Guest Post: 4 Ways to Make Money in August!
Guest Post By Nicole from Nicole’s Nickels:
This is month number 7 of ways YOU can make some money from home!
1. Surveys
If you’re looking for a way to make some cash from home, try surveys! You won’t get rich but can earn enough to cover your morning coffee or even gas!
Remember to sign up for a separate web-based email address to use just for surveys. I don’t get any spam from the survey sites but I do get a large volume of emails from all of the companies I am signed up with. That way the invites won’t clog your personal inbox. You can also read more about all of the survey companies I am signed up with and my experiences with them.
A. The first company for this week is Opinion Outpost. Opinion Outpost was the first survey company I signed up with and they are one of my favorites.
I get a large variety of survey invites from them for varying rewards. I recently got an invite for a survey worth $25! You can easily redeem your points for CASH (comes by check) with a low cash-out threshhold. Sign up HERE.
B. The second survey company I wanted to bring you today is American Consumer Opinion Panel (ACOP for short). I do not receive very many invitations from ACOP but am very happy with the ones I do receive.
American Consumer Opinion sends short screener surveys that take less than a minute usually. Then if I get a survey invite I am already pre-qualified for it. Plus you are entered into a drawing when you do the short screener – I won $10 once from this drawing! ACOP sends the money you earn to you automatically which I love – no need to request payout! Sign up HERE.
2. Mystery Shopping
If you’re new to mystery shopping, you’ll want to read my Mystery Shopping 101 post. If you are an experienced mystery shopper please be aware that it is a violation of your ICA with each company to reveal what places you shop with each company so please don’t jeopardize your shopper status in the comments of this post! You can also read more about what companies I shop for and my experiences with them.
Before you accept an assignment make sure to read all documents carefully. If you don’t follow the directions your shop could be rejected. You must be organized and detail-oriented to make a good mystery shopper. I love getting free meals and other services for free!
A. The first mystery shopping company I wanted to tell you about today is Retail Eyes. They have a variety of mostly restaurant shops in my area and I love that they email when they are available! Their shop directions are straight forward and payment is super fast! Sign up HERE.
B. The second mystery shopping company I wanted to tell you about is Marketforce. Marketforce has a very large variety of all kinds of shops. I have my profile set up so I get a daily email of all shops within a certain radius of my home. I find their reports to be reasonable for the money you are receiving. I have had to email with them after a shop several times with questions and was happy with the level of customer service I received. Sign up HERE
Remember, it’s FREE to sign up for the mystery shopping companies I discuss here. No legit mystery shopping company will ever make you pay to sign up. Set your own hours, choose your own assignments and earn some extra money today!
I signed up for Retail Eyes but Marketforce asked me for my SSN so I did not sign up with them. I do not feel comfortable giving my SSN online, plus I don’t even know if they will be using me yet or not!
I have been with Marketforce since last year and I love them. I am signed up with several mystery shopping companies and I have never had a problem by providing my social security number.
Marketforce is legit :).
Most companies require a Social Security Number when you sign up since you are employed as an independent contractor and by law the company must report your earnings to the IRS. Some companies will let you call them to give them your SS# if you don’t want to enter it online or even will let you wait until your earnings near the $600 reporting threshhold.
Do you have to report money made from doing surveys? Or only if you reach the $600 mark?
Threw the mystery shopping companies, how much do you get paid for going to one of the shops listed? How many hours/shops can you go to a day? Just wondering if this is something I could look into for some extra money right now. Thanks for any help, we could use it.
Like I’ve mentioned before on these posts, try https://becomeaguide.chacha.com/ I make at least $300 a month and get to sit on my butt at home!
You will need your SSN because you are considered an independent contractor and must report the income, like any other, on your taxes.
it asked for hours, are you required to stay logged on for those house everyday? and for that entire time?
I’ve never heard of the company referenced in the link above. I can only speak for the mystery shopping companies I have posted about and that is NOT one of them. As far as mystery shopping goes, you get paid different amounts based on the shop. The amount you will get paid will be disclosed to you prior to you accepting the shop – shops range from a few dollars to a paid cruise vacation, there is something for everyone. There isn’t a limit as to how many shops you can do in a day, it depends on the company and I recommend signing up for as many companies as possible since you don’t know which company will have shops in your area.
No you are free to work whenever with ChaCha. You can log in day or night, not work some days and work all days whenever. Not really sure why they ask that.
I’m not looking to make $$ on referrals or else I would have included my email. Just trying to show others what I was shown over a year ago that pulled the pressure of being laid off off my back.
RB, for chacha, approximately how many hours to have to be logged on per day to make $300 extra per month?
ChaCha is legitimate; however, it is also EXTREMELY low-paying. Both my husband and I have worked in different guide roles in the past, and still do currently if we are desperate. Guides currently earn approximately $2-$4 per hour, so you would have to be on your computer at least 2-4 hours per day, to earn an extra $10 per day, or $300 per month.
Oh, I forgot to add, you have to give ChaCha your SSN, too, which means you also have to pay taxes at the end of the year on all your earnings.
I am a ChaCha guide and they do pay out what you make. I joined in June and made $500 in a month and a half. I was averaging about 100 questions a day, but you can decide how much you want to do and at any time you want to do them. 100 questions a day was very tiring, so I have taken a month off and will start again on the 15th.
I used to ChaCha and stopped last year. This year’s taxes were AWFUL thanks to ChaCha…..Be prepared to have to pay at least 10% off what you earn all year…..
I’m with “L” on the ChaCha-thing. It sounded great, I’m home with 2 kids and thought I would do that during nap time or early in the mornings before they woke up. I signed up to be a guide (basically you get questions and have to find the answers to them – all on the computer), but I found myself spending WAAAAAY too much time to make a measly $10, so I just stopped. I figure my time was much better spent looking for another job that actually paid out better. To those people who are making $300 a month doing it, they must either be on their computers every free minute of the day or they are just not spending much time searching for and giving good answers…
chacha is legit. It was featured in Woman’s World a couple of months ago. I started and never finished my “training.” I need to get back on that. So, you said you can make $300 a month or so?
Jana, same with me, I never finished my training. I would love to do this after work and on the weekends.
Another survey company that I’ve personally used for years is MySurvey dot com. They send out invites for you to take several surveys a month, and you sometimes have the opportunity to test products as well (they send you the products, 100% free to you) It works on the point system, but you can redeem for checks, gift cards and other prizes!! I typically average around 500 or so points a month with them, and I don’t even take advantage of all of the surveys they offer me!
As a mystery shopper, how does restaurant shopping work with a spouse/ family. I assume they don’t want you to go in alone and look conspicuous. But is your spouse’s meal covered? I couldn’t find that info on the websites, but perhaps I was looking in the wrong place. Also, for mystery shopping, is it realistic to take your children along or is this something you will have to do solo?
If you are mystery shopping then all of the details will be laid out in front of you before the shop. I shop for a company called Ritter’s and they are very VERY specific in how I am to do my shops. I’ve done some for a fast food company and they tell me the dollar amount they will cover, if I am allowed to bring my kids (usually they are NOT allowed to come as they can take your attention away from what you’re supposed to be observing) and they tell you specifically what you need to take note of.
Nicole, I just wanted to tell you that because of these posts of yours here on Collin’s site, I finally took the plunge and started mystery shopping. So far, I’m really enjoying it! Thank you for all the info you’ve provided.
MARKET FORCE SHOPPER
Which “portal” should I choose? Blue or Purple??
I am signed up with both.
I see on Retail Eyes that it’s based out of the UK. I signed up (no assignments yet) and on the login page (their main home page before you are logged in) it is the US site, but when i put in my username and password it adds the co.uk to the web address. I just want to make sure that I’m not seeing any assignments because there aren’t any and not because it’s sending me to the UK site. Has anyone seen this?
Yes, the uk part of the web address is normal. It will go based on the zip codes you put in for searching for assignments. They don’t always have a lot available (at least in my area) but the ones they do have are good!
Ooh I have never heard of Retail Eyes. I just signed up. Thanks! 🙂