LightSpeed Panel

Earlier this week I told you about ePoll, an online research company where you can answer surveys in exchange for prizes. Today I’m going to tell you about another one of my favorite survey companies, Lightspeed Panel.

What Is It?
Lightspeed is a consumer panel that sends out surveys via email where you give your opinion in exchange for cash or rewards. Lightspeed surveys range from short to lengthy, but your awarded points are based on the length of the survey. I’ve taken survey’s that took more than 30 minutes, but also some that took less than 5.

How to Join
Joining Lightspeed is 100% free. Simply fill out their online application form and you’ll get an email confirming your registration. Once you become a member, you’ll begin receiving survey invitations via email.

Earning Points
You earn Lightspeed Points by completing surveys. The amount of Lightspeed points that you receive per completed survey varies, depending on the survey length. From my experience, the average appears to be around 75 points per survey, but I’ve received many higher.

Redeeming Your Points
Redeeming your points couldn’t be easier. Simply visit their ‘rewards’ section and redeem any earned points. Some of the more popular current rewards include:

* Cash via PayPal
* Amazon.com
* Wendy’s
* Applebees
* Gap
* Quiznos

Things to Note
* Quick Match – When you log into your account, there will be a series of optional ‘Quick Match’ short surveys. You do not earn points for filling out these surveys, but giving your opinions in them allows the company to better match you with future surveys, increasing your chances of earning more points.

* Survey Invitations – Even though you receive a survey invitation from Lightspeed, it does not mean that you will automatically be able to take the full survey. When you first click the survey link, you’ll be asked a series of questions to see if you qualify. Many surveys are looking for specific demographics to answer. If you fit the bill, you’ll move on to the rest of the survey.

* Be Fast – Like the company’s name, these surveys disappear at light speed. Each survey is intended for a certain number of responses. If you wait a few days to visit the survey site, you’ll likely miss out. Any time you receive a survey invitation, try to complete it that day.

Sign up here.

Bottom Line: Earn money or rewards by sharing your opinion.

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Earn More with ePoll

Earn More with ePoll

In the past, I’ve mentioned programs such as MyPoints, where you basically read emails in exchange for gift certificates. If you’re willing to put in a little more time than just clicking emails, then you may want to sign up for ePoll, a free only survey company. There are several great survey companies out there that I’ll review in upcoming posts, but today I’m going to focus on ePoll.

What Is It?
ePoll is an online research company that allows users to join their panel and complete surveys in exchange for points that can be redeemed for rewards. ePoll surveys tend to be short and more entertainment focused, such as celebrity or television surveys. For example, I recently received an ePoll survey invitation asking if I had seen a specific television show the night before and then it asked a few questions about the show.

How to Join
Signing up for ePoll is 100% free. You simply fill out their application and you’ll begin receiving survey invitations as they become available. Earning points is easy and it doesn’t take long to accumulate enough for a reward.

Earning Points
You are generally awarded 500 points for each survey that you complete. Some longer surveys may earn you 750-1000 points. ePoll also occasionally offers a ways to earn a large number of points at once. For example, in the past, I’ve elected to receive a CD via postal mail that contains a 30 minute television show. After watching the show on my computer, I then answered a survey about the show and was awarded 3000 points.

Another example was with last summer’s reality show, ‘Treasure Hunters‘. At the beginning of the series, I answered an introductory survey. Each week, I received a short 4-5 question survey about the previous night’s episode. I also answered a longer final survey at the end of the series. Since I planned to watch the show anyway, I got 3000 points for answering a few questions about it each week.

Redeeming Your Points
Redeeming your survey points is super easy. Simply click on the ePoll Rewards store and select your gift! You can choose from a $5 Dunkin Donuts Gift Certificate (3500 points) to a $30 Best Buy Gift Certificate (17250) with tons of selections in between. Here’s a sampling of the current reward offerings:
Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden, Red Lobster)
Dunkin Donuts
Amazon.com
McDonald’s
Blockbuster
The Sharper Image
Home Depot
Target
iTunes
Best Buy
American Eagle

Things to Note
Don’t be alarmed if you don’t receive survey invitations all the time. In the few years that I’ve been a member, I may go a month without receiving an invitation and then will suddenly receive 2 or 3 in a week.

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Eat. Drink. Save Money.

Does your family like to eat out? With today’s tips, you can eat out and try new restaurants for just a fraction of the cost.

Let’s face it, eating out is expensive. Who wants to spend $10+ per person dining out when you can feed your entire family at home for the same cost? Eating out is fun though when combined with good company, good conversation, time together, all over a great meal.

At Restaurant.com the slogan is “Eat. Drink. Save Money.” and that’s exactly what you get. This company sells dining certificates that allow you to save more than 50% when dining out.

For example, we have a local Brazilian restaurant with a $20 buffet. On restaurant.com, you can buy $25 worth of dining certificates for just $10.

Want to take the kids out for ice cream? Right now our local Cold Stone Creamery has a $10 dining certificate available for just $3.

Want to save even more? Occasionally, the dining certificates are discounted 50% more. Yes, you read that right. The $10 Cold Stone Creamery certificate for $3 that I mentioned above would only cost $1.50 at that time.

However, there is a small catch. Most dining certificates have restrictions on their validity. For instance, the Brazilian restaurant certificate that I mentioned above requires a minimum dining order of $35 and it can only be used on Sunday through Thursday. Other certificates exclude alcohol.

One other important thing to mention: they expire. I’d recommend purchasing them close to the time you plan to dine. Since you print the certificates on your printer immediately after purchase, you can buy them any time prior to dining out.

Get your dining certificates here.

Bottom Line: If you’re flexible with your choice of dining night and restaurant and are dining with a group or family, you can save quite a bit of money. Restaurant.com says it best, “Eat. Drink. Save Money.”

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