If like myself you're a stay at home mom then you may be looking for some ways to make money online. If you've got a computer, internet access, and some free time, then there are a number of ways to do this. One of my favorites is getting paid to take surveys. You join a survey site, sign up to all the survey companies in the database, and then you get surveys sent to you based on your demographic. Is it really that easy? Pretty much, although you may not earn a huge amount, the extra cash can still come in handy, especially with this current economic downturn.

The problem arises when looking for a survey site to join. Basically, some just aren't very good, and when you have to pay a one time fee to join, you want to get your money's worthmake money surfing.

What to look for when choosing a paid survey site:

A money back guarantee Positive customer reviews when doing online research A large database of surveys that pay cash (some only reward you with entry to prize draws). Be careful if you decide to look for a free paid survey site as many of these are scams as well - you get what you pay for when it comes to an up to date, quality survey listings database.

Always do some research online before choosing which to join. Often you'll find scam reports or positive reviews for different sites and these can be a good indication of a sites authenticity.

One question many people have is why should I pay to join a survey site?

Basically the research has been done for you - it would take you a long time to go out and find the same information just by using the search engines. Plus it means you'll have up to date information on legitimate companies that have been tried and tested by other survey takers. For a small one time fee it's worth it just to be able to get started straight way and have all the information in one place.

Paid surveys are the perfect way to make some extra money while you stay at home to look after you kids - just don't expect them to make you rich! However a few hundred dollars every week could make all the difference to you and your family.