GPT Sites: They Aren't What You Think

I have always been wary of GPT sites, or "Get Paid To" sites. They were always so cheesy, seemed unsafe, and I doubted the prospect of getting paid.

I understood that using sites like this would create copious amounts of junk mail, junk emails and sales calls. I knew no way around these problems.

Further, GPT sites seemed inherantly unsafe. The very idea of putting my personal information out there in the world for everyone to see just didn't set well with me.

I was also very afraid of putting my credit card information out into the world - especially in light of the statistics for identity theft as they are.

Well, due to family circumstances, I have found myself increasingly in debt over the past year. No amount of planning and budgeting can make up for a lack of health insurance!! GPT sites have come to my rescue.

While you won't get your first check for up to 7 weeks, the checks you do get are nice additions to the family income. It depends on what you want to do.

In the past month, I've had many obligations outside the house. My time was very limited, yet I needed to make money to help pay down some of these bills. GPT programs are one of many things I am doing. In just the past month, I have spent a few minutes over 3 hours time....

My gross income for April was $319.00. Out of that, I have paid $37.00 (but kept over $50.00 in product!!). I still have to pay shipping on 3 returns. In cash alone, I have netted $282.00 before the returns which should only cost about $10.00 total...

Where else can you earn $272.00 in cash for 3 hours - and get a nice $50.00 present to boot - all at home??!!

This month, with only 3 sites to cash out from, I will gross $521.85!! GPT programs won't make you rich, but they will help pay the bills!

Sure, you have to wait nearly a month to have that cash in your account, but that seems a small price to pay for my average of $100.00+ per hour!!

Depending on the amount of time you have, and how many offers you do, you might make a lot less - but you can also make a lot more - it just depends on how many offers you complete on the GPT sites you join.

If you start with GPT sites now, they can create quite a bit of extra Christmas cash for you by the holidays. Remember, though, that pay-outs are only once a month, generally about the 25th day of the month following your request.

If you "cash out" for April (usually by the last day of the month), you won't get paid until the 25th of May. I have not run across any GPT sites that offer other options - they must be sure they get their money from the advertisers before they pay out. To me, this is understandable.

Starting with GPT sites in November isn't an option if you want Christmas cash this year (Though it would be good for paying off CC debt in January - but we are trying to avoid using credit cards for Christmas!!).

The "work" you do is fun, super fast, and requires less than an hour a day. This is great for me, having a 2-year-old Grand-daughter living with me, lots of pets, and a website or two to get off the ground! It is simple, requires NO effort and it is FUN!

I have even found a way around some of the problems that formerly made GPT sites so intimidating!

There are certain "givens" to earning money on GPT sites. They generate a ton of junk - in the mail, on the net and on the phone. There are ways to eliminate most of the junk, but still earn some money.

Through reading material on many sites and trial and error, I've got some tips that will keep the annoyances down to a minimum.

Problem: Sales Calls - Keeping Your Phone Lines Clear - Because you need a valid phone number for most of the offers on GPT sites, you will be generating hundreds of sales calls.

The issue is to be able to keep them OFF of your personal telephone lines. This is a very simple proposition...

Most of us cannot afford to install a second phone line to avoid the sales calls. What we need is something that is

• Easy
  
• FREE
  
• and Fast

The fine folks over at Net Zero have come up with a solution for all of us! You can get a free phone line through them, check messages online, and solve all of your phone problems in less than 5 minutes!

The service is free, it is a super simple sign up, and you get your number immediately. The message can be customized, or you can leave it alone.

You will want to clear it out frequently, about once a week in the beginning, because it will only hold so many calls. BUT, it will keep your personal "real" phones free from all of the sales calls generated by working with GPT sites and others.

Problem: Junk Emails - Don't We All Get Enough Spam?! - Nobody wants even more junk in their email box. It takes forever to get it in the trash, and is a bother all the way around.

Because you will generate hundreds of these junk emails through working with GPT sites, every source of information I've seen suggests using "throw away" email accounts.

Also, because you might enjoy doing certain types of offers, like the free surveys, you will need more than one account. Many of those offers only allow you a single survey per week per account.

You will need a valid email account for both setting up your GPT accounts and for the individual offers.

Setting up a free account with Google at Gmail, or with Yahoo or Hotmail works wonders for many reasons.

To keep things simple, choose a good address...

You want it long enough so that you can break it apart to create 3 or more individual accounts from basically the same address. An example would be:

You can create different addresses simply by inserting a "." (period) in successive spots - a.bc123@... ab.c123@... etc. You could wind up with 6 separate email accounts with an address like this!

You probably won't need that many. Still, it is nice to know that if you like doing offers, and as the number of GPT sites continues to grow, you can expand with the market!

Remember: choose passwords for these accounts in a similar way to make record keeping simple.

Problem: Credit Card Issues - This was my biggest hurdle. There was no way I wanted to be giving my personal credit information to every Tom, Dick and Harry on the net. It just is not a good thing to do.

I started at a clear advantage with this. Since I've been selling on eBay and collecting payments through Paypal for over 10 years, I had a head start. I also already had a Paypal debit card. This is a WONDERFUL idea!

• Paypal accounts are free
  
• You can only spend/be charged the balance in the account
  
• No one else can access your personal banking information
  
• My debit card pays me interest and cash back!
  Depending on the account, all transactions are free
  

Paypal offers three different types of accounts.

Personal accounts allow you to both send and receive money free of charge. However, if you ever use the personal account to accept payments for items you sell, you cannot accept credit card payments.

These accounts are wonderful for GPT payments, though - you have a running record of what you have spent, what you have earned and what payments you made that were reversed.

(Many of the "$1 trials" will charge you, but then return the money once you've completed the offer.)

Premiere accounts are personal accounts that allow you to collect via credit card as well, and are not needed strictly for GPT sites. However, if you sell anything else, they are wonderful. This is what I have. You will be charged 30¢ plus 1% - 2% of the total per transaction that you are paid. Sending money is still free.

Business accounts aren't worth signing up for unless you do a huge volume of sales somewhere. They have their perks, but are not necessary for working with average sales volumes or GPT sites.

Another option would be to get a pre-paid major credit card. However, most of those do not offer interest on your balance, and any cash back benefits are offset by the hassles of having the card.

The benefits are many. Your personal accounts are protected, you can only spend what you have in the account, you are protected against additional charges from cancelled orders, and Paypal security is TOPS.

In fact, when I first started with GPT sites, I did about 15 offers in less than a week. Paypal actually called me to make sure that I was the one using the account! The other card I used (a major credit card) didn't bother. I now ONLY use the Paypal account.

NOTE: You will want several files in your email account...

• GPT Info, to save your membership information/confirmations
  
• Offer Confirmations
  
• Cancellation Confirmations
  
• I also have an "Approved offers" folder.
  

Some of these files can be deleted after only a few days, others once you get your paycheck, and others must wait to be sure you are not incorrectly billed by the company for trials you have cancelled.

Keeping these four folders in every email account you use will save you innumerable (though unlikely) headaches.

Problem: The Overflowing Mail Box - I have a quick and simple solution for this, however most folks won't be able to use it... I have a fire pit in the back yard. Fireplaces work for getting rid of excess junk mail as well.

Other than that, I haven't been able to solve this problem so that everyone can eliminate it. If you have any suggestions - PLEASE let me know and I'll put your idea here!

While I don't get a LOT of junk mail yet, I have only been doing this for a short time, so I don't know how bad its going to get... However, a few minutes tossing junk mail has not offset the amount of money I've earned from playing on the GPT sites!

There are an awful lot of benefits to earning money on GPT sites. Not all of them will be considered benefits by everyone, however.

First of all, they are FUN!! In fact, they can be downright addictive! Not only are there hundreds, sometimes thousands of offers to do, but there are also lots of other fun things on these sites. You can do trial offers for innumerable products.

There are contests of all kinds as well. Most sites offer several types of contests. Some are for "points" earned in addition to cash - and each site has its own points system. Some are for referrals - yes - you can refer people and make a percentage return on money and points they earn as well. Some are for the highest cash earnings for a period of time. A couple sites even have other types of contests where you can earn points or cash.

Several GPT sites I belong to even have sign-up bonuses - you get money just for signing up at the site and completing one offer!

You can earn money back on shopping, too. Several sites have offers for when you need to purchase something, and you get cash back on the purchase, plus points in your account.

Points can add up to many different benefits, too. You can trade them in for cash and other items. You earn a few points for every cash offer you do. Some of the contests pay in points.

Don't worry - it is NOT as complicated as it sounds.

Trying all sorts of new and interesting things also has its benefits... If, of course, you are into that sort of thing. I have been known to dabble in this a bit myself.

I'm not big into diet pills and that sort of thing, but the money they pay for those offers is astounding for the little effort needed. However, services are another matter.

I happen to love reading up on ways to earn money, for instance. Who can't use a little extra cash once in a while?! Offers for $1 trials on information to get grants, boost eBay sales, etc are great.

Usually the dollar is reimbursed anyway, and most times you don't have to return the materials. Even when you do, the cash to do so is minute compared with what you learn! Plus, you get the cash from trying the offer in the first place. Its a total win-win situation!!

Before we go into methods of payment you can choose, I want to reiterate that most GPT sites pay for referrals. This works the same way any affiliate program works - however - it is much easier, faster and cheaper to get referrals through GPT programs than through most affiliate networks. Yes, by going to the page of my GPT sites and clicking on a banner, I will get credit.

This is NOT a pyramid. You are not paying me... in fact, you don't pay the site to join it, either. All GPT programs I recommend are free to join, and I don't charge anything to recommend a program. In a pyramid scheme, you actually pay your "upline" a portion of what you earn. That is the difference.

I get a "referral bonus", and you get 100% of what you earn. It will work the same way for you if you choose to either sign up for referrals that come from the site, or promote your own!

I wanted to tell you that up front, before we get into the nitty gritty of getting paid... If you choose to join through one of my banners, I will be earning a percentage of what you earn.

This will not affect what you are paid for each offer, or the number of points you get for each. We all earn the same for the same actions.

If you join by taking off my information from the link, you will still be earning someone a commission on every offer you complete...

You will be put into a "pool," and "assigned" to someone who has elected to earn referrals through that particular site instead of, or in addition to, bringing in their own.

OK.... that said, there are dozens of ways to get paid!!

Many sites offer a selection of store gift cards and visa/mc gift cards. These can be virtual and used on the net, or real gift cards that are mailed to you. If there is something you need, or you want a gift card for someone else, this is the way to go.

You can get a check mailed to you at your home. Sometimes there is a fee for this to cover postage and possible charges related to the site owner's business checking account.

Most sites offer Paypal payments as well. After ensuring that the money on my checks was real, I switched almost everything over to my Paypal account.

Why? Because it earns better interest than my savings, and with the debit card I can pay most of my bills online without ever having to see a teller.

It also offers cash back, so I earn a couple pennies each time I do an offer! (I have a "Premiere" account, so I pay fees to collect, too... but they are usually offset by the interest and cash back).

Each site is different, but all of them offer some combination of the above. All of the sites I belong to have paid on time, some are working at having more than one cash-out period per month, too! One even paid me over a week early!

"Cashing out" or "withdraw" forms are super fast, super easy and can be changed if you make a mistake. You can also cancel the action and wait for a bigger payment later if you wish. Most sites will let you leave a small balance, but not all.

This is great for me - I can transfer whole dollars (I like to do increments of $5.00 to keep accounting simple), and leave a balance.

This is good because most sites also have a required minimum to cash out. They are easy to make, usually $10.00 or $20.00. (That might only be one offer, it depends on what you like to do!) Some gift cards have a minimum that may be different than if you wanted a check or Paypal.

With so many options, if you don't have immediate need for the cash, it is a wonderful system!! Oh - you can also cash out using more than one method for each pay period...

This means you can get a gift card for someone, and still get cash or a check as well! It is really up to you.

If you have gotten this far, there must be some interest..... so, the rest of this page is information to help you set up, keep organized and avoid the few possible pitfalls. Keep reading! You will be up and running in no time!!!

If you are working with windows, you are ahead of the game. I can't think of an easier way to keep records for GPT sites than with the spreadsheet that comes with works.

It is simple, fast and keeps everything organized.

You will want a lot of information on this spread sheet. I keep one for each GPT site I work on. The screen shot gives an example.

This is a list of the information you need to keep track of -

• Date you did the offer
  
• Name of offer
  
• Website address of offer
  
• User name at offer (if used)
  
• Password for offer (if used)
  
• Cost to you (for trials, etc)
  
• Cash to you (what the offer "pays")
  
• Return Date(end of trial info)
  
• Return/cancellation information*
  
• Postage (for returns)
  
• Credit (credited/pending/declined)
  
• Points earned
  

I also keep a spreadsheet for the actual GPT site information, such as the site name, my user name and password, what the site pays (cash and points, points toward purchases etc), and how well I like the program as a whole.

Of course, that last column changes sometimes, lol.

In my file cabinet I keep all this in file folders. One file is for the GPT programs. Right now, the only thing in that file is the spreadsheet. I don't know if I will be adding to this file in the future -

The second section of folders is monthly. I don't separate out the specific programs, though I do keep a spread sheet on each of the GPT sites I belong to. All the spreadsheets for a particular month go in that file.

I print out my monthly spreadsheet and hand-write in the total money I've made after all charges and returns. I also write notes if I keep a product that I've done a trial on.

IF I have a balance left in the account after I cash out, I put that information there, too, as well as transferring it to the top of the next month's page.

After these pages are printed, I simply "erase" the info on the computer and start over for the next month. Saves me from having to create a new spreadsheet every month for each program, and they don't take up room on discs or my hard drive.

Another file holds a printout of the confirmation page with the phone number and cancellation information for each offer. (Use the "quick" option to save printer ink if you do this!!!)

I also keep a screen shot of each offer's confirmation to guard against the possibility of having to do a manual credit form.

Because all the trials have different lengths (24 hours to a month, some are even three months), I keep a running list of those as well...

I try to set the dates so that everything is cancelled on three or four days per month - so sometimes I don't use the full trial period, and for others I cancel on the last day.

That keeps the cancellation process working smoothly, and prevents me from being charged for services I don't want.

The one thing you want to be absolutely sure of is to cancel these trials on or before their dates. You certainly do not want to be charged monthly for something you don't want!! Don't let those dates get past you!!!

There are certain things to be aware of while working with GPT sites. The following are what I have read about and run into so far.

Pop-ups You must disable pop-up-blockers while you are working with the offers. I know it is annoying, but these offers are on pop-up windows - so if you have them blocked, you'll never see one!

It is much simpler to disengage the blocker while working on these and turn it back on after you're done for the day. There are usually instructions on the sites for doing this if you have forgotten or don't know how.

Cookies There are two things to consider with cookies. First off, you must accept ALL cookies while working with the offers. You will NOT get credit otherwise. All of the offers and sites require this.

That said, you must also CLEAR all cookies before you begin each offer. So - while you are allowing everyone to put cookies onto your system while you do each offer (don't clean until after you've completed each offer, though!!), you are taking them right back off after each one.

This might sound like a bit of a pain, but it becomes habit very quickly. Free cleaners, such as CCleaner work wonderfully, and can be kept on the desktop. Two clicks and you're done and ready for the next offer!

Again, both of these steps are required to work with GPT sites. It is really a small price to pay when you consider that a single trial offer can pay anywhere from 1¢ up to over $100.00 - EACH!!! (Most are in the $10 - $20 dollar range - per offer.)

You just have to remember to turn on your protection again once you are done with offers for the day.

As with anything else in this life, GPT sites have their own pitfalls that you need to be aware of before you enter into any memberships. They are minor, but they are there.

Be sure to read each "Terms" page very carefully before signing on to any offer. Copy and paste the cancellation terms on a word doc if you need to, but make sure you understand all the terms clearly before completing any offer at any of the GPT sites.

The biggest pitfall to watch out for is cancellations. Be absolutely, positively, without-a-doubt sure to cancell all offers within the specified time period!!! Forgetting to cancel an offer can cost you several times what the offer pays you. DON'T FORGET TO CANCEL!!!!

Another pitfall with GPT sites is being sure you know when to stop. Part of the "costs" mentioned above came from not stopping an offer at the correct place.

Surveys are where you will run into this most, but some trial offers will attempt to get you to order "extra" trials - don't do it unless you really want to try the product.

There is nothing wrong with ordering an extra trial for another product, but you will not be paid for it. So - be sure you want that second item, or simply close down the site, clear your cookies and move on. You will still get credit for the offer!

Knowing when to stop saves you both time and money!!! Please be sure to check out this page before you begin doing any offers.

GPT sites are really pretty good at letting you know what is required to get credit for each particular offer right up front. It is rare that you need to hunt for that information - most times it is right on the listing itself.

Some companies, especially low-paying survey sites and some other freebies do not credit. Unfortunately, they can be counted as wasted time because most GPT sites will not go after manual credits for freebies.

I have found four, however they are from when I first started, so I am not sure if its because I forgot to clear my cookies (something that took a while to sink in), or if they simply did not credit.

As I run into these things, I will start a page on offers I have had problems with, and another for those I found really great. In the references section below, there are a few forums and other resources I urge you to check out as you become involved in GPT sites. It is good reading, and the folks at these places offer strong, solid information.

Some forums at GPT sites even have a "Proof" section - so that you can see that these people are really, truly and honestly getting paid!! That alone was my first trip through some of the resources - I wanted to be sure that people were actually making the money they said they were.

Since my first checks were all cashed before I decided to do this page, lol, I will post some of my own "proofs" with my next payment, which is coming to paypal... Watch for screen-shots of this at the end of May, 2007.

One more pitfall on some GPT sites is not getting credit... Some companies are notorious for holding back the credit to the GPT sites... In those instances you will have to submit a "manual credit" form. Each site has its own, and they all have instructions.

This is the reason for taking "screen shots". If you have windows, it is simple.

Go to the Start menu, and hit "All Programs". From there, hit "Accessories", and click on the "Paint" button. Keep this open in the background while doing all your offers.

When the confirmation screen comes up at each offer, this is the procedure:

Hit the "ALT" button, then "Print Screen" (this is usually on the upper right of the keyboard). Then, in Paint, hit the "Control" button, and "v"

Go to the file menu and click "Save As" - use the name of the offer as your title, and scroll down in the file type menu to "JPG" or "JPEG" - be sure to save as a Jpeg, or you won't be able to transfer this page view to the GPT site to get credit. These screen shots will automatically save to your "my pictures" folder in your word processor.

As soon as offers are credited to your account at the GPT site, these page views can be deleted.

Below are several sites that I went to when checking into programs. I wanted to be sure it was safe to do. I wanted to know which were the best offers, and which were the best GPT sites.

I especially wanted to know which offers and programs to stay away from! Which GPT sites paid the most for offers? What are the "rules"?

I have learned a lot and come to trust the information at these places.

Please do check out some or all of the GPT sites recommended before you sign up on your first GPT sites. They will save you many headaches and a lot of time - and you might make a few friends in the process!!

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