Making Money With Surveys

I have been a faithful panel member of survey companies since 1999. It started as something to do in my spare time as a college student to make a little extra spending money. Now, it's still something I do on the side, but I have had such great experiences that I have started to share this information with my friends and family. I only stay with reputable companies that PAY or give me great opportunities for at-home product testing (more on that below). If a company only gives out sweepstakes entries for one or two prizes a month, I don't stay. Why? Because as everyone is these days, I am busy. I work full-time, go to grad school part-time, have a husband and attempt to have a social life. I have found that these "sweeps only" surveys not only waste my time but also cause me to get behind on the actual "for pay" surveys, which then causes me to lose that opportunity since those quotas fill up fast. Here is everything I know about surveys/research studies.

Types of Studies
***LOWER PAYING***
1. Online Surveys - You get an email when one is available and fill it out completely online. These can be complete surveys within themselves or a "screener" for another type of study below.
2. Paper Surveys - You get a survey delivered in your mail box. Usually the company is also an online survey company and you have opted in for paper surveys. These can be complete surveys within themselves or a "screener" for another type of study below.
3. Phone Survey - You get a phone call when one is available. Usually the company is also an online survey company and you have opted in for phone surveys, or you have taken an online "screener" and opted to continue the study by phone. Phone surveys can be complete surveys within themselves or a "screener" for another type of study below.
***HIGHER PAYING***
4. At-home Product Test - These I LOVE. After completing a "screener" survey to make sure that you match that type of product (ie: you like 2-ply toilet paper, you drink alcoholic beverages), you will be sent the free product to use at home. After using the product for a certain length of time, you will be sent an email notifying you that the follow-up survey is ready. You will receive your incentive after completing the final survey. Note: You probably will not finish using the product by the time the email is sent to you and usually the company lets you keep the rest.
5. Long-term studies - These surveys are on the same topic and are sent to you periodically over a long period of time. I am currently involved in a year-long study like this now.
6. Online Forums - You log into the forum community usually once a week to provide feedback on the topics listed.
7. On-location Research Studies - After qualifying, you drive to a site to look at products in person and provide feedback. I have used handheld computers, pen & paper, and face-to-face interviews to give my feedback in the past.
8. Focus Groups - These could be online or in person. Participants meet together at a certain time and place to give feedback on a product. There is a moderator who asks questions and directs discussion. The in-person focus groups I've been to have always been taped (so you can't be camera shy).

Important Information to Know About the World of Survey Taking
1. NEVER pay to join a survey company. People are on the internet to scam you out of your money. This is a red flag for me.
2. Always look through the survey site before you sign up to find out what options are available for payment and if the company is reputable (they won't have dead links on pages). If you don't like what you see, don't sign up.
3. Once you do sign up, provide every bit of information they ask for on the profile surveys. These profiles are used to match you up with up-coming surveys and you don't want to miss a great paying one because you didn't provide the needed information.
4. ALWAYS take EVERY survey the same day you receive it. This builds trust between you and the company. This will allow you to have more opportunities for paying surveys and be able to do more of the higher paying opportunities from the list above.
5. It's okay to be in many panels and do multiple studies at once. As long as you keep everything straight, you're good to go.
6. Every once in a while I'll check the survey company site for cashing out my earned money and updating my profile. Many things have changed in my life in the past 9 years, and the types of surveys I receive have changed along with me.
7. DON'T expect this to be your full-time job. I deposit my money into my savings account towards buying a house. I don't rely on it for day-to-day needs.
8. Incentives are different for each company. Options are usually cash (check or Paypal), gift cards/certificates, prizes, and charity donations.

Survey Companies That I Use
Lightspeed Panel
My Survey
Viewpoint Forum
Greenfield Online
Zoompanel
Global Test Market
Global Opinion Panels
Mindfield Online
Survey Savvy