away. These are profile surveys—paid opportunities for the site to get to know you better. It’s essential that you complete them since the information you provide will help the site match you with the most lucrative opportunities.
After you’ve completed all your profile surveys, you can begin taking regular surveys. Simply scroll down the list of options and choose something that looks interesting to you.
Keep track of your balance so you can cash out your earnings. By now, you should notice that you have several “points” in your account. Points are the way you are rewarded for your hard work. Once you have enough points to cash out, you can convert them to:
- Paypal: This is the easiest way to earn cash from surveys
- Branded Pay: Another way to make some money that is deposited directly into your bank account
- Gift Cards: Branded has dozens of options when it comes to gift cards. So if you would prefer to cash out your earnings this way, you have lots of choices. You can select from restaurants, travel services, car repair stores, coffee shops, and retailers all over the nation.
- Amazon gift cards: You can also take surveys for Amazon gift cards, which allow you to purchase just about anything under the sun.
Tips for Working From Home With Paid Surveys
Some people sign up to take online surveys and never make a dime. There can be a lot of reasons for this, but let’s make sure it doesn’t happen to you. Here are some best practices for taking surveys at home for cash. If you follow these tips, you’ll be sure to maximize your earnings and keep making money week after week.
1. Always Sign Up With a Reputable Site
We went over this before, but we’re covering it again because it’s that important. There are hundreds of scammers out there, intent on stealing your identity and your cash. You absolutely must sign up for a survey site that has an excellent reputation and years in the survey industry. People who don’t succeed at paid surveys often simply unknowingly sign up at a fraudulent site.
2. Answer All Your Survey Questions to the Best of Your Ability
Don’t rush through your survey questions. There is software in place that can tell if you are quickly ticking off answers or skipping through questions. Instead, answer each question thoughtfully and thoroughly. Also, make sure you are answering honestly. After all, brands want your honest opinion, not flattery or made-up answers.
3. Be Patient
After taking a survey, it can take a little while for your points to show up in your account. This is normal. Often, they are approved in batches, so you won’t notice your points accruing until a certain number of people have taken that same survey. Sometimes you will see your points right away. Other times it can take an hour or more for approval. If it has been more than a day and you don’t see your points in your account, contact support for help.
4. Take Note of Any Contests or Promotions the Survey Site Is Running
You can boost your earnings by taking advantage of promotions or contests, but you’ll miss out if you aren’t aware of them. So check your email frequently, and be sure to look for any notifications on the homepage of the survey site. For example, Branded Surveys has a section on their home page listing all the ways you can take advantage of extra earning opportunities. Plus, they have a program called “Branded Elite,” which allows participants to progress through levels and earn extra points each week.
Conclusion
Earning extra money is always good, but it’s not always practical or feasible to get a second job. Taking surveys for money offers consumers just like you the chance to earn financial rewards for sharing their opinions. By following the steps above, you can be well on your way to making extra money at home in the next few minutes.
