Cash for surveys go back as far as there have been ad agencies. They were popularized in the 80′s with the phone surveys about anything from the movie you saw to your family’s health history. They really came into their own when the Nielsen company had people watching a TV show and then the operator would call back and ask questions. “Nielsen Families” were rewarded with anything from movie tickets to cold, hard cash and interest from the general public grew from there.

Today, people get paid to take paid surveys online every day. The trick is to find the best places to take surveys and then sign up, fill out a profile on your account and then you can start taking surveys for cash. One place to consider when looking for legitimate companies researching their markets is SurveyScout. I’ve been a member since 2002. What a time saver!

An Old Hand at Online Surveys

SurveyScout is one place I have never regretted signing up. It’s the first place I went when I was looking to make money taking online surveys and for me, it paid for itself within the first couple of months. They are always working to make their site better and it’s one of the more comprehensive databases of current survey sites you’ll ever find. They’ve been around for 10 years so you know they’re in this for the long haul.

I took a lot of surveys online when I was unemployed and now SurveyScout has a new “bonus” which is a current database of work-at-home sites. As I write this, there are over 200 sites listed. Most of the sites are transcription and telemarketing. Wouldn’t it be great to spend more time on cover letters and less time searching the web for these sites? I wish they had put this together a few years ago.

Getting Started

Taking surveys for cash is easy so don’t overthink the process. You need an email address and a place to cash checks (a bank or even some grocery stores offer this service). It also wouldn’t hurt to have a PayPal account for those companies that pay via PayPal. Sometimes, the companies reward you by a “points” system where you accrue points and then trade them in for either cash (again, via PayPal) or gift cards.

You might want to check out RoboForm which makes filling out profiles much easier. Profiles are simply a bunch of questions that the companies use to send you surveys you would actually enjoy taking and avoid the ones that don’t apply to you. For instance, they wouldn’t want teens to watch and answer questions about an ad targeting male impotence. Fill out the forms honestly. If you try and lie to get into a certain survey and they catch you, you could be banned from the site.

Hint: Check out the sites that have their own “referral” programs. You refer friends and when your friends sign up and take surveys, you can get a small commission. I have some sites where my referrals have made me more money than I have taking the surveys.

Keep At It

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get offered cash surveys right away. Many sites will try and “test” you by sending offers for little or no cash. Once you’ve earned their trust, you’ll start getting larger cash incentives and offers of samples. One company shipped six cases of pomegranate juice to my home for me and my family to try . Next time you’re at the grocery store, check the prices on those 16 ounce bottles. They tasted great and it was a real treat to have around.

It’s a great time to start earning from home. Check out SurveyScout and start taking surveys for cash today!