You’ve trimmed back unnecessary expenses, cooked more meals at home, and held garage sales to earn some extra cash. While all this has helped fatten your savings account, you’re still struggling with the “more month than money” phenomenon way too often.
To bring in some extra income, consider taking online paid surveys. Now, you won’t get super rich from this side gig, but know that earning money from home, on your own time, speaks to many people.
As it turns out, online survey companies offer payouts in several ways. To be sure you’re signing up for offers that match the type of pay you desire, it’s important to know all the different options available, including the following:
1. Straight Cash Money
Legitimate online survey sites will often pay cash for taking surveys. Of course, the amount you get paid will largely depend on the number of surveys you sign up for and complete and the amount of time it takes to do them. Paid online surveys have different payout amounts, and it’s possible to find some that pay as much as $50. Granted, most will pay less but will also not take as much time to complete.
2. Gift Cards
Instead of cash, some online survey companies offer gift cards as compensation. In particular, you’re likely to receive gift cards from Starbucks, Amazon, Walmart, and other popular retailers. If you were hoping to only earn cash for completing these online surveys, you could always use the gift cards for household items you would purchase anyway. For instance, you could use the Walmart gift card to buy some groceries, which, in turn, would keep more money in your bank account. You might also be given the option to earn a prepaid Visa credit card, which you could use virtually anywhere, including gas stations, department stores, and restaurants.
3. PayPal Deposit
As you sign up for online paid surveys, you may notice that some companies prefer to pay you via PayPal. Fortunately, it’s super easy and free to sign up for a PayPal account. As payments are deposited into your PayPal account, you can transfer them into your bank account to pay off bills or save for a rainy day. In addition to worrying about paying your bills, you may also wonder how you’ll be able to afford college tuition for your children once they graduate from high school. To boost your savings for a college tuition fund, consider depositing your survey earnings into a tax-advantaged 529 savings plan.
4. Rewards and Points
Many online survey companies use a rewards or points system, which can then be redeemed for certain payouts. For example, you might earn 40 points for finishing a survey. Once you have a certain amount of points in your account, you can cash out your rewards for money, a gift card, or a PayPal deposit. The reward system does vary by company, so it’s worth taking the time to read the fine print. This way, you’ll know when you’re able to trade them in for your desired payout.
5. Sign-Up Bonuses
Some survey companies will reward you with a sign-up bonus, usually in the ballpark of $5 or so. This “free money” is a nice incentive and can make the first payout a bit more generous. As you sign up with different survey sites, you might want to keep track of any bonuses or perks you earn. This way, you can more easily double-check to make sure you’ve received everything that has been promised to you.
Extra Time Equals Extra Money
For busy people who want to earn a little extra income, paid online surveys are a great option. Whether you only sign up for surveys that pay out in actual cash, or you save up points for a gift card to use for the everyday items you would otherwise purchase, online surveys can be an easy and stress-free way to work from home, increase your savings account and even help pay for college tuition when the time comes.
