It’s common (and I assume unqualified and ill thought out) internet advice that if you want some extra cash, you could sign up to survey sites. You can even download their toolbars and apps and fill in all your details on the go. They make it sound smooth, easy, fun and worthwhile.
To that, I say BULLSHIT.
The other week, I decided to try it. I signed up for a bunch. How could I said it’s bad if I hadn’t tried it?
Survey Sites Suck And Here’s What You Could Do Instead
Crap Design
The design of most surveys is nothing short of awful. Granted, this is something I’ve studied in depth at a postgrad level, so I don’t know if this would bother most people. It sure as hell bothers me.
Few Surveys
I don’t know about most people, but I answer a few “qualifying” questions and then I can’t do the survey. So there aren’t many I could make 30 cents from.
Bad Timing
Surveys seem to come in overnight. They don’t seem to be designed or released in Australian waking hours. What this means is that you’ll click on a link in an email or app to take the newest survey (which could net you up to $1.36!!!!) and the link has expired already. Yay!
They’re For People With No Standards
If I have spent time on you in exchange for compensation, I don’t expect minimum payouts. Screw you. I expect to be paid for my time. Sorreeeeyy for having standards.
No Money
There seems to be more money made for signing people up for a survey site membership than from taking surveys. Isn’t that how Ponzi Schemes start?
What Could I Do Instead?
I mentioned something that you could do instead. It’s a tip I haven’t heard of on any blog at all so far. If you want to know it, all you have to do is send me a cheque for… nah, I’m screwing with you. My advice if you wanted to make money and don’t want anything with skill is to look into stripping or prostitution (depending on which is legal in your jurisdiction). Seriously. I’d respect people more who chose those jobs waaayy more than fucking survey sites. I bet you’d make more than a few cents an hour that way.
(FYI: I don’t think being a stripper or prostitute is less reputable than any other occupation. But what I did think when trying to come up with an alternative occupation is “what would mommy bloggers from conservative states in America hate and judge the most” …which is how I came up with stripper and prostitute.)
Anyway, that’s my unqualified advice and mini rant on the bullshit advice that is survey sites.
Agree? Disagree? Ever tried a survey site?
Loling into my tea! Never tried one, but certainly wont be now!
Soo not worth it!
Yeah, nah to survey sites and to the other ideas too. Thanks Ness, good giggle here!
Haha what! No to the other ideas 🙂
I have never tried out these survey sites that you speak of and thanks to your comprehensive analysis, now I won’t need to! LOL!
I don’t have the patience for survey sites, and it looks like I dodged a bad deal.
Oh you sooo did.
Bahahaha, this is so spot on. I was signed up to one survey site that I signed up to because I could get iTunes card which at the time worked really well for me because I would use the iTunes to buy TV shows and music for the girls and I when I wasn’t working and had them both at home and so had a bit of time each day to sit and answer a 10 minute survey. These days even that is way too much effort for almost nothing in return!
#teamIBOT
Lol I’m just glad I’m not the only person thinking survey sites are a huge joke. Thanks Ness!
I cringe every time I see someone suggest taking surveys as a way of making money. Somewhere like 95% of the time I don’t ‘fit the criteria’ of any survey I’ve tried to take but what’s insulting about that is I’ve usually answered a whole bunch of questions already by that point before it tells me I can’t do the survey. Up until then I’ve usually been led to believe I already AM doing the survey! Similarly, the survey sites that have videos you can supposedly leave playing in the background on your phone to earn money have never worked for me. Everyone always goes on about how great Swagbucks is with that so I gave it another try and it didn’t matter how many videos I watched, I wasn’t given my points. So ridiculous.