If you are looking to make a bit of extra cash on the internet, giving your opinion by filling in a few surveys is one good way simply because it is free.

Market Research - the old fashioned way

Before the internet became as popular as it is, if a company that wanted to know what its customers desire would have to go and ask them. This was a job normally taken up by a market research company who went round asking customer opinions on the street, over the phone, by post or in focus groups.

On behalf of the product company, market researchers want to find out things like what the average person looks for in a good product, what they would be prepared to pay for it and whether anyone would actually buy it.

The product company saves a lot of money by paying the researchers to find out if anyone actually wants a product made in a certain way or what advertisements a certain age group likes so they can make them more relevant.

Online Surveys

Using the freedom of the internet, paid surveys can now be delivered quickly, cheaply and to much more people than before.

In return for your valuable opinion and details about yourself, the research companies will pay you for your time on the questions they are asking.

Sometimes a paid survey will give about 50p to £25 or $1 to $50 depending where you live. Other surveys will give you vouchers for chain stores, music downloads, CDs, DVDs, and the chance to win cash prizes, trips, consoles and entry into other prize draws.

Making the most of it

Because there are so many market research companies looking for people to fill in their surveys, you stand a greater chance at winning prizes and a certain fact you can make money.

By signing up and registering on each of the websites such as Toluna, ACOP, ItsYourView, Ipsos to name just a few, you could earn more money simply because you have created more opportunity to do so.

After registering you will be asked to fill in some of your personal details such as date of birth, sex, name and address so they know where to send the money. Some sites give you money for taking a survey right away.

It could take a while

One thing to remember is on the websites where you get paid to take the surveys, they normally wait until you have done a certain amount of surveys until they send a cheque out. This means you may have to do 15 to 50 surveys or earn £25 before they send you a cheque.

Easy money

If you have spare time and are bored sat at home and want to be part of and influence the next big product to hit the shelves, it is definitely worth giving a bit of your time to earn cash and win prizes online.

It can be quite a fun thing to do and it doesn’t take much brain-power so you can be watching television and getting paid for mostly ticking boxes!

Visit here for a free online list of UK, USA and International paid surveys.