Links to Paid Survey Pages

Pinecone Research
Instant Cash Sweepstakes
PaidViewPoint

Paid Surveys - Making Money Online Through Surveys

"Get rich quick!" You've seen it and heard it before - "spend as little as zero hours at the computer and make thousands in your first week!" Okay, maybe it's not quite like that, but you know the statements being made, give little, make lots. Scams are in abundance out on the web so how do you know what is real and what is not? For me, I've made the mistake of believing a few of the "hook, line, and sinker" promises made by these so-called companies only to find out that they were scam artists. Payments may come but to redeem anything worth of value one must spend their entire life staring at a computer screen or be satisfied with cheap rewards. No thanks.

So, what I want to do is to give you three of my favorite survey sites that are legitimate and trustworthy, and some-what fun! Here we go:

Company #1: Pinecone Research - This paying survey site is by far my favorite. Giving surveys on products that have not hit the consumer market yet, PR aims at gathering your opinion on possible new products. You get paid $3 per survey and your payment comes in the mail via check. The catch with this survey site is that it is not an open registration site. You MUST register only when they are accepting new members. PR will put their adds for registration on ad banners OR post something on their website for open registration. It took me about 3 weeks to find out if PR was accepting new members by Googling their website until I found a link for registration. They are a GREAT, personal (and real) company that works for you! Payment has always been on time and legitimate. You won't get rich quick, but if you're looking for a little pocket change with little time given, this is a great place to start.

Company #2: Instant Cash Sweepstakes - Paying you in coins, tickets, or cash, ICS will always reward your time with something. The surveys are short (3 questions) and based on your Tscore (the "trust" level of your account) will determine how many surveys you can take every 3hr period. So, for example, staring out at T1, you may be given only 6 surveys. T2 goes up to 8 surveys. T3 up to 10 surveys, and so on. You gain T levels by how often you are on their site and how accurately your survey answers fit your profile. For each survey you complete, you will win coins, tickets or cash. The coins and tickers are used as your tickets for your chance or winning the daily sweepstakes of $50 or every 3 hrs the $2 sweepstakes. The other reward is cash. The cash winnings are small BUT for every friend you invite and they win, you also receive the same reward! You will have to have a Paypal account since this is how they transfer your winnings over to you. After only 3 days of participating on their site, I was able to cash in enough money for a gourmet coffee. :) To me, that's worth it! There's much more to this site so be sure to look at ICS further!

Company #3: PaidViewPoint - Another paying survey (paying in CASH), this one I've just begun but so far have been very impressed with their payments and survey lengths (aka: SHORT and worth while). PVP will give you $1.00 just for registering and possibly a few more cents for however many questions you give them in your registration process. After you register, they will post surveys related to you in your account and for each survey, you will be paid for your time. You do have to have a Paypal account and you are not able to transfer your money to Paypal until you reach $15.00. However, the surveys require little time and with guaranteed payments (and added winnings for each friend you invite and they complete surveys) and fun surveys,  you can't go wrong!

Overall, these three companies are the three that I've found to be safe and legitimate. Be wary of anything that promises you a "get-rich-quick" scheme as most of them will want a large amount of your money and give you little to nothing in return. Sometimes, the temptation to go for the big winnings schemes can pull you in but remember that nothing in this life is free and if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Take it from one that learned the hard way... :)

So, good luck and happy surveying!

How To Become A Sports Official

If you're like me, your love for sports goes way beyond your prime playing time of high school days or if your lucky, of college era. Age sets in, jobs, families, and the never ending list of "to-do's" (never mind the creaky bones) may very well keep you from playing a sport that you love. But, the inability to run, jump, or swing doesn't have to keep you from still being a part of the game. That's where the awesome experience of being a SPORTS OFFICIAL begins.

So, how exactly does a person get into officiating? Strangly enough, it's pretty simple. Unless you live in a highly political community (and you know who you are) and you have a list of "personal requirements" to meet before you will be in the "in" group of reffs, then know that the hardest part of becoming an official is actually at the beginning.

But first, there are three "B's" you will want to grasp as a checklist to see if you are willing to be an official.

1. Be In Shape. Now, this might not be as important (it's always good to be in shape though, right?) if you are officiating a stand-still game, like volleyball or baseball, but if you are thinking about reffing basketball, soccer, or football, be prepared to run! Most often you will have another official reffing with you but in worst case scenario, and to save you from a heart attack, prepare yourself by looking at your physic and improving the areas that need attention.

2. Be Willing To Learn. Yes, sounds simple, right? However, you would be surprised at the egos that an official can acquire once they have received their offical badge. Always keep a humble, teachable attitude. You might be one of the best officials in your sport but you aren't perfect and you will mess up! Pride comes before the fall so stay humble and keep from falling.

3. Be Bold. Being an official can be intimitading at times, especially when angry fans, coaches, or players let you know when you've errored. Big rocks that are large enough to hide you look VERY appealing when your mistake is visibly seen. But (and here's where the ego can start) remember that you hold, in essence, the power to the game. No team likes a bad ref (no matter how "good" you think you are) but at the same time, no player likes a wimpy official. When you make a call - STICK TO IT. Don't be known as a wishy-washy ref that bows under pressure. If you gain that reputation, it will take you double the work to break it. Stay ahead of the game - learn from your mistakes, don't make the same error twice, and keep going.

If you are comfortable with steps 1 through 3, then the next goal is locate your local school activities association and head director of the sport you are interested in. They will get your started in the right direction. Most likely, you won't be turned away since some sports are often short-handed in available officials. Higher demand means more game opportunites and extra income.

Oh, that's right, did I mention that you make money being a part of a sport you like? It's true - acting as your own contractor when officiating, you may choose how much or little you referee, thus making a small or large impact on your pocketbook. Everybody likes extra cash!! The pay is good, the hours are minimal, and the fun, well, you can guess what I think of that.

After you contact your association and you pay a fee for your official packet (rule books, badges, sport information, officiating tips, etc...) which is under $100.00, you are then required to take a test. The test covers the rules of the game and in some states is open book as well as allowing the official to take the test up to three times in order to pass. If test taking isn't a forte for you, it might be good to dust off your test taking skills in preparation for your official's test.

After you pass the test, the Commissioner of your sport will then begin to schedule you games. Since you are considered a private contractor to that state's school activities association, you can choose how many games you want to ref. That's a great perk about officiating - you can do it to fit your own schedule.

All in all, being a ref is not only fun and interesting, but it is also a way for a person to make some extra income, give back to your local community, and stay in good, physical shape! Being a good official relies on you and how much effort you place in knowing and fulfiling your game duties. Schools know who a good ref is and if you build a good reputation, you will have a job.

So, good luck, refs!! Officiate well, keep breathing, and have fun! And remember, that whistle is your friend.