Make moolah on your mobile

Thought your mobile phone was just there to encourage you to spend money in digital shopping malls? Think again. It can also be an amazing tool to assist you in making money, on the move – “mobile” being the operative word. So, if you’re a skilled online gamer, you could play poker, as just one example, in real time, while enjoying the live chat of other online players. Your takings are likely to match your skill and, over time, the level of risk you are willing to take!

Skill aside, the other ways to earn money on your smartphone will depend on the volume of time you have available. Got 10 minutes? Do a Mindswarms survey. This video-based survey platform requires that you record a 10-minute video while answering seven questions as you test a product. Your earnings? $50 per survey, paid in cash into your PayPal account. A little camera-shy? Do one a week and you may be ready, after a month or more, to try your hand at presenting live on TV.

Along survey lines

Want to up your earnings from doing surveys? Try Vindale Research, a website that pays $75 per survey completed, also via PayPal, and loads daily survey options from which you can make a selection. Like your work to gain credit behind the scenes? Opinion Outpost may be the one on which to try your luck. Questions in the surveys could range from reviews of the products you use to personal beliefs that you have, with free entry into the running for a quarterly cash prize of $10 000 with every survey you complete. Cash and/or gift cards are earned per survey!

Getting a bit weary of clicking away furiously while on public transport, wondering if you’ll have the survey done by the next stop? Swagbucks may be just the ticket. Described as a “universal favorite for getting paid to do small tasks”, your work may involve anything from taking a short survey to watching an online video or playing a short game. Or: you may even need to search the web, briefly, on Swagbucks’ behalf.

Time is money

An aside on your work and your payment expectations: it is worth doing your research on each site you choose to log into for money-making purposes. A bit of a look around on Swagbucks will reveal that $340 270 000 has been earned since the platform kicked off in 2005 and, while it won’t replace your day job, Swagbucks has gained a reputation as a reliable and convivial way to put your spare time to good use. Users rate it 4.5 out of 5 – and who ever rated their day job this highly? When it comes to payment, your receive points for each completed tas, which you can redeem for PayPal cash or gift cards. Minimum earning per task is $3 at your best restaurant or store; with a $5 bonus going to each person who signs up.
 
But what about if you’re saving up for a holiday abroad or a big – but necessary – purchase? If this is your situation, you may prefer to earn dollars rather than gift cards. In this case, sign up for InboxDollars – the second-biggest “get-paid-to” offering after Swagbucks. By now, you’ll be au fait at watching videos and taking surveys, but another duty you may be tasked with is reading email. Sound easy-peasy? It is! Plus, on this platform you will also receive a $5 sign-up bonus.

Social exchange

Another two platforms worth their salt for the astute gamers, specifically, are CashCrate and instaGC. Move over surveys – on these two platforms you can earn points or make money, respectively, by:

• playing games;
• referring friends to play games;
• interacting with other members; or
• shopping online.

Also, instaGC allows you to choose from over 360 gift card options, which you’ll receive digitally as soon as your task is complete. How’s that for instant gratification!

None of the above work for you? You’re a tricky customer. How about having a look at S’more to see if it is everything you’ve been waiting for. On this Android-friendly platform, you literally earn cash each time you unlock your phone. S’more has been created to help brands reach people – by signing up, you’re being paid to look at a range of content and product options. Nice! In return for your hard labour (nudge nudge, wink wink), you’ll earn gift cards that can be redeemed at cool online stores and real-life retailers. Deck-chair job, if ever I heard of one.

Spend it to make it

And then there’s Truebill, for those who love to whittle down their monthly budgets wherever possible; or to find and cancel subscriptions that they never use or aren’t getting good value from. This platform frees up cash that you were spending unnecessarily, so what’s not to love? The average user claims that the platform saves them over $500 each year. Wow!

Last up, if you wish you could earn money by being loyal to the brands you love,

Drop is tailor-made for stylish old you! All you need to do is shop directly from the Drop app, and you’ll begin earning points right away that are redeemable from companies like Amazon, Starbucks and Netflix. You probably use these on a daily, or monthly, basis anyway! Points are awarded automatically and add up slowly but surely over time. Just be sure that you aren’t logging on to shop for the sake of it (i.e. to earn points) because that will defeat the entire purpose.

Got it? You’re ready to enter the world of the smartphone cash cow. Moo!