I get asked a lot whether paid surveys are a scam, or if they’re worth doing at all. Well, after spending a few months trying various paid survey programs I have finally formulated a good answer.
If you want to earn around minimum wage, or nothing at all, then paid surveys might be for you! The fact is most “paid surveys” don’t pay anything. They offer cash prizes, or vacation prizes, or some other kind of fancy prize. But you are very unlikely to win.
But, you certainly can get paid.
A word of warning. There are a lot of websites that pretend to be paid survey websites, but in actuality they are simply trying to trick you into purchasing a product. No legitimate paid survey site will ask you to buy something. If you get asked to buy something, stay away! It is likely a scam. If they offer a reward such as an I-Pod or a laptop in exchange for making a certain number of purchases, then definitely stay away! Do not buy anything from a paid survey website.
Most paid surveys offer a chance at winning some kind of prize. The ones that actually do pay you usually offer no more than $5 per survey.
If you’re still interested in paid surveys after all that…Here’s a list of paid survey companies that should be legitimate. Give them a try.
I have not found one to be worth the time. I seemed to have figured that out pretty quick. They are a waste of time.
I have been doing surveys for over six months. I had thought they were a waste of time, but one led to an interesting opportunity. I was asked to do a survey in person regarding automobiles and I got paid $100. I have gotten free products to test out and gift cards in the mail ($15 value). Since I value my time, I do wish the survey companies would pay for surveys on a more consistent basis. Then I would be apt to complete the more lengthly ones.
I have tried a number of survey and survey companies. I have found the same as others describe which is they are not worth the time. I made $5 once and only once on a survey. The majority of the survey that tell you they pay a specific dollar amount will let you start the survey and after you answer 15- maybe 20 questions the survey abruptly ends telling you that you did not qualify to go futher. Now that is a big waste of your time.
I have tried some of these paid survey things and they are a scam. The ones I did always wanted you to buy something and then they would enter your name for points or some such thing. I sure would not do any more of them unless I knew what I was getting into.
Paid surveys are not going to pay you…
They say that you will be entered into a drawing, but (surprise!) you never win! The groups that will pay you are the focus groups! They are hard to qualify for, but if you do, then the money is there. You need to sign up for them. They are not easy to get, but if you do live in the area they need, and they contact you, it does pay well! I made $210.00 on my first one for a participation of (going there) for 7 hours. I have had 3 other calls, but not qualified for them. Sign up for all of them in your area, and you may qualify to participate!
I’ve been doing surveys for a few years now and the best one paid me $60. I heard about it on a special chat site I’m a member of. Trouble is you had to be a cancer patient to qualify. I am.
On one, I turned in some points and received a check for $30, another I won a drawing for $20.
The paid ones are few and far between but sometimes interesting.
I have even written to the so called paid surveys and asked why I haven’t been paid. They have never answered my questions.So, I would say it is a waste of our time. Thanks for letting me sound off. Nancy
I agree with everyone they are scams big time.I have tried answer many many surveys and gotten nothing.I know of only one good one I have goteen a fews checks from.Don’t waste your time on them or you’ll go crazy.
I have taken so many surveys and signed up for companies that are supposedly the top payers. IT DOES NOT PAY. I have yet to see any money and with the point systems some companies use, I will never earn enough points to get anything of value. I even e-mailed one company because I could never get in to my account to view my reward points and when they answered my e-mail they said it was with a partner company and they could not help me. WHO IS THE PARTNER COMPANY? It all seems to be a waste of time.
Hi everyone. For what it’s worth, I have done many surveys, usually for points redeemable for merchandise. My accrued points at several sites are in the range of $60 to $100 values. I have not yet redeemed any. One site I have $80 in cash which I also have not redeemed.
However, in addition to periodically receiving checks worth $1 to $10 from various sites, I have also won one $100 prize – they sent a check a couple of months ago. This was from the monthly drawing where there is one $1,000 prize, a couple of $100 and a bunch of $10s. Some sites pay via PayPal, too.
Finally, I have received many, many products to test. I currently am using a body wash product and am expecting boxer shorts for my son any day! I have received air fresheners, shampoo and food products from chips&salsa to pudding to cereal. In addition to all the products, some of these also pay up to $10 for returning the surveys.
Is it worth it? Depends on the value of your time. Sometimes I skip the surveys when I don’t have time. Also, I have noticed the the surveys that say “Earn $X” in the subject line often have extensive pre-screening questions for which I am rarely eligible.
Sorry this is long, but really, there are some honest sites and sometimes – even when there’s no payment – the surveys are interesting.
I HAVE BEEN DONG A BUNCH OF SURVEYS. I GOT SOME DOG FOOD TO TEST. BUT THE DOG DIED BEFORE I GO TO USE IT. GO FIGURE. I HAVE NEVER RECIEVED ANY MONEY OR WON ANY CONTEST. ITS GETTING TO THE POINT WHEN I GET THEIR E MAIL I HIT DELETE. LORI
I’ve made $40 in the last couple of months with SurveySpot.com. Another good one is npdor.com; I’ve gotten multiple checks from them over the last two years.
As far as I am concerned, surveys are nothing but a
BIG CON GAME. They try to entice you w/free prizes and cash, but never produce. My advice, stay away from ’em!!!!
My problem with them is that once you have answerd the “few” questions that they have for you, they tell you that in order to qualify for ANYTHING, you need to answer just a few more. By the time you are done, you have answered a bunch of questions and gotten nothing in return except tired eyes, and a headache. No, I do not feel that hey are worth the time and effort. Thank-you.
I have registered with a few companies and found that for most part they are long and they do not pay anything just entries into a monthly draw which of course you never win. Just about all the time you never qualify to finish or they have all the demographic people at that time. Not very interesting
I must have signed up for more than 100 surveys and i think they are all bull, the last one was yesterday i have to cancell the name is readers paid.com. I have to stop this my kids think i’am crazy but i’am just trying to make a buck. I joined shoppers services a while ago, i even upgraded another step now i only pay $39.00 a month after almost 6mths. i’am going to stop that also. I appreciated your e-mails if it were not for you I would still be getting 400 to 500 e-mails a day after tonight I stop everything no more e-mails . Thank You jackie
“My Survey” pays consistantly and is honest. Every survey I start pays me Reward Points, the accumulation of which is viewable on their site. You will not get paid much, but you WILL get paid.
Paid surveys are not going to pay you.I joined shoppers services a while ago.I have not found one to be worth the time. I seemed to have figured that out pretty quick. They are a waste of time.
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I wanna know if this a scam.Do you have number so that i can reach you or you can reach me thank you..
To me they are a bunch of rip off……And a waste of my time.
I signed up for several survey companies and decided to continue with a few who seemed to prominse more. But I am getting disillusionised. Opinion Outpost is the worst, they will only pay out once you get to a certain amount. I had earned enough to qualify for a payout with the last long survey I completed. However the points showed as ‘pending’ for a while. I emailed them and they said it would take 1-2 weeks for them to be added. And surpise, then the status shcnged to ‘not qualified’, when I called them about it they said the company who they were doing the survey for had rejected my replies – yeah right. So they’re one to avoid.
There are two survey sites where you log in and can take one survey a day and earn 1$. It may take a while but one account is at 53$ and the other at 22$. I am waiting to cash out. They are InboxDollars and SendEarnings. I have also recieved small checks from other’s. If you enjoy playing on the computer you can make small amounts of money.
Sorry, but they are a lot of time filling in the same info over and over , only to be told you do not qualify. I belong to several, and one experience is the same as the next; you spend time getting unqualified. Big waste of time… P.S. Does anyone have any up-close info about Vindale Research? I thought they seemed more legit (promising) than the usual, but they have disappeared off my radar screen. Any ideas out there? Thanks for your input…
Hey Everyone,
I have received a fair amount of money (~$1,500 in cash and gift cards in the last year + free products) from taking surveys in my spare time. I signed up with sooo many, and now just do the surveys that pay the most. Most companies will tell you in their invitation email how much they are paying (and sometimes how long the survey takes on average). For a list of REAL market research survey companies that are not selling anything, check out http://www.momswallet.com/surveys_focusgroups.html…I have been paid at least something from most of these, and any others I have received real survey invites.
Oh- and if you ever see a Pine Cone Research banner, sign up! This is the only way they accept new participants. They pay $5 per survey and you are pre-qualified if you are invited (REAL market research surveys). I saw one the other day on Volition…
Paid surveys are often a scam, as that for one, they do not pay very much for the most part, and two, you may or may not qualify. Some of them, I have answered my screening questions and bam! Kicked out, or I will be halfway through a survey and in the middle of it, I get the “sorry you do not qualify for this survey” message, and then they enter you into this bogus sweepstakes. The only ones really making the money are the marketing firms. One survey I recently did, I completed 98% of the survey, and then they tell me the quota has been filled and that I cannot finish. What kind of bullshit is that?
That’s why I’m going to start mystery shopping, and try to find some focus group companies, b/c as a participant in this kind of research, that is where you will really make your money.
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