How to Make Consistent Income With Paid Surveys, And Avoiding Those That Don't Pay

Most people start taking surveys because they want (or need) to make some money. So it is a little discouraging to find that a bunch of survey sweepstakes are only offering sweepstakes entries as compensation for your time, or that you just aren't getting paid the kind of money you thought you would. In fact, it might be great for some people to collect a big payout on the sweepstakes, but for unlucky souls like me it means getting absolutely nothing. Here is how to find consistent income through surveys, and get some free products too.

1. Register for Multiple Survey Companies. A big mistake people often make is not registering for enough companies. Since "Company A" may have a ton of surveys one month and not the next, why not register for B, C, D, E, etc. and keep your opportunities open. The more companies you register for, the choosier you can be with which surveys you take and which ones you pass on.

2. Regarding Sweepstakes-Type Panels. Remember how I just said that sweepstakes are not worth my time? Their not. But registering for those companies is still worthwhile. Here's why... When I first started taking surveys I didn't pay attention to which ones I registered for. I wanted to make money and I registered for nearly all I could find. I was somewhat disheartened by those companies that didn't pay cash, and I stopped reading the emails from them. One day, I opened one by mistake and read it. It was a pre-qualifier for a product test, so I did it. After all, free stuff is free stuff, right? That product I tested ended up being worth $40, and also I got paid $50 in American Express Gift Cards (good for anything you can buy with cash). That was $90 worth I got out of that one - and I have opened every email since. What I am trying to get at is that those very same survey panels that say you think will only get sweepstakes entries also do product testing, focus groups (the big money), and occasionally offer really great paying surveys. It's best to judge what is worth your time only after you have received the invitation in your email. Then if it's not good, just delete it and move on.

3. Check Email Regularly, Answer Promptly and Make Sure Your Personal Profiles are Complete. Most of the great paying surveys fill their quotas quickly and have specific people they are looking to test for. If you frequently find surveys are already closed or you are getting booted out of surveys before you've completed them, its because you are either too late or you probably haven't finished filling out your personal profiles with each survey company. Those mini-surveys or questionnaires they give you about yourself may be boring, but they pre-qualify you for the surveys they send. Though they may be boring, failing to complete this step can mean (1) they may not send you a great survey and (2) may send you too many surveys you are not qualified for. It can only benefit you in the long run by playing by their rules.

You will not get rich taking surveys, but if you make sure to do all of the above you should be able to pull in several hundred a month or more. Consistent income is earned when you allow yourself the most opportunities possible, and choose the best ones from there.