I could get hold of this hub, hardly yesterday, amidst my attempts in chasing money to find a suitable site for earning money, really. In the couple of months, I really lost something in the range of Rs.1,000 ($20). It was the process of 'learn to earn'. Though the latter really did not happen.

When I tried to create the hub, it suggested a message prompting me to coin the name of the site in tune with the purpose of the site. I waited a while, thought over and at last named it as 'earningsinlife'. Though the ultimate purpose, inevitably, is earning money, it is not the only purpose. There are many other values in life to be earned, like good parents (boon or bane, based on the karma and not in one's hands), good education, good teachers, good relationships, good friends, good employment (including good employers), good marital relations, good children, good habits, good name, good recognition, good atmosphere, good what-nots and at last a good end. The good end could be secured well at last if one strives hard throughout his life to achieve and secure all the other goods. These were the reasons in my mind when I christened the hub.

Then, coming to the real part of it, I have lost once in one site. The destiny did not stop me there. The fate forced me to proceed further. Again, I tried with another site to take back the earlier loss. But, alas, there again, it was a loss. After searching through different sites, I could deduce the following observations, which I am posting here for the benefit of the community like me, to be cautious and conscious, in future.

In some sites, they offer sign up bonus. What is the fun of it? It always remain with them, except the credit into our so-called account with them. Because, they would be having a minimum pay out level, which is next to impossible. Because, the jobs (like taking surveys, clicking ads, etc.,) they download to our email will never allow us to reach the pay out in the near future. E.g. One site offered a sign up bonus of $5 (why is there this inducement?) and the surveys they give to us per month will hardly be worth about just $1. The minimum pay out level is $75. Can I have to hold the account for about 6 years to earn that $75? Certain surveys credit points, that too are very low and redeemability is far from reach. Here, I am reminded of a joke. One boy, supposed to travel by town bus, did not travel by the same but came running behind the town bus and claimed that he has saved say Rs.5. The other guy scolded him saying what a foolish person you are!, you could have saved Rs.50, had you came running behind an auto. Yet another guy was so 'calculative', claiming both to be 'filtered fools' and the benefit to be around Rs.100, had he run behind a taxi.

Certain sites invite us to conduct a survey and goes out once two/three simple questions are asked. The invitation itself is a waste and our time is also wasted.

Further, the surveys ask for referrals. But, we see for ourselves that we are not able to get even a single penny from the survey sites, over a period of time. Then, how one will have the mind and heart to entangle any of our relatives or friends in the same problem? Yet, some heartless and 'iron-hearted' fellows, for their own benefits, succeed in referrals, using some traps and baits, to which the money chasing men fall a prey. Another way, is ad posting. The adposting is mostly for the category of home jobs, etc. They make advertisements either in newspapers or hand-outs or through internet making tall claims. Again a bait. I do now know how it is possible for them to continue to fool people. What to do? One is ready to be fooled (sometimes, always)! Here, the earnings are variable for the same job i.e. it is dependent on the initial charges paid by us. If some amount is paid, it will be some minimum amount. For the next higher slab of charges paid by us, the earning would be something extra. And for still higher slab of charges, the earning will double. All for the very same job of adposting. One would be tired of doing the monotonous job and stop it at some stages, in between. Such jobs are limited for a period from six months to one year, depending upon the scale of charges paid by us. A good thing! We are free then. Such sites are robbing Peter and paying Paul. When there is no Peter to rob, they run away. Good, at least 'Pauls' are saved. Many sites do not disclose their identity. But, they boast themselves as having paid a huge amounts, supported by testimonials, containing the names of the persons and their places of residence. There is no possibility of cross reference or verification with those gentlemen, since their addresses or contact id are withheld. Above all, they show some screen shots of the checks also. The guy destined to be cheated lay hopes on those also. Further some sites, offer free sign ups and just when we log in and study things, there ends the matter, compelling us to subscribe something, tempting us to do immediately to take advantage of huge discounts or huge bonus which are likely to expire the very day and which are offered only to their special friends or family members. Also, some pop-up appears and the moving arrow in the screen gets glued to are caught up to the tempting pop-up, not to release us of the site, for some time. Then follows bombarding e mails. (One wonders how we suddenly, in a single click, became their special friends or family members!) One thing, all these tempting sites have some things in common: Bold letters in red color, yellow colour coating, red colour boxes and sometimes lemon yellow background in respect of testimonials. It is an obvious caution to the browsing persons. Some sites offer simple typing jobs for huge earnings. I do not know how it is possible. If such things are that much easily available, they themselves can venture upon it without torturing the 'already tortured' people. Some sites are very prompt to issue checks (surprise! but wait), only to be bounced back for insufficiency of funds in their bank accounts. Follow up actions to realise the value of the bounced checks will yield no favourable results. (Has someone to remind this fact?) They woo the already wounded persons through the luring catch words like - No experience required, No qualification required or retired persons, house wives, students can join, just part time works, etc. These are altogether waste of time, electricity, energy and also a psychological upset, besides loss of funds. These are all for the desire of earning money. As Lord Buddha put it "Desire is the cause of misery." Instead of earning money, 'learning' how not to proceed with these sites or how more to be careful are the lessons. Many sites are not for Indians. Registration itself is not possible. I do not deny the fact that there are handful of 'countable' sites that offer benefits, while many are just scam sites. One has to scape through it. The unfortunate thing is the fortune does not favour us to see those sites, at least for some time. After having had the bitter experience in a short span of just a couple of months, I could at last co-ordinate with a site, which concentrates on article writing and related marketing jobs. The training staff of the site interacts with the new members for any number of times to ensure the new member understands the program and is independently 'able to walk profitably'. Further 'Fast walking' or 'Running' is the individual member's skill and knowledge. Following their tips has enabled some credits to my account. They publish the names of the other earlier members along with the contact numbers, addresses, email ids. I had the opportunity of discussing with them, getting their opinions and joined the site just in early June, 2009. I am confident that their leads will be very much useful (this hub is one such lead) and give me earnings, not over night but in the ensuing months to come, for ever. Another credit with this site, which has made me draw a conclusion in their favour is that it has rejected my 'typed sample' for having not been up to the mark of 98% accuracy (though I have fairly good typing speed of about 40 words per minute). If any hubber is interested, he/she can email me (radhakannan1985@yahoo.in). I will be more pleased and ready to offer co-operation to him/her.