By Dean Caporella

Doing fun online surveys and being paid for them is a great way of generating extra income and most importantly, enjoying it! However, finding enough paid surveys online to make it a worthwhile experience is the challenge for most people.

Can You Make Money Taking Surveys?

Sure. However, the level of income is dependent on the type of survey being offered. Income can range from a few dollars up to several hundred. In the main, surveys will only take a few minutes to complete thus the reward will be smaller, usually from $5 to $20. For the larger payouts, participating in focus groups requiring up to two hours of your time will normally result in payments of several hundred dollars.

It’s important to remember that few people are actually earning the type of money that will provide the lifestyle most desire. In this case, those who are earning several thousand dollars per month are experienced and seasoned survey takers who have cut through the maze and established themselves over a period of time. Getting a steady stream of income filtering into your bank accounts could depend largely on how many market research companies you register with. Registering with one or two won’t get you a lot of invites: registering with many will.

This brings us to a very valid and crucial point. All survey marketing companies are not created equal and this is where experienced survey takers have the edge. Finding out who the top and legitimate companies are will require a little due diligence on your part but with a little effort and “leg work,” it can pay off over time.

How Soon Will You Be Asked To Take A Survey?

The length of time it takes from the sign up process to receiving your first invitation varies quite considerably. The usual rule of thumb is anywhere from a week to a month but factors such as a person’s profile need to be taken into account. Many surveys concentrate on specifics such as age, sex, demographics and habits so it’s reasonable to expect you won’t be eligible for every survey on offer.

Is Cash The Only Form Of Payment?

Having fun and earning money doing it is a hard combination to beat. Most people aim to generate a part time income that will help cut into a mortgage or car payment once a month. However, having fun doing surveys also incorporates being eligible for product offers. Don’t expect to be offered cash payments every time you are offered a job. Often, trialling a product may be offered as payment instead of cash which could be anything from using a toaster to driving a new car for several days.You have the choice of whether to accept product offers.

Who Are You Giving Your Personal Information To?

Finally, be wary about giving personal information out. It’s a “catch 22″ I know. The sign up process requires providing information about yourself. This is where sticking with legitimate marketing companies is vital. Doing a check online will normally provides thousands of results. Concentrating on the top results is a good guideline. Always check to see if they have contact information, particularly via telephone. Being able to communicate with a “live” person always gives greater peace of mind.

Having fun taking online surveys could only be a few short applications away. Be realistic and don’t expect to be able to retire within months of starting your survey career. If it’s a little extra cash you’re after every month then they can be a great option.

About The Author

Dean Caporella is a professional broadcaster. Earn extra money and have fun doing it with a fun online survey. Get the latest paid survey news, views and reviews at:http://www.paidsurveyline.com

By Dassana Jayalath

Almost everybody, at one time or another, comes under pressure to get a better job. This is particularly hard if you’re at the bottom of the heap to begin with, struggling to get by in casual jobs, or if you’ve just graduated from college with little or no work history. When times are hard, there sometimes seems to be no-one around willing to offer opportunities to such people. But opportunity starts with you. Sometimes the best thing you can do both for yourself and for your community is to create your own job by starting your own business.

Going into business may seem intimidating, but it’s something that anybody with sufficient drive and determination can do. The easiest way to keep your costs down is to begin with a home based business. This means setting up a portion of your home as an office (even if it’s just a laptop in a corner of your bedroom) and basing the management of your company there. You’ll use this office space to do your business planning, to organise your correspondence, to design your promotions and to keep track of your finances. A computer with a good internet connection will make this much easier to manage. The right software can enable you to produce highly professional looking documents with minimal experience.

The fact that your office is based at home doesn’t mean that your business activities can’t be based across a wider area. The internet gives you the option of working internationally, even as a very small company. Auction sites make it increasingly easy to sell products online whilst numerous agencies can assist with the selling of services. You local tax office can advise you on dealing with customs if you are working in the international marketplace. They can also give you advice on managing your finances and can tell you which expenses you are allowed to write off against tax. This will include a portion of the fuel, computer and telephone bills for your home, again helping to reduce your costs.

If your business activities are based in and around your local area, working from home may be a distinct advantage, as it will help people to feel that you are part of the community. You may also be eligible for locally-based grants and low-rate loans. Try to get involved in your local community. Helping with projects based in community centres like libraries and schools can do wonders for your business image, giving you great local promotion as you help to improve your home area.

In the long term, if you are able to expand your home based business, you may be able to take on employees or contractors, creating more jobs in your area. This is why the government are keen to support new businesses. You’ll find that there is a great deal of free advice available to help you get started and to make things easier for you during your first year, when you’re still getting the hang of it all. Look on the internet for advice about how to create a business plan and develop your business idea.

Running a home based business is hard work, and you’re unlikely to make a lot of money in a short time - but if you are patient and work hard, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t succeed. When you do, you’ll know that everything you have is thanks to your own hard work. You won’t have to deal with a boss telling you what to do, and you won’t have to worry about being fired. If you ever do decide to go back to working for other people, you’ll be much more employable, having increased your skill set and demonstrated that you have guts and initiative. A business like this can turn your life around, but getting it started is down to you.

About The Author

Dassana Jayalath is the editor of InternetBizIQ newsletter. Visit www.internetbiziq.com/ad2-home-based-business-articles-archive-1.html get your copy of ecourse worh $97 (while the free offer last) : Newbie’s Guide To Profitable Internet Home Business