Can surveys and other online gigs pay your bills?

No

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by Bruce W. Coffman

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Sadly, no. While there are some legitimate survey sites and other money making opportunities online, there are also numerous gimmicks and ripoffs that are better steered clear of. It can be difficult to tell the difference, but there are a few ways to tell the genuine from the fraud.

Like many reading this article, I have scoured the internet for paid survey, paid to surf, paid email and other such opportunities with little success. I have discovered that a majority of the paid survey gigs are not so cleverly disguised marketing tactics. The surveys aren't really surveys at all, but usually turn out to be sponsored offers. They attempt to get you to join book, music, movie and other clubs that usually offer some sort of free incentive. If you're not careful, however, you find that you've joined a club or service and are billed monthly. This leads me to my first tip. NEVER give credit card information to join a survey site and never give credit card information in exchange for a "free" gift.

If a gift is really free, then that means it is free period. The fine print and legal disclaimers on these types of sham offers are so hard to read and understand that you have no idea what you're getting yourself into and you may find yourself having entered into a legally binding contract that you can't get out from under. Therefore, remember the old adage that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I have noticed the tactic of giving away "free" gifts or other special offers for famous name brand designer items at ridiculously low prices is common on some of the less than honest survey sites.

Another option that often sounds great until you scratch the surface are paid to read email programs. These usually are just ways to get you to give out your email address and receive tons of marketing emails. You'll wind up on a bunch of spam lists and you won't be able to do much about it because part of your entry into the program was opting into these lists and agreeing to receive the emails. That would be fine if the programs actually were paying you to read the emails. Actually, most do pay, but what they pay is a fraction of a penny per email you read meaning you could spend years opening marketing emails before you make any real money at all.

Work at home programs and offers are almost always scams and ways to get you to either buy an e-book or buy into a program that, if you read the fine print carefully, isn't guaranteed to make you any money at all. It's best to avoid these work at home scams altogether. If a legitimate company has an opportunity for home workers, you will find out about it from that company's official website. This is one of the great American dreams that is a reality for very few people. There simply aren't that many ways to make a living without having to leave your home, but these websites and promotions can make it sound like you can live in luxury without ever getting out of your pajamas. Again, if it sounds too good...

There are, of course, some good opportunities out there to supplement your income and make a little extra spending money online. Writers for helium.com already know this. It takes a little effort and some diligence, but if you enjoy writing then why not parlay that into cash? You will more than likely not get rich and be able to quit your day job, but one thing I have always respected about helium.com is that they never make those lofty claims. They clearly and concisely explain their payment terms and you can easily check your earnings at any time. These are the marks of a real, legit opportunity. There won't be pie in the sky promises of massive earnings, the payment structure will be clearly and openly explained, and your account balance will always be easy to check.

I have so far found only one good online survey site. Inbox Dollars actually combines several opportunities into one program. You earn about 50 cents each for filling out real surveys, plus you get paid for reading emails and several other activities. Your in box is not flooded with junk email. On average I get about two per day and I receive credit for opening them and clicking a link within the email to confirm that I have read it. There are often special offers from reputable companies in those emails, some of which I have actually taken advantage of. You usually get paid a little more form Inbox Dollars if you act on the offer.

I won't be retiring any time soon off my earnings from InBox Dollars, but the minimum to request payout is reasonable and it doesn't take too terribly long to reach it. I have already received my first check from them and am on my way to my second. I have been impressed so far that everything they promise, they follow up on and I feel they are a reputable company. You also earn money for referrals, so I'm going to give the link here. Check it out for yourself and see if it's something you feel you'd like to try. The link is: http://www.inboxdoll ars.com/?r=brucewcof fma. Help out a fellow writer by copying and pasting the entire link, including the ?r+brucewcoffma if you don't mind.

A good rule of thumb to avoid bad programs is to ask friends and colleagues about programs with which they are involved and ask if they have actually received payment from them. This is a great way to get some first hand information about a program before obligating yourself to it. Also, check forums and discussion groups and see if you find any positive or negative feedback on the particular programs.

If you keep in mind that very few people make a living sitting in front of their computer at home, and you look for opportunities that present themselves realistically, you can find some ways to supplement your income. It never hurts to try something new as long as they don't ask for any type of credit card information. If it's free to join, then it's worth trying out. And, if you do happen to find an online money making opportunity that allows you to stay at home and get rich, by all means let me know!

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