Category: Parents + Surveys

Saving money is not always easy. It requires discipline and determination. It requires you to break bad financial habits and learn new ones that are better for your pocketbook. But the biggest reason why many people live paycheck to paycheck is because they think they don’t have any money to spare for savings.

Everyone, even the most financially savvy people, knows that it’s easier said than done to save money. But it doesn’t have to be that way! These simple money saving strategies can help anyone become a smarter saver.

3 Simple Ways to Start Saving Money

Eliminate Debt

A great money saving strategy If you’re looking for a way to pay off your debts more quickly, you may already be familiar with the snowball method. A recent article in The Cut online touts the benefits of paying off your smallest debts first while paying the minimum amount due on your other balances.

There are countless studies out there that show how Dave’s plan can work. Basically, by putting his method into action, you can get rid of your smallest debts. Then take the money you’re saving from those monthly payments and apply it toward your larger balances.

As you continue to “snowball” your payments into larger ones, your credit card balances begin to be reduced more rapidly. This method allows you to apply increasingly more discretionary money toward your debt. It also helps to pay it off more quickly than either making minimum payments on everything or paying off the larger balances first.

Keep Spending in Check

Another money saving strategy from Mint.com suggests following the 50/20/30 rule. This is a great spending rule to apply when you’re in your 20s because it helps to establish budget guidelines that can help future goals be achieved. But, it’s never too late, so start applying this rule as soon as possible.

The rule states the following:

• 50% of your income can be spent on basic needs such as rent, groceries, and your gas/electric bill.
• 20% of your paycheck should be put away into savings and paying off debts.
• 30% of your take home can be spent on non-essentials like eating out, entertainment, travel, etc.

When you follow these guidelines for spending parameters, you’re far more likely to stay within a budget that can help you get ahead. Many people who have applied this principle have been able to keep debt low, save up for what they want, and go on more vacations.

Earn Some Extra on the Side

Savings accounts are as simple as money in versus money out. If you need to make a little extra cash to help you pay bills or add to your savings each month, why not get paid for online surveys? There’s no need to worry about missing out on the good stuff. We only have the highest paying offers posted at all times, so no filler junk!

They are quick, easy, fun, and very rewarding. Some serious survey-takers report making between $12 and $18 an hour. Many online paid survey jobs offer more than cash; you can earn points that can be cashed in for prizes or gift cards.

PointClub is one of the best paid online survey sites because we reward points for every survey you start. That’s right! Even if you’re unable to finish your survey because your baby woke up from nap or your neighbor wants to chat, you’ll still get rewarded just for trying.

Your points earned can be traded in for cash or gift cards, so don’t wait another day. Join for free today and get a 5,000 point ($5) bonus for signing up!

Getting paid to take online surveys is a fun way to make a few extra bucks. For those who have the time and desire, doing surveys every day can reap real rewards. Read on to learn more about how to find the best survey sites.

Ways to Contact Them

The first thing to look for is whether the survey site has an easy way to get a hold of them. If you have questions about a reward you never received or some technical issue on their site, you’ll need to be able to email, chat, or call them right away.

A survey site that does not publish their phone number, have a “contact us” email form, or chat window is a company to stay away from. This is a warning sign that their website is just a front for an illegitimate operation. If you don’t see a way to get in touch with the company, click out of there as fast as you can.

Asking for Money Upfront

This next warning sign is something that may not be obvious to the newbie survey taker. You should know that trusted online paid survey sites will never ask you to pay them to participate.

Here’s why:

• Businesses and major corporations hire companies to conduct surveys aimed at their desired target audience. In 99.9% of all cases, survey sponsors stipulate that anyone completing their surveys must be a volunteer. This means that survey sites are not allowed to charge you for the ability to take those surveys.
• The essence of surveys is that they are filled out of your own free will. For you to pay to participate goes against the very nature of their purpose.
• Providing your credit card number to a site you are unfamiliar with is dangerous and can be costly. Just because you paid them $25 to take surveys doesn’t mean they won’t:
  • Disappear tomorrow without a trace
  • Charge your card for much more than the agreed fee
  • Sell your card information on the black market

Consistent Survey Opportunities

Some paid online survey sites have so few opportunities that it’s not worth waiting around in between surveys. The way to get around this is to sign up with multiple legit sites to help increase your chances of getting selected for new opportunities on a regular basis.

Focus groups and panels will often have fewer opportunities overall, but when they do, they pay quite well for just a few hours of your time. Survey takers should fully complete their user profiles because you’ll have a better chance of getting selected more consistently for surveys that are relevant to you.

Your user profile should answer all demographic questions about your lifestyle, interests, preferences, and the products you use. Don’t be put off by the number of details the survey sites want; this is how you get selected to participate!

Failing Out of Surveys

Another aspect to consider is what will happen if you are unable to complete the survey in its entirety. It could be an issue of you losing interest, not having the time to finish it, or technical issues with your internet connectivity.

When you look at the site’s terms and conditions, be sure to look for what happens if you can’t finish. Do you lose your answers and have to start over again? Do you get disqualified for that survey? Do you not get paid, even though you may have completed almost all of it?

At Point Club, we are the only survey site that rewards points to our survey takers, even if they are unable to complete their survey for some reason. We understand that it’s not always possible to complete a survey, so we don’t believe in penalizing you for issues out of your control.

Join the ranks of thousands of other Point Club members by signing up for a free account today!