By Katie Adauto
Like many of you, I am always on the lookout for ways to earn a little extra money — and being a stay-at-home mom, I was looking for something I could do from home. I started my internet research approximately 1 1/2 years ago. The information I found along the way was interesting, encouraging, and a little disappointing. Here is what I have found.
What does a survey company do?
Survey companies are hired by other companies to prepare surveys for new products or television ads before they share them with the masses. Depending on the survey company, in a typical day you could watch a movie preview, read about a new cereal, share your opinions about cell phones, or watch a video about current affairs.
What will I get paid?
Survey companies pay in a variety of ways. Some will give you points for each survey that you complete that may be redeemed for cash, merchandise, or entries into giveaways. Some companies will pay you directly when you have reached a pre-set amount of banked money. Still others only give you chances to enter giveaways. Knowing ahead of time what each company offers will help you to make an informed decision on which ones to sign up with. An added bonus to participating in surveys is that many times companies want you to try their new products, so you will receive free items in the mail to test and give your feedback on. In recent months I have tested shoes, gum, deodorant, toilet paper, make-up, perfume, frozen food, and dog food.
How much time will this take?
That really depends on you. I have personally signed up with over 40 survey companies. All of the companies will e-mail you when there is a survey available. Some companies will send you multiple surveys a day while others might send you one once a month. Many of the companies will tell you ahead of time how long they estimate the survey will …