However, one should be aware of survey scams. Legitimate survey companies do not ask you to pay money and if a survey site wants money from you, just leave the site. Likewise, survey companies will not ask for personal information about your bank account numbers, National Insurance/Social Security numbers, credit card numbers and other highly personal information when you take the survey.

It is advisable to read over the FAQ and Terms before you join any survey site. Check to see if the site pays cash, points, prizes, or a combination of the three. You should especially look at their payout policies and pay particular attention to how they payout. Some sites may only pay you after you've accumulated so many points or dollars/pounds and you will have to request the payout.

About finding a proper survey site, do a web search on Google or check the Yahoo or DMOZ directories for surveys or paid surveys. These are just two of the dozens, perhaps hundreds of ways of finding a proper survey site.

It may take anywhere from 5-10 minutes to sign up with a survey site. You will be asked a number of questions like your sex, age, race, living situation, buying patterns, income, and other questions to make a profile. When these surveys inquire about the types of products and services you use, make sure you particular attention to the choices carefully. If you only select a few of the given options, it might limit the number of surveys you will get to take.

Most surveys will be quick and without much trouble, others, particularly those that pay, can take up to 20 minutes or more to complete. The more specific your response to the survey, the more valuable the data will be to the party who paid for it. You probably won't make a living completing surveys, but you will earn a few dollars/pounds, get to try and keep some interesting products, and you may even be asked to take part in a well paying survey. Paid surveys are truly one of the best ways to earn a few extra dollars from the comfort of your home.