Online surveys and mystery shopping get a bad rap. Many people think that they are just scams but there are really some great (and legitimate) companies out there that will pay you for your time and effort. And to prove it, here’s what I earned from online surveys and mystery shopping last month, among other endeavors. I completed these mystery shops and surveys in the previous month (or earlier) and received the payment this month.

February 2012
$62.60 from Marketforce
$48.00 from Goodwin & Associates
$31.00 from Service Sleuth/KSS International
$133.75 from selling textbooks to Textbooks.com
$50.00 from Savings Circle Gas Rebate
$75.00 from selling my old mattress to a friend (actually, fairly new but we got a new bed)
$40.00 from selling old twin bed on Craigslist (clearing out stuff in storage to prep for move)
$20.52 from Ebates for cash back from shopping online

Total Earned in February: $460.87

Where did this money go? Well, to be honest most of it was spent this month. We have had a serious cash flow shortage what with my husband being out of town and trying to support me here and him there. Plus moving means we had to pay to rent a U-Haul. So, most of it was spent for expenses related to my hubbie’s school, paying bills, and some went into saving for buying my bridesmaid dress for my sister’s wedding. Also, a chunk went to pay for gas, etc related to traveling down to visit said hubbie in Baton Rouge. A 19 hour drive is verrrry expensive.