Earn Up To £12 Per Hour By Taking Paid Surveys Online

by Admin Joe

updated – Apr 13th 2020

Yes, you read that headline correctly. You can literally earn income from surveys just by answering questions and generally just speaking your mind. What a crazy, crazy world AMIRITE!? I know this because I’ve done it and I still do it to this day.

Taking paid surveys and questionnaires is probably one of the simplest, easiest and most accessible ways of making money online. You will be making quick, instant money before your eyes. The only qualification you need is to be able to express an opinion.

Companies make a lot of money from getting your perspective on things via market research. This is why your opinion is so valuable to them.

It’s possible to make £1 per every 5 minutes worth of work with some of the best paid survey panels such as Populus Live. I use this particular panel quite regularly so I know how reliable it is.

This is pretty astonishing considering it’s a higher pay than many jobs. However, there are some restrictions to this though. This can be the lack of opportunities (survey invitations) so don’t get too excited.

“Everyone takes surveys. Whoever makes a statement about human behavior has engaged in a survey of some sort.”

Andrew Greeley (Journalist, Writer & Priest)

This is interesting because it goes to show that we don’t really have to go out of our way that much when we take surveys. It usually involves stuff that we will talk about with our peers anyway without earning money.

The quote also defines the main purpose of surveys. This is to monitor how we as consumers act in relation to products and services. Brands can then use this data to tweak their operations for the better.

I will now go through a few points that might interest you and give you a general breakdown. This will show how you can benefit from paid surveys.

How do I make money taking paid surveys?

The steps that you need to take are very simple:

1. Sign up to a survey panel
2. Complete surveys until you reach the payment threshold
3. Withdraw your earnings via your chosen payment method

How will I be rewarded for completing surveys?

There are plenty of websites out there that will incentivize you for expressing your opinions. To enumerate, this could be either be in the form of:

• cash
• vouchers, coupons & gift cards
• competition entries
• charity donations

In my opinion, it’s best to pick the survey panels that offer cash. You can’t choose how you spend your reward if it’s in the form of a gift certificate for a particular store.

For ‘compers‘ (people who enter competitions), these surveys are just another way of entering a competitions. You will probably gain a competition entry even if you are screened out of a survey.

If you’re not that interested in making money for yourself then you can donate it to charity. Different survey panels offer different charities so you will need to check them one by one.

Where can I view my paid survey earnings?

There is normally an account balance on most paid survey sites. Here you can check how much you’ve earned so far. You will eventually reach a point where you can withdraw your total balance. This number is different from site to site.

The real downside to this is how long you have to wait for payout. It can seem like watching a race with tortoises sometimes to truly impatient people like myself. I really do know the feeling so you will just need to be patient. Continue taking surveys until you reach the threshold.

There is also normally a section for your survey history. This will tell you which surveys you’ve taken. You will also learn how much you will get paid for each one along with other details.

How much money can I make from paid surveys?

First of all, let me give you a digital slap across the head through the internet. Good. I’m sorry I had to do that but I mean well. It should snap you out of the illusion of this ever being solely a full-time job.

The truth is paid surveys will never earn you a living on their own (I once naively believed this). Although, it doesn’t mean that you can’t make some supplementary income from it.

It’s a decent earner during your spare time in between your primary day job. You can even take these surveys on evenings and weekends. It’s always nice to have a little extra money coming in on top of your main salary.

I’ve personally managed to earn over a £1000 per year just by taking paid surveys. This is on top of other commitments as well so there’s some food for thought.

Time is a factor though so you may not make so much if you have other priorities. This is common sense because the more time you have, the more surveys you can complete.

It also helps to pick out the highest paying survey panels so you’re just working for the best ones. You will maximize your pay-per-hour this way.

Which sites will pay me to take surveys?

There are plenty of paid survey websites out there. Here are a couple of panels to get you off the starting block:

• QuickRewards
• PanelPlace

Follow my example and register with several survey sites. This way you will have as many opportunities at your disposal as possible. You don’t want to be stuck in a rut, twiddling your thumbs as you wait for survey invitations to come through.

What will I be doing?

Surveys don’t just consist of answering questions. You may also find yourself participating in:

• diaries
• polls
• focus groups
• panels
• product tests

You could be given free products to test out and you get to keep them which is great. I always look forward to these.

Just think, you might strike it lucky and receive that exciting bottle of bleach you’ve always wanted. Admittedly, you won’t always get what you want but you’re still receiving a product without paying a penny.

In my experience, I’ve most commonly received items of food and drink to test out but it could anything. You will likely get a follow-up survey asking you what you thought about the product for an extra reward.

The diary assignments require you to make a commitment and be consistent for a long period of time. The moderators know this which is why they’re so high paying. These ones need you to participate on a regular basis, sometimes daily. I can understand that this might not suit a very busy person.

Polls are quite straightforward and not at all time-consuming. It will normally just be one question with quite a low reward. Two reliable daily polls that I frequently take part in are run by branded surveys and viewsbank. You should definitely check them out.

The focus groups are a little more taxing as you will have to go to a venue in person. You will then meet up with a group of people to form a discussion. These are also high paying assignments. The organizers may offer free food and reimburse your travel expense if you’re lucky.

Although, online focus groups exist so you will just need a microphone and webcam in this case. It’s obviously really convenient because you won’t even have to leave your home.

What will the surveys be about?

Surveys cover almost every aspect of everyday life. It can be about anything and everything. The survey questions will usually center around a specific product or service.

There are also seasonal surveys available at certain milestones throughout the year. This can cover things such as Christmas, Halloween and any other popular holiday or event.

Hopefully, you will sometimes be able do a paid survey about something that interests you. For instance, movies, video games or whatever else floats your boat.

If you are really lucky then you may be fortunate enough to watch a brand new movie trailer before anybody else.

Believe me, these sure beat the boring ones about insurance or banking so keep an eye out. Unfortunately, you don’t get to choose the subject so you might have to wait around for the good ones.

Can I share details about surveys?

Please note, when panels give you sensitive and confidential information like this then your discretion is very important. There will usually be a disclaimer regarding any private content. You will then have to tick a box that says you agree not to talk about it.

Under those circumstances, there may even be legal ramifications for sharing details. This is especially true when they strictly tell you not to, so be careful.

Sometimes panels do not allow you to pass information on in any way. This includes via your personal online content or even chatting to a friend face-to-face.

When and where can I take surveys?

Making money from surveys gives you the edge of literally working whenever and wherever you want. This works as long as you have an accepted device and internet connection.

You can even do a paid survey on your phone whilst sat on the bus if you really want to. There also needs to be a survey invitation available at the time.

I’ve noticed that there are considerably less open surveys available during weekends. Saturdays and Sundays don’t technically count as “working days” for a lot of people. The same often goes for late evenings.

You will want to keep this in mind and try to time it so you don’t get caught short. I know how annoying it is to only just miss out on a survey.

Try to complete paid surveys early on as they will soon close down once they have enough participants. This is perfect for killing time in between work and other things.

Can anybody take paid surveys?

Yes sir! Anyone with an opinion can do this. Do I need a degree in biochemistry? Nope. Even a dope like me can do it. Survey participation doesn’t require any kind of special qualification, skills or experience.

It’s something almost anyone can do with very little work, effort or thinking involved. All that they ask of you is to put your thoughts down in words.

What happens if I make a mistake?

We are all prone to human error. Some survey panels let you correct mistakes and some don’t. If you do make an error then look for a ‘back arrow‘ button to click. You can then go back to the previous page and rectify it.

Do your best to pay close attention to the entirety of the survey. Many panels like to implement quality control checks within paid surveys. This is to test the alertness of participants. If you fail these checks then you will normally get screened out and you will have wasted your time.

I have fallen into this trap a few times so beware. This is another big reason to avoid making mistakes.

One small mistake is nothing to cry about. If you do make a massive error that you believe will have a significant impact then you can contact the survey panel to let them know. They should thank you for this as an accurate date is of the utmost importance to them.

How do my completed surveys influence things?

Your views are really important to all brands. How you spend your money when shopping dictates how these companies behave. In some ways, you’re the boss. You will get a say in how businesses promote and advertise products and services. I don’t know about you, but that sounds great to me.

The results of your completed surveys will go towards changing and improving your favorite brands. This is a good thing for everybody.

In some scenarios, you may see survey results published in certain media outlets. That’s something to look out for. I remember once seeing the results of a paid survey I took part in broadcast on a local TV news report. These statistics can sway public opinion and you can say you had a part in it.

What about my privacy?

You are giving away data about yourself every time you take a survey. This is kind of a paradox in terms of privacy. In a lot of ways they are paying you to be open about your opinions and who you are.

On the other hand, this doesn’t mean that they don’t give a damn about discretion. They will usually inform you about how they use your data and who they give it to.

It won’t reach the point where they ask for any extremely personal information that will put you in danger. If they do you always have the option to refuse an answer.

You don’t need to worry about your personal details in general. They never send out information like this to third parties without your permission.

Why is there a demand for survey participants?

Companies need surveys because by marketing, products and services can excel and increase profits for their own businesses. The incentive is obvious for them. Guess what? This also means that there is a lot of money in it. You could get yourself a slice of the pie by taking part in surveys.

They also like to know what’s going on outside their bubble so they can see things more objectively. Another interesting aspect of this is the fact that surveys are a form of advertising. Participants will greatly observe brands through survey questions so it’s a double win for these companies.

Can I interact with other panel members?

You can involve yourself in survey communities through the social media accounts of various panels. This is useful if you feel like discussing topics mentioned in much more detail (without breaching privacy rules of course).

Some have forums and similar features directly on the website. Some of the nicest people I know are folks I have bonded with online. You might even end up making some new online friends for life.

To be clear, I need to reiterate that paid surveys aren’t something that will ever replace a full-time job. Although, they can become a valuable secondary income stream you can work at in your spare time.

We now have the knowledge that a selection of different assignment types and payment methods exist. It doesn’t have to be just basic surveys or cash payments.

We have also learned the importance of picking a shortlist of the highest paying survey companies. You want to earn the most income for your time. Another thing to take away is the overall collective impact that survey participants have on the customer service and retail industry.

Businesses want to see how consumers vote with their wallets. Money will always be a key factor regarding how they do business.

You may be someone who is completely new to this and has never taken a paid survey before. If I were in your shoes, the first thing I would do is register with nearly all the survey companies you can find. Don’t worry too much about signing up to low paying panels for the time being.

There are quite a lot of scams in regards to paid surveys. You should check for positive review with a quick Google search before you sign up to any survey panel.

You can always cancel your account further down the road if the panel does not satisfy your needs. It’s better to receive too many survey invitations rather than not enough.

Which are the best survey panels to sign up to? Check out my 9 Insanely High Paying Survey Sites That Pay More Than Some Jobs post to get my two cents on just that.

Do you have a personal favorite topic of survey to complete? Do you prefer to be rewarded with gift cards or just plain old cash and please explain why? Please don’t forget to share this with your friends and comment below. Thanks for reading!

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