Survey and Reward Sites Update

Six months ago I wrote a review of nine survey and reward sites I was trying. I decided to write a follow up on how they worked out, or didn’t.

My over all opinion is that most of them are a waste of time. The problem, it seems to me, is that you are not creating anything of value. The ½ hour you spend taking one survey for $2.00 could have been spent writing a post for a blog you have monetized, or an article for eHow. The time spent taking the survey paid you $2 for ½ hour of your time, period. The blog post or article could end up paying you much more, indefinitely, for that same ½ hour.

A few of the sites I like and will continue to use. But I think, given how many opportunities there are to make money online, you could get more for your time spent by creating something that could hang around and keep the money coming in.

Greenfield Online

I registered with them in May 2008 and by early September, after 76 surveys tried and only one success for a whopping $2, I had to give up on this one. I would get part of the way into the surveys only to be rejected by the dreaded “You did not qualify but have received an entry in our sweepstakes.” This site earned me the least amount of money for the most time spent.

My Points

This reward site gives you points by clicking on email ads they send you, as well as promos they offer from their partners. I registered with them in August 2008 and have earned 3,300 points so far just by completing my profiles and clicking on the 1 to 5 emails they send me a day. The points can be redeemed for gift cards from a variety of restaurants and stores. This takes me about 30 seconds a day. I like the site and will continue to use it, at least until I get my $25 Subway card.

American Consumer Opinion

I registered with this one in August 2008. I received only one survey from them, but I did qualify and complete it. I received a check for $4.00 from them but no more surveys. I finally cancelled my membership.

Valued Opinions

This site sent me nine surveys, only one of which I could complete, for 50 cents. Had to let this one go, too.

Your 2 Cents

This is another one that sent me plenty of surveys, only one that I completed for $2.00. Since their cash out minimum was $10 I wrote off the $2 and said goodbye to Y2C.

Opinion Outpost

I have made $76.20 from this one so far. They reward you with points, worth ten cents each, with a minimum of fifty points in your account to be able to cash out. They send a lot of surveys, usually pretty short and most of which I qualify for. That I qualify for so many means I am usually just deleting the emails because I don’t have time to take so many surveys. This site has earned me the most money for the least time spent.

Cash Crate

I have received $36.10 from them since joining, but have lost interest along the way. I can’t really put my finger on why, I just forget to visit. If you read reviews people either love this site or hate it. I have become indifferent to it. Strange…

Surf Bounty

Very similar to Cash Crate, but I cancelled for two reasons. One, I was already using Cash Crate, and I found one reward site is enough for me to spend time on. Two, I successfully completed two offers and never saw them credited to my account.

Own My Site

I registered with this reward site in August 2008. The concept is to use them to search the web and buy from their merchants. When you become a “stakeholder” the more you use the site, the larger your percentage stake in their revenue. I have earned around $10, deposited into my PayPal account, and I currently own a 0.07% stake in the site. My biggest problem is remembering to use them for Google searches, because you have to sign in for your usage to count.

What has been your experience with survey and reward sites?