Make Money Writing “Truth about Paid Surveys”

I can picture it right now: you’re propped up on the couch, beer in hand, television set to something hypnotically mindless, and you haven’t even showered. You’re clicking away at the screen that asks your demographic information, your choice of deodorant, and who knows what else. None of this matters, of course, because you’re making millions with little effort†¦ If this sounds like your fantasy for filling out paid surveys, allow me to be the first one to burst that fantasy. Well, keep the beer, but hear me out: Is there money to be made by filling out paid surveys? The answer is yes and no.  Slightly yes and mostly no, that is. In this article, we’re going to take a look at filing out paid surveys for freelance writers. What Exactly is a Paid Survey? According to the Wikipedia page, A  paid  or incentivized  survey  is a type of statistical  survey  where the participants/members are rewarded through an incentive program, generally entry into a sweepstakes program or a small cash reward, for completing one or more  surveys. That’s a fairly-straightforward definition. Websites like Mechanical Turk,   Swag Bucks, Cash Crate,   and an almost-endless slew of others offer the ability to start clicking and start making money, simply by answering questions. Who doesn’t like to answer questions about themselves? From my personal experience, there is very little writing actually involved—most of the writing-related portion(s) of surveys I have filled out have been empty text-boxes on the survey’s nature, elaboration on responses that you feel that are necessary, and the occasional X word-count essay relating to a particular portion of the survey. For instance, it is not uncommon to see, â€Å"How did this survey make you feel? If you have any additional comments, feel free to provide them below,† in more or less the same wording. How Much Money is Actually Involved? Lets just state this from the beginning: Essentially, youre making beer money. Most surveys pay in the range of $0.15 $1.50. While your avaricious tendencies may perk up at the $1.50 surveys, realize that these are usually very rare and discriminating (based on your particular demographic). They also are more time-consuming and demanding. The reality of paid surveys is that youll end up clicking on radio buttons and check boxes until the cows come home, survey after survey until your inner voice screams â€Å"there must be a better way!† It is incredibly monotonous work that soon erases the image of making oodles of loot while lounging on the couch. In fact, if you plan to make any money, you’ll soon start creating your own scripts, Tab’ing through the buttons, memorizing the verification questions that are thrown in every now and then to make sure that you’re not just wildly clicking and hoping for the best (or that you’re a bot). You will have to answer similar questions asked in different ways, which can cause more mental fatigue than actual freelance writing work. And while you may have a frenzied hour of activity, the most I’ve made per hour from filling out surveys is around $8. They pay more at McDonalds these days†¦ Hidden Dangers There are also hidden dangers of online surveys. Some websites link you to other surveys, acting as the middleman where you have to resubmit your personal information over and over and over again. Now, I dont know about you, but for me the less information I have to provide, the happier I am about things like identity theft. There’s also some surveys that masquerade as legitimate enterprises, only to ask you for your personal email and other info in order to â€Å"qualify† for further surveys and more lucrative payments. If you ask me, these are phishing scams designed to part you from your hard-earned money—not the other way around. Finally, the amount of spam I continue to receive to this day just isn’t worth the measly amounts that I â€Å"earned.† My Experience with Paid Surveys I hate to admit, but I once thought, many years ago, that online surveys could be a legitimate supplement to my freelance writing income during slow periods. This was especially tempting since I wouldn’t have to use my critical faculties that were often withered by complex assignments. I could relax and make money, right? Wrong. As for the subject matter of the paid surveys that I’ve participated in, they’ve ran the gamut. From collegiate studies to opinion polls for consumers on a company’s branding — there was no telling just what types of questions would be asked of you. Most asked to give your emotional response to images, videos, or text. There is very little way of confirming that you are who you say you are online, especially with the ability to make burner email accounts and adjust your demographics according to what you believe the survey is actually asking for. I found that if I could guess what the â€Å"target audience† of the survey was, I was more likely to qualify. This remained true, even if I answered one preliminary survey as a 30 year-old single mother and then the next one as a geriatric old man interested in Florida real estate. For instance, a tampon survey was usually targeted at women; studies on couple-relations were looking for older participants. Did I forge these details? Yes, I needed to meet my monetary quotas, after all. Screw them! During one such online survey I was filling out for a college, the participant was primed with the opening scene of Vertical Limit.   Have you seen it? I hadn’t, and after watching the clip with my palms sweaty, I was usually asked how I felt. My real answer was â€Å"cheated,† but I managed to answer â€Å"anxious and agitated.† The funny part is that different surveys used the same material, so that I eventually just muted the sound on the Vertical Limit clip and resumed after the climbers fall to their death. â€Å"How did watching that clip make you feel?† Bored. If You’re Still Not Convinced†¦ I’ll admit that I’m not the sharpest paperclip in the electrical outlet, as a sudden realization hits my mind: Could the proponents of these surveys actually be paid stooges? I’ve cruised the forums, read the articles, and seen people rave about how it works as supplemental income, but for me, it’s digital slave labor. Considering how much money can be made with illicit-gained data hidden in the fine print or just the clandestine maneuvers of identity thieves, could this be a con? Perhaps. It does generate some cash for the participants, but with the carpal-tunnel and eyestrain, is it really worth it? There are better ways to make money online and there’s better ways to work that can directly benefit your freelance writing career. Answering paid surveys isn’t one of them.

Causes Of The Huge Fall Of The Roman Empire In The Year 476 C.E. - 1375 Words

Causes Of The Huge Fall Of The Roman Empire In The Year 476 C.E. (Research Paper Sample) Content: The Fall of The Roman Empire Name Institution The Fall of The Roman Empire Introduction According to historical accounts, the Roman Empire fell in the year 476 C.E. when Odoacer, a Germanic king, deposed Emperor Romulus Augustulus. However, contrary to common belief, the Roman Empire did not fall suddenly. Before its eventual collapse, it had been going through a phase of gradual decline. Most of the territories that Rome controlled had already been lost and only a small part of the empire remained under Rome’s control (Gibbon, 2015). 476 C.E thereby represents the climax of the decline that had been going on for a long time. Different historians have developed various theories on how the Roman Empire fell and the factors which caused it. Some of the factors which have been blamed for the collapse include natural disasters, crippling taxation, while some have even blamed it on climate change. Other historians argue that the empire did not actually fall in 476 C.E. since the Byzantine Empire which was part of the Roman Empire continued to exist for a long time (Ka egi, 2015). While historians have tried to pinpoint the collapse of the Roman Empire on one particular cause, in reality the fall of the empire was a complex event that was a result of many factors. Causes of the fall of the Roman Empire There are a number of factors which were responsible for the decline and eventual fall of the Roman Empire. They include invasion by barbarian tribes, economic problems, overexpansion and overspending on military and political instability and government corruption (Christie, 2011). Invasion by barbarian tribes The invasion by barbarian tribes is one of the main factors which resulted in the collapse of the Roman Empire. Before its fall, the Roman Empire had sustained a number of military losses against outside forces. For centuries, Rome had engaged in wars with Germanic tribes. However, by 300s, barbarian tribes such as the Goths had significantly invaded the empire. As such, the empire was in a constant war with these tribes, trying to quell constant uprisings (Kaegi, 2015). In late 4th century, the empire managed to weather a Germanic uprising. However, in 410, it faced another uprising led by the Visigoth King Alaric. In 455, the city of Rome experienced another attack by the Vandals. The constant invasions by the Germanic and barbarian tribes resulted in the weakening of the empire and eventual fall in 476 after the invasion of Odoacer. Economic problems Apart from the constant attacks by outside forces, the Roman Empire was also collapsing from within due to a severe financial crisis it was facing. Overspending and constant wars the empire engaged in had considerably depleted imperial coffers. On the other hand, inflation and oppressive taxation had broadened the gap which existed between the poor and the rich (Gibbon, 2015). Most wealthy individuals also escaped to the countryside to avoid taxation as well as set up their own independent fiefdoms. These factors reduced the revenue collected by the empire thereby making it to crumble financially. The empire’s economy was also negatively affected by labor deficit. The economy of Rome relied mainly on slaves who worked on fields and as craftsmen. From its constant military campaigns, the empire had always a constant supply of slaves from conquered regions. However, when expansion stopped in the 2nd century, the supply of slaves dwindled (Kaegi, 2015). In addition, Vandals took control of North Africa in the 5th century thereby disrupting Rome’s trade. With a decline in agricultural and commercial production and a faltering economy, Rome began to lose control over Europe and this eventually led to its collapse. Overexpansion and military overspending At the height of its powers, the Roman Empire comprised of a vast region which went all the way to the Middle East. Historians believe that its vast size contributed to its collapse. Governing such a vast region presented administrative and logistical problems for the empire. Although there were excellent road systems which made travel easy, communication was not quick enough among different regions under its control (Christie, 2011). In addition, the empire struggled to gather enough resources and troops to defend its territories. As more resources were channeled into the military, the empire civil infrastructure collapsed and technological advancement stalled. These factors led to its eventual collapse. Political instability and government corruption While the huge size of the empire made it hard to govern, its collapse was also contributed to by political instability and government corruption. While being an emperor in Rome was always a dangerous job, in the 2nd and 3rd centuries it was almost a death sentence being an emperor. Civil war plunged the empire into chaos and in a period 75 years only over 20 individuals occupied the throne. The emperor’s personal bodyguards, the Pretorian Guard, carried out constant assassinations of emperors and installed new ones (Gibbon, 2015). The situation was worsened by corruption in government where the senate failed to put in check the emperors’ excesses because of its own corruption. Poor leadership eventually resulted to the collapse of the empire. What leaders could have done to slow down or prevent its collapse There are a number of things that the leaders could have done to slow down or prevent the collapse of the empire. One of them is they could have sought alliances rather than concentrate on conquering only. By engaging in conquests only, the empire created enemies instead of friends. This explains the constant civil wars that it experienced (Kaegi, 2015). On the other hand, forging alliances would have helped the empire to easily fight the barbarians by using its allies. In addition, forging alliances would have enhanced trade which would have boosted its economy. Another thing that the leaders should have done is to focus its military on the defensive purposes rather than offensive purposes. By constantly engaging its military in offensive campaigns, the Roman Empire gradually weakened its military powers and this made it easy for the Germanic and barbarian tribes to invade it (Christie, 2011). Lastly, the leadership should have developed a mechanism for transition of power after the death of an emperor. Having a structured way of taking over the throne would have helped to control the constant civil wars which arose as people fought to occupy the throne. Critical failures in leadership which ...