Can you make money taking surveys, or is this just a scam? I decided to test it out, see the truth, and bring you the answers.
I tried out the company InboxDollars as it touted that they would pay cash, not points like others. I spent two hours taking surveys, watching videos, and searching the internet to earn as much as possible. Here is what happened.
Finding the best money surveys
The first thing I did was an internet search to find a company, and Inbox Dollars was on numerous lists; I chose them because they seemed legitimate and said you earned cash, so I signed up. The signup process was quick and easy, and you get started with $5 just for signing up.
More Than Just Surveys
You can make money from several methods with InboxDollars, such as:
- Watch short videos (mostly less than 60 seconds)
- Surf the internet
- Play games
- Cashback on grocery purchases
- Redeem Coupons
- Offers
Offers
Offers pay you money when you join something. For example, enter the ASPCA with a monthly membership of $19 and earn $25. There are some free offers also. For example, I downloaded a bingo game, but you must play 100 games to earn $2.
Redeem Coupons
Not my thing, so I didn’t try this, but their website says you can earn .10 cents for each coupon redeemed in addition to .01 cents for printing it. So the 11 cents is on top of the manufacturer’s deal.
Cash Back On Grocery Purchases
All you have to do is take a picture of your grocery receipt and upload it, and you will get paid a couple of pennies on many items you purchased. I tested this with a Kroger receipt, but it wouldn’t take because I downloaded it. It needs to be a photo of a paper receipt.
Play Games
The games are played right on the screen. Unfortunately, I never played long enough to earn any money.
Surf The Internet
You earn scratch-offs pretty quickly by just searching the internet on their search bar. For searches, get a screen scratch that pays $.01 or .02 cents. If you continue doing searches, you advance to a higher-paying scratch-off, but there is a daily limit on the number of searches. I tried to make it to the third, but I hit the daily limit. However, I made it to the 2nd level, which paid .03 cents. So the 1st level has a possible $10, the 2nd is $25, and the third is $100 possible.
Watch short videos (mostly less than 60 seconds)
You have to watch a series of videos and earn $.01 or .02 cents. The videos are concise, only about 25 seconds.
Surveys
The surveys are the higher paying activity. Typically in the 20 cents to 75 cents range. Unfortunately, the roadblock is you have to answer several qualifying questions and then be told you are not qualified and can’t do the survey. Then you are redirected back to try another survey. The process is very frustrating and time-consuming.
Pros And Cons
Pros
- The site is straightforward to navigate.
- Sign-up was easy.
- It does not appear scammy.
- Numerous ways to earn.
Cons
- Survey qualifiers cause you to waste a lot of time.
- The payouts are very low.
Conclusion
While I find InfoDollars to be the best money surveys, it is not an excellent way to make money, in my opinion. There is not enough payout for the time you will have to invest. I spent 2 hours and earned $3.37. InfoDollars did give me $5 for joining, so I have $8.37 in my account. Unfortunately, there is a minimum of $15 to get a payout via PayPal. I think you would spend time better on other money-making ideas.
