A Question About Surveys?

One of my readers asked such a good question, that I wanted to respond to it here instead of in the comments so others might benefit from it:

madeline said...
Hi, I just recently found your blog and saw that you participate in surveys. I just started surveys myself and wanted your oppinion about the offers you have to spend money on to get paid. Are they worth it or not? Thanks



When it comes to surveys, I would NEVER pay for a list of companies available or for the opportunity to take surveys. If you are offered for a chance to take a survey, but you need to pay $6.95 up front, it's not something you want to mess with. There are many legit survey companies out there - some only surveys several times a year, some you get bombarded with, some you'll see a survey once a month. I personally only post about companies who have "paid" me (be in cash, PayPal or merchandise gifts) several times without hassle because I know they should be safe for everyone else. (see my post here for several companies I've had great luck with)

Some companies even promise you products such a designer purse or a laptop for filling out forms and trials, such as signing up for credit card offers and referring friends - my honest opinion is to RUN. Your information will sold and you will be bombarded with spam, soliciting phone calls, and products you will be charged for even though you only wanted the free trial. Once they have your credit card number for participating in the trial, they can charge away! Yes, if you catch it, you can fill chargebacks, but the time spent on the phone with your credit card company is worth money too!

Now when it comes to programs like Memolink and MyPoints , I personally don't bother with the offers such a free trials and earn 800 points etc just to get the points. I really feel that the hassle of trying to stop shipments/cancel before the trial period/etc really is not worth it. If you miss canceling just one, you may be on the hook for $80 - and that certainly doesn't make the 800 points worth it!

The exception to that would be a product such as Netflix. This is something my family was interested in at one time, and something we could use. There was a one month free trial for a product that cost a reasonable amount every month, something I would have taken advantage of to begin with, so getting the points through a program was a bonus. A product such as ProActive might be something someone else might be buying anyway, so receiving the points for getting the trial through a program would be a bonus for them.

Always go with your instinct. If something looks too good to be true, sit back and think on it for a day. Do an internet search and see if you can find out information about other people's experiences with the company before you make any decision. When it comes to money, err on the side of caution - you and your family worked hard for it!

I hope I answered your question Madeline. If I didn't, please let me know. :)