by Anonymous Anomaly

Created on: May 06, 2010   Last Updated: May 07, 2010

With new survey companies propping up all the time and the old ones showing no signs of weakening, it can only be concluded that surveys are very profitable for both survey taker and maker. There seems to be a never ending supply of people who want to ask you directed questions. Company executives, advertisers, film-makers and politicians are among the most likely to seek out your opinions. It's easy to see why they want your opinion; it helps them attune their products to their consumer's needs. The draw for survey-takers is equally obvious; maybe you are interested in the surveys mechanisms, but overwhelmingly survey-takers are primarily drawn to payment with cash, gift certificates, raffle tickets and prizes for your time and head-scratching.

As nothing ever is, not all survey sites are created equal. If you are honest you will never find this out, but they vary according to how much of what they are paid is passed back to you. Every site bars its members from taking a survey that they have already taken elsewhere, so I, as a rule-abiding survey-taker cannot estimate which sites pass on what percentage. One essential component of a good site is that they fulfill their obligation to pay you in some way for your efforts. Most will do this, so it's not much to worry about. Frequency of survey matters a great deal to some - but if you find a site does not send enough, you always have the option of joining another. The entertainment value of surveys is not likely to fluctuate from site to site, so the only other criteria for assessing them is their presentation.

With such a plethora of sites in cyberspace that can connect you with opinion-gatherers, how are you to know which one(s) to join? The most reliable way is to hear a recommendation from a friend or someone in the know. Failing that, just try searching for paid surveys in any search engine and the results should be favourable. Far too many sites are set up to guide your choice, my favourite being buncecentral110mb.com. You will probably want to stick to the most reputable sites, and earn at least $1 for 10 minutes. Does not sound like a lot I know, but remember this is from home and tax-free.

There is one type of site I would avoid: the type where you have to pay to become a member to benefit from their surveys. These can be very expensive, but they promise surveys in the region of $100 to take. If these sites are genuine, and there will always be doubts about a site asking somebody for money, you could

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