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Online surveys alone financed my first web
site. Getting paid to take these online surveys
is a win-win situation. Large companies want
your opinion on their products and services and
they are willing to pay you for it. These online
surveys give them good insight into their target
market, people like you, so they win. You win by
getting paid for your time.
It all started about 5 months ago when I had
finally decided I wanted to start my own online
business. I have a full time job, a stay at home
wife, and a 15 month old baby boy. I had no
extra money, as you can imagine, and didn't want
to risk my hard earned salary without knowing if
this venture would work. With no idea on how to
go about starting an online business and with no
startup capital, I did what all web surfers do;
I surfed, and I surfed, and I surfed.
During the course of my research I ran across
some ads for taking online surveys and getting
paid for it. I was skeptical at first, but when
I researched the companies that offered online
surveys I found a few that were for real. So I
signed up with 3 of the sites.
Once you sign up you fill out some easy
questionnaires about yourself so the survey
company can match you with one of their clients
looking for your demographic profile (e.g. age,
sex, where you live, what you do, etcÖ).
Easy enough, still free, I filled out my
profiles and that was it, they let me know that
they would contact me when a survey that fit my
profile was available.
Without skipping a beat I went back to my
research. It was becoming more and more evident
that I would need to learn a lot more before
starting my own internet business. I decided
that for any business venture you should be as
prepared as possible. And I still had no extra
money to even give it a try. I was still in my
hunting and gathering phase.
Then one night while surfing the net, I got
an email telling me that a $10 survey was
waiting for me. Great! I logged into my account
at the survey site and clicked the link to start
the survey. It took me about 20 minutes. This
particular survey company pays directly to your
PayPal account (it took a couple weeks to see
the money, but I did see it.)
I was hooked. Over the next several months I
received more surveys. There are times when you
don't qualify for a survey. This could even
happen a couple times in a row. Don't worry they
will keep sending them and you will qualify for
a lot of them.
About 4 weeks ago I decided I knew enough
about web sites, web site hosting, web site
promotion, newsletters, and most of the basics
of starting my own site. So I logged into my
PayPal and found $32 (all from surveys), and
logged into my other 2 survey sites, $20 dollars
in one account and $45 in the other. I had my
startup money!
Taking these surveys enabled me to start my
own business online using only the money I made
online. No out of pocket money was needed to set
up my site, get my domain name and start a
hosting plan. In reality this is more than
enough money to start a website backed business.
I used only my PayPal money to set up my web
site, and not all of it. Yesterday, I deposited
$40 of survey money into my checking account and
then transferred it to my PayPal account. I now
have a little war chest for financing my online
business.
Online survey companies (the real ones) don't
charge you to join, don't spam you when you do
(I only get invitations from them, nothing
else), and pay you when your done. It can take
up to 4 weeks to get paid (sometimes less
sometimes more). For me this was not a problem
since I was not yet knowledgeable enough to
start my web site.
I still spend most of my time surfing and
learning but I also understand the concept and
dangers of procrastination. I did take my time
getting started based solely on financial
reasons, now that I have the money to get
started that is exactly what I am doing, getting
started!
I want you all to know that making money
online is a reality. Surveys will make you
money, I still take them as soon as they hit my
inbox, but you will not be able to quit your day
job. If you don't give up and hang in there you
can start your own web business without touching
any offline money. If you don't want to start a
business then buy yourself or someone a gift
with the money you earn. It truly is easy
money!
By: Jason Glicken
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