Free to What Degree

Helping you sort through whats free and whats crap.

Lack of posts

Just wanted to say sorry for the lack of posts. I need to make absolutely sure I completely check out a site before I can properly rate it and then give you the ratings. I am in the process of doing a few sites and am finding new stuff to try every day.

My goal is to make sure that I bring you the ratings each site deserves, so you can spend your time wisely.

Stay tuned for more updates in the near future!

Get Your Own Special Access

Want your own special access to this new site? Well first let me give you a very tiny sneak peek about the potential this site has.

I started on the site today (8-10-09).
I already have 21 points (in a matter of a few minutes).
No surveys, no searching, no credit card info, no spam.
A Macbook is 1000 points.
An iPod Touch is 300 points.
A Wii is 250 points.
An iPod Nano is 175-240 (depending on color).

I actually have enough points to get some games.

OK, enough with the teasing, here is how you get your invitation.
(You must follow directions carefully. If you spam me with requests, I will NOT send you an invite.)

Contact me in 1 of 3 ways:
  1. If you already know my e-mail address, send me the e-mail address you would like the invitation sent to.
  2. Follow my TattooAstronomy Blog and leave a comment under the post about getting this invitation. Make sure to leave your e-mail address in the comment so I can send the invitation.
  3. Follow me on Twitter and tweet @TattooAstronomy (your e-mail) #Invitation
*If you do not leave me your e-mail, I cannot send you an invitation.*
*Do not leave your e-mail/comment on this blog. You must do it on my TattooAstronomy Blog*

I have to note that I only get a limited number of invitations per day. If you don't get one right away, give it time and I will try to get invitations out to everyone.

The site is planned to officially launch in Fall of 2009. The amount of points prizes cost could change between now and the official launch. Once you sign up, make sure to read all the rules and terms of the site. Although the site won't launch until this fall, you are still able to earn points before the official launch.

I will only rate this site after the official launch.

SendEarnings and InboxDollars



About the sites:
Let me start off by saying that since SendEarnings and InboxDollars are both owned by the same company and look almost identical in every way possible, I will be rating these sites the same and in the same post. Both sites are considered Paid to Click sites. They send you ads through e-mails and you get paid a small portion for clicking on those ads. They also have options for taking surveys, free trial offers, games and referrals as a way to make more money. They also have a "gold membership" which has a few nice perks if you spend the time to become a gold member.

Personal Experience:
First and foremost, if you plan to do either of these sites, I would strongly suggest you get a new e-mail address so you don't get flooded with paid e-mails from these sites. They send out numerous paid e-mails every single day. While clicking e-mails sounds easy, the money won't come flowing in if you do only that. You can also take surveys which could earn you additional cash. However, most, if not all of the higher paying items require a trial membership or subscription or additional fees, making them basically pointless if you are looking to get stuff for FREE. Also, the so-called "Cash Games" are anything but what they seem like. You can play games, but to win any money, you must first add money to bet with. While the game site does have free contests for prizes every once in a blue moon, you have to be insanely good to even have a shot at winning.

Pros:
  • There is no shortage of paid e-mails to click.
  • The free surveys really could boost your earnings.
  • You do not have to pay to become a "gold member".

Cons:
  • The high paying offers all require a trial membership, subscription or fee.
  • The "cash games" require you to put money in before you even have the chance of winning any money.
  • If you don't qualify for the surveys, it will take a LONG time to get to the $30 cash out limit.
Photos:

Here is a side-by-side look at both sites navigation bars. As you can see, they are nearly identical.


Here is my SendEarngings account:
Notice that I've clicked 260 e-mails to earn $5.20 (or $0.02 per click).


Here is my InboxDollars account:
Notice that I've clicked 304 e-mails to earn $6.08 (or $0.02 per click).


OK, on to the ratings...
  1. How well "free" really means "free" on these sites: C
  2. The number of different ways to earn on these sites: C+
  3. How well you can earn without subscribing/trying/paying first: C
  4. How often Paid-to-Click items are sent to you: A+
  5. How well these sites do at not sending you spam: A+
  6. How low the cash out option is: B
  7. Are these sites worth your time: B

My overall rating of these sites is...



My final verdict:
If you can look past the fact that all the good earning opportunities require you to subscribe to something, get a trial membership to or pay a fee for something, or even look past that you have to pay first before you can earn money from the games, these sites make it very simple to earn free money. While you won't be rolling in piles of money anytime soon, or really anytime at all, it is as easy as clicking in an e-mail or taking a survey to start earning yourself some money. The $30 cash out limit is pretty high, considering you only get $0.02 per e-mail. If all you did was e-mails, you'd have to click 1500 ads to get to $30 (if you don't count the $5 sign up bonus you get when you start). However, you automatically become a gold member once you reach the $30 limit and get your first check. Gold Member perks include weekly payments, referral pool rewards, double sweepstakes entries and exclusive monthly offers. These sites don't take much of your time to click the e-mails and complete a survey here and there. So, if you happen to have some spare time, why not click a few things and earn some stuff while doing it. You can click each of the banners at the top of the page to sign up for each site.

Lightspeed Consumer Panel


About the site:
Lightspeed Consumer Panel is a market research company that gives us, the consumers, the chance to make products and services better through the use of surveys. Founded in 2000, Lightspeed is committed to shaping the future of market research. They have a firm belief that we are the driving force behind their business. In addition to the U.S., they also have panels across Canada, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Personal Experience:
This is one of the best survey sites I have ever been a part of. The site has short "Quick Match" surveys that last about 5 minutes. The Quick Match surveys help Lightspeed send you surveys that are better suited to the products and services that you use in your daily life. The site sends out plenty of surveys and there is never a cost associated with them. I've also never had any trouble getting my completed surveys to go through. What's even better, is the longest I've had to wait from the time I redeemed my points, until the time I received my reward has been 20 minutes! Surveys have point values (at least from what I've seen) anywhere from 50 to 500 points and can last from 5 to 30+ minutes. A $5 Amazon.com gift card is only 550 points, which means you could do two 300 point, 30 minute surveys and have enough for your first gift card in only 1 hour.

Pros:
  • Plenty of survey opportunities for you to earn points.
  • Easy to get a lot of points in a short amount of time.
  • Receive rewards in a very, very short amount of time.
  • Very well designed program.

Cons:
  • Not very clear on if they are accepting new members or not

Photos:

Here you can see a copy of the surveys I've completed and the points I got from them.


Here is a copy of the rewards I've earned in only a few months.



OK, on to the ratings:
  1. How often surveys are available to you: A-
  2. How well survey time = survey reward: B+
  3. How well the site does at not sending you spam: A+
  4. How well "free" really means "free" on this site: A+
  5. How easy it is to get rewards: A
  6. How quick your rewards are received: A+
  7. Is the site worth your time: A

My overall rating of this site is...



My final verdict:
This is a great survey site to be on. The surveys are numerous, the points are plentiful and the rewards are very easy to earn. Even if you only do a few surveys a week, you could still have a reward or two in that short amount of time. There is no credit card info required and you never have to pay to become an "upgraded" member to get more surveys. There is also never any hassle when it comes to getting your surveys submitted or approved. They also send your rewards faster than any site I've seen (my max wait time has only been 20 minutes). They still are never very clear if they are accepting new members or not, but it is worth a shot.
If you are in the US and want to join, click the banner at the top of this post.
If you are from Canada, Europe and Asia Pacific, I will try to find good, working links.

Followers