Emails + Click = MONEY: Pinoy Guide to making money with Paid to Read Email programs

August 14th, 2008

When the Internet took center stage, online money-making opportunities for Filipinos rained down like confetti. Among them are Paid to Read (PTR) Email programs.

What they are and how they work

PTR email programs pay you for reading and clicking the links on their emails or sites. Money-making in PTR email programs is all about clicking as many links and referring as many people as you can. You get commissions for every email that you and your referrals read. You could also earn when they refer other people.

Getting started with Paid to Read Email Programs

1. Create an email account that is solely dedicated to your PTR business.
2. Look for credible PTR programs and sign up with your new address. Participate in several programs or sites; 3-5 would be good and manageable enough.
3. In a day or so, your new email account would be full of PTR letters. Open them. Click on the link. Your first PTR earnings would come in a few seconds. It’s quite a small sum, but that’s a start.
4. Keep your PTR letters filed.
5. Now, just relax and watch your cash roll in.

Tips and reminders on PTR

But since Internet transactions require little to no actual or face-to-face deals, you should be careful to avoid scams.  Protect yourself. Be aware of the issues so you could make the most out of PTRs safely. You may want to keep the following pointers in mind:

1. If the program offers pays that seem to be too good to be true, they’re more likely to be scams.
2. Research on the PTR site before signing up. If they have bad records, victims are likely to post reviews on the Net.
3. PTRs must only be sidelines. Don’t rely on them entirely for income.
4. Make sure to track and document all your transactions.
5. Make use of your network connections. Sign up for networking sites such as Friendster, MySpace, Multiply and Facebook, get as much contacts as you can and refer your contacts. Ask them to refer other people, too.
6. Try taking advantage of sites offering free online advertising.

Photo credits:  Derrickkwa

How to make money buying and selling on Sulit.Com.Ph

August 11th, 2008

Sulit.com.ph offers a uniquely Filipino approach to online trading and advertising. This website is a free advertising service very much like Buy and Sell Philippines where members can post different items and services for sale. For those who are looking for faster and easier means of finding items selling for lesser costs, sulit.com.ph is the place to go to.

How to sign up for sulit.com.ph

Using sulit.com.ph is similar as placing an ad on Buy and Sell Philippines magazine for free. Sulitizens, as members of the website are fondly called, need to register themselves as members and can be advertisers, clients, or both. Once registered, new sulitizens can now avail of the many services that can be found on sulit.com.ph

Advantages of using sulit.com.ph over Buy and Sell Philippines

Sulit.com.ph is a website catering to members who are predominantly Filipino and most forum discussions are conducted in Filipino. Although Buy and Sell Philippines is a more far-reaching free ad service, sulit.com.ph has the upper hand when it comes to catering to the younger set due to its casual and interactive tone.

As with Buy and Sell Philippines, you can submit your request for placement or advertisement to sulit.com.ph for free through the website.

Buy and Sell Philippines publishes your free advertisement in two issues of the Buy and Sell Philippines magazine before putting it up in their website.  Advertising on sulit.com.ph, however, gives you more free play when it comes to marketing your wares, as you are allowed to post pictures and write ups of your product for free. Buy and Sell Philippines can also allow this feature but corresponding placement fees will then have to be charged.

Items sold and purchased through sulit.com vary from second-hand cellphones to vitamins for your dogs. Purchasing items from sulit.com.ph is also similar to how you would purchase from Buy and Sell Philippines. The site does not get involved in the transaction as clients directly deal with the advertisers. However, sulit.com.ph offers a rating or feedback option for every transaction to rate how a certain sulitizen conducts business.

So what do you do with items that you have purchased? Aside for personal needs, some part-time entrepreneurs also choose to purchase their wares through sulit.com as most items here sell for very cheap prices. Some basic items purchased online can be updated, as these modifications can add to the value of the items when you sell them through other channels such as other on-line stores or even through the Buy and Sell Philippines catalogue.

However, conducting business online can sometimes be risky, which is also true when you’re transacting personally. Unfortunately the problems that were encountered with buying from Buy and Sell Philippines and other free unmoderated ad catalogs still exist. To prevent from being scammed, make sure to thoroughly do a background check of the person whom you are dealing with. Unlike in Buy and Sell Philippines, sulit.com.ph is a self-moderating facility that not only gives users the freedom to post but also to moderate others if they see fit.

How to make money buying and selling on Ebay.Com.ph

August 10th, 2008

Internet trading is a growing business here in the Philippines. Online auctions and stores such as Ebay.com.ph and sulit.com.ph present opportunities for Filipinos to participate in e-commerce without having to put up their own online store.

Buy and Sell Philippines, one of the leading classified ads papers in the country, provided a venue for Filipinos to advertise their products for free or for a corresponding charge. Almost 24,000 advertisements per issue are hosted by Buy and Sell Philippines in its twice-weekly run. The Buy and Sell Philippines website also hosts products for a range of fees depending on the space and exposure for potential online clients, much like how it works on the hard copy of the Buy and Sell Philippines classifieds.

Ebay.com.ph, on the other hand, is a local branch of the highly popular auctioning site of the same name. More and more Filipinos are signing up for this digital marketplace that provides shopping convenience at one click. If you are interested in selling items on ebay, you can start by signing up.

Advantages of trading in ebay.com.ph over Buy and Sell Philippines

The website ebay.com.ph offers more options for consumers with its Bidding and Buy Now payment options. The prices of items for auction may start with a low starting price but, depending on the demand, they can shoot up to higher than their original value. Compared with ebay.com.ph, Buy and Sell Philippines do not offer payment options as they are hands off when it comes to transactions. Buy and Sell Philippines purely acts only as a classifieds site.

You have more room and freedom to advertise your wares on ebay.com.ph as they allow pictures and write ups of items such as Ragnarok online money starter CDs to be posted for free. Although Buy and Sell Philippines offers free advertising, these are only limited to just a few lines of text. Buy and Sell Philippines operates and earns by selling larger ad spaces for ads with pictures and other specifications.

Transactions in ebay.com.ph are secure and moderated for the protection of both the seller and the client. ebay.com.ph even goes as far as recommending an escrow service to ensure safety. Buy and Sell Philippines does not have the same offering as it does not mediate between the two parties.

It is easier to spot trends and hot items on ebay.com.ph than on Buy and Sell Philippines through the bidding system. The more bids there are on a product, the more there is a demand for that item. Knowing what sells today is important for part-time entrepreneurs who ply ebay.com.ph for bargain wares that they can sell for higher prices in other venues as well.

Scams are inevitable in business ventures, but ebay.com.ph offers more measures to avoid them. Nevertheless, buyers and sellers alike should take precautions before trading online. Checking out member profiles and reviews available on ebay.com.ph are services that are not found in Buy and Sell Philippines.

How to find Homebased Data Entry Jobs

August 9th, 2008

The Internet has provided many an opportunity to explore many avenues for enjoyment, information and most importantly, employment. With the development of websites and the virtual counterparts of their physical businesses, more and more companies are looking for data and content providers and managers to oversee their websites. This is why data entry jobs and data encoder jobs in the Philippines are currently hot items on the job market.

Types of data entry jobs and tasks

Data entry jobs are similar to clerical and administrative work. There are typists or data encoders who commit data and information into paper or computer files for administrative purposes. There are also researchers who utilize the Internet to gather relative information or topics that were assigned to them.

SEO or search engine optimization is also grouped under data entry jobs. These types of data entry jobs require a broad knowledge of the Internet for research purposes. An ability to manipulate and make use of online and website data is imperative for people in the SEO business as they produce content that are usually used as references by people who go online.

Data entry jobs are suitable not only for those who like to enjoy the ease of working at their own pace and keeping their own schedules, but also for those who would want to start a sideline job. Data entry jobs can be done on a part time basis as job orders can easily be controlled and fulfilled depending on your schedule and you can pursue other interests without compromising your main job.

Requirements for securing homebased data entry jobs

Data encoder jobs in the Philippines have become popular employment schemes of Filipinos who prefer to work in the comforts of their home. This type of job only requires three things: a computer, an Internet connection, and the ability to produce quality data or web content at fast speeds

There are some homebased data entry jobs that only have minimum requirements when it comes to educational attainment. Although college graduates are still preferred, anyone who has above-average writing and analytical skills and can transmit those thoughts into writing can get part-time homebased data entry jobs.

Types of employment schemes

Though one could enjoy a full-time data entry job, many others opt for part-time data entry jobs on a freelance basis. This enables them to accept other data entry jobs without having any conflict with other companies. As long as one can juggle a schedule and the duties, going freelance is a good option when in this type of job.

Where to find employment for data entry jobs

It is easy to look for data entry jobs in the Philippines, but one has to be wary about the validity of each company. Although some companies offer attractive compensation packages for data entry jobs, there are some that really do not fulfill their promises of paying substantial amounts to their data encoders.

One tip is to go online and start researching for companies. Go to forums of reputable websites such as sulit.com.ph that advertise data entry jobs among their other services.  Another source for homebased data entry jobs is forumcash.com/wordpress

Photo credits:  Refracted Moments

Buying and selling skin whitening pills online

August 8th, 2008

Filipinos have a long-standing fascination with “fair” skin. Most of our actors and personalities possess smooth, flawless and light complexions that are not natural to our country and a race such as ours. Thus, many of us who are not as “blessed” to have been born with naturally light skin complexions resort to different means of skin whitening.

Like it or not, skin whitening is a multibillion peso industry.  Skin whitening products abound in the market and the distribution of such is a flourishing business. Skin whitening products come in all forms. Skin bleaching soaps and skin whitening lotions and toners have been popular choices of most pigment-challenged Filipinos due to their easy application and cost effectiveness but there is one skin whitening product that is fast gaining leverage with the consumers these days.

Glutathione in the form of skin whitening pills is all the rage today. Glutathione was originally aimed for freeing cells of toxins and free radicals, while the skin whitening is only just a side effect. Glutathione pills are the kind of skin whitening product that can easily be taken and results can be seen in as fast as after three months of use. You can help speed up the process by taking vitamin C along with whitening pills, so that you can also be fair and healthy inside and out. Although pricier than most skin bleaching products, buyers are stocking up on skin whitening pills as some variants not only lighten the skin but also offer other benefits such as weight loss.

Operating or selling your wares on line is a great and hassle-free way to earn and could be a great sideline job in the philippines that will not intrude with your main job. You can reach a wider market without the effort and cost. If you plan to take advantage of the current demand for skin whitening products such as skin whitening pills, here are a few tips on selling whitening pills online:

1. Find suppliers who are reliable. Make sure that you are getting your skin whitening products from sources that not only have large rosters of clients, but are actually experts and have ample knowledge and experience in the field.

2. Once you have found a supplier for your skin whitening products, you can now look for an online store that would host your services. sulit.com.ph, ebay.com.ph, and auction.ph are some of the sites that you can refer to.

3. Become an expert yourself and improve your knowledge of your product. Because you are selling skin whitening products, it would be better if you can give specifics and answer questions regarding its benefits.

4. Encourage satisfied customers to post their testimonials about the skin whitening products that you are selling by posting on your forums. This form of advertising draws in more buyers and validates your product’s effectiveness.

Photo credit:  henriquetyds

Balancing a fulltime job with sideline jobs

August 7th, 2008

These days, not everyone can live on just one job.  Oftentimes, our main jobs don’t pay enough to sustain the ever-changing costs of the daily needs of yourself and your family. Getting sideline jobs in the Philippines is a common answer to this need for a little something more. Before getting into any of the sideline jobs in the Philippines, one must always have a goal or reason in mind. If you want to start on sideline jobs in the Philippines, hobbies can make good foundations for businesses that are unique and could easily catch on with certain target markets. This would let you earn while doing something that you like.

Sideline jobs in the Philippines are usually involved in the selling of wares that may target specific markets. There are varied avenues for sideline jobs in the Philippines and determining which road to travel is the first course of action that you should take.

Direct selling is one of the sideline jobs in the Philippines that are currently piggybank-fillers of most Filipinos. Whether hawking wares such as cosmetics, real estate and insurance or buying and selling  items online, these sideline jobs in the Philippines are guaranteed to bring in the cash.

Opportunities for sideline jobs in the Philippines abound on the Internet as there is a demand for various services online as well. There is no longer a need to get out of the country to earn more as clients from all over the world are turning to the internet for services that Filipinos can offer. Copywriting, web-designing and SEO are some of the online sideline employment opportunities in the Philippines that many are now turning to. These types of sidelines in the Philippines are attractive because not only do they offer adequate compensation for the few hours that you work, you can also manage your own time and schedule to fit  your lifestyle.

Sideline jobs in the Philippines abound, but maintaining a balance with your day job can be a challenge. Here are a few tips to help you keep your balance in check:

1. Be prepared to give up a sideline job. It is easier to start and replace a sideline job that you started with easily than a regular job that took you at least six months to secure.

2. Do not be distracted by how much you might be pulling in from your sideline, especially if your sideline relies on “instant target markets” as is true with most sideline jobs in the Philippines. Their interest of in your project may just disappear as quickly as they caught on with it.

3. Sideline jobs must always remain where they are, in the sidelines. One has to remember that this is a supplement only, and that you have a main job that, although just pays you an average amount of money, still gives you more than what you could probably earn in a sideline. Family and personal time should not also be compromised.

Top 5 ways to prevent being scammed online

August 6th, 2008

Buying and selling goods in the philippines through websites be very lucrative either as a fulltime merchant or as a sideline job. However, there are certain instances when earning a buck quickly can tempt someone to take advantage of others through fraudulent means. Here are a few tips on how to avoid getting scammed when engaging in buy and sell Philippines.

1. Don’t take opportunities that ask you to PAY to participate.

When doing buy and sell in the Philippines or any other business activity online, you should make sure that you are paying for the correct services and that you will not be charged any hidden fees that are not related to your purchase. When participating in buy and sell Philippines, many products may come up that have offers that are free or are to good to be true. Usually, these are dubious in nature and you could end up paying for more. Free ad sites such as Buy and Sell Philippines also advertise opportunities in making money on line through paid survey sites. Make sure that these sites do not charge sign up fees as they should be the ones paying you for your services.

2. Avoid Ponzi schemes.

Ponzi schemes are named after Charles Ponzi, a well-known racketeer from the 1920s who put up fraudulent investment schemes that promised big pay-outs to people who would invest. The modern version of the Ponzi schemes are now called high yield investment projects (HYIPs) and are usually encountered when doing buy and sell Philippines.  The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and Securites and Exchange Commission have likewise issued statements that anyone participating in on-line Ponzi schemes or HYIPs that can be found when engaging in buy and sell Philippines will be dealt with by the law accordingly.

3. Avoid pyramid schemes or fake network marketing.

Similar to Ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes and fake network marketing schemes are just fraudulent ways for scammers to earn. Pyramid schemes through buy and sell Philippines activities only promise big returns to those who started the business while those in the lower tier do not get their investments back. One can stumble across these pyramid schemes masquerading as business opportunities or exclusive memberships and access to products while doing buy and sell Philippines.

4. Study how deposit systems work, spot the fake ones.

Payment options are risks that on-line buy and sell Philippines merchants should be aware of. Some auction sites recommend using trusted payment services such as Paypal instead of receiving through Moneygram or Western Union. When doing buy and sell Philippines in this way, payments are more guaranteed to be received and secure.

5. Use an escrow service if you can

Reputable auction sites have escrow services to safeguard the security of their members. This acts like insurance to a buyer or a seller wherein a neutral third party will release the payment to the seller once the buyer is satisfied, as purchasing through on line buy and sell Philippines is a risk more to the buyer than to the seller.

Photo credits:  Catatronic

How to make money taking online surveys

August 5th, 2008

Answering paid surveys are one of the popular Internet-based sideline jobs that Filipinos are getting into. It basically works on a simple premise. You start by signing up on a paid survey site and leave your email or contact where invites to other sites or the survey questions can be sent to. You get paid according to the rate they have specified and you receive the payment through a Paypal account or through cheque.

Big corporations are interested in learning about what and how customers think about them. They hire market research companies and brand consulting firms to get the necessary info from the consumers. Due largely to the popularity and ease of the Internet, market research companies are turning to paid online surveys as an easier means to gather data.

Who can take paid surveys?

Paid online surveys are ideal for sidelines as answering surveys do not take up most of your time.  Anyone who has access to the Internet and an email address can sign up with free paid survey sites. Surveys will then be sent to you depending on your demographic or group assignment based on the personal information that you have submitted.  Make sure the paid survey company you are thinking of using accepts participants from the Philippines.  You don’t want to go through the process of taking surveys and referring a lot of people only to find out later that the company does not send payment to the Philippines.

Scams and how to avoid them

Choosing a paid survey site that pays well is difficult. There are some that promise and do give pay-outs to their members upon signing up but as your membership progresses, invites to join paid surveys come by less frequently. There are other sites that although give you a lot of paid surveys to answer, promise high payouts but actually give very low compensation or only focus on non-monetary rewards such as free gifts or packages. And lastly, there are sites that offer big returns for taking surveys but do not actually fulfill the end of their bargain.

Also remember to avoid make money online programs that ask for money to join –they are the ones asking for your services so they should be the ones to pay.

How to find high-paying paid survey sites

Do not settle with results from search engine sites. Since search engines only rely on keyword density but don’t actually rate a paid survey site’s performance based on member satisfaction, it’s better to get referrals or real feedback from other people.

Get into  online forums and ask around. There are real people who can and are eager to give out referrals to paid survey sites that give substantial amounts to their members.

The location of the respondent is also an important factor that paid survey sites consider. Since most of these sites are based in the US and most of their surveys are specifically geared toward US consumers, they don’t cater to respondents outside of the US. Look for paid survey sites that cater to an international database of respondents.

Photo credit:  Spcoon

Five legal ways to migrate to the USA

August 5th, 2008

In the face of our country’s seemingly endless economic turmoil, more and more Filipinos are finding the means to feed their families by going abroad as OFWs. The US is always at the top of the list of places where Filipinos would want to migrate to. In the past years, many immigrants have chosen different ways in which to migrate to the US. A substantial number took their chances and went through the back door, only to have US Immigration crack down on them and send them back to where they came from. It is not impossible to migrate to the US, but it would be a hard and time-intensive task.  In essence, it is doable for those willing to put in the time and sustained effort.

Here is a list of the legal ways to migrate to the US:

1. The US embassy is stricter in issuing immigrant visas than they are when giving out tourist or non-immigrant visas.  Since it would be easier to enter the US under a tourist visa, once there, you can offer your skills and services to potential employers who are willing to sponsor you and make it possible for you to officially migrate to the US with a work visa. Most Filipinos are resorting to migrate to the US using this scheme as it would mean a lesser waiting period for them.  There are a many job agencies in California that offer jobs where there employer is willing to be a visa sponsor.

2. There are a lot of Filipino industries that are expanding their operations in the US and other countries. You may have a chance to migrate to the US if you get to be one of those individuals who can be sent to start up an American desk of your company.   This is called an L Visa or intracompany transfer visa.  The great thing about this visa is that you can take your whole immediate family with you.

3. You can also migrate to the US via the fiancee visa if you are lucky in finding that special American or Fil-Am someone online. However, you have to be cautious when it comes to looking for love online. You may want to correspond to these people via live chats through web cam instead of signing up in dating sites. Do a thorough background check to make sure that they are as unattached as you are to ensure your safety when you do get to migrate to the US.  Yahoo’s webcam and dating channel is a good way to find singles in the US looking to meet friends the world over.

4. You can also migrate to the US by applying for a college student visa, as many colleges and universities offer scholarships for foreigners. Once in the US, you can get an intern job and a sponsorship from a company that would then process it into a working visa. After a few years, you may officially migrate to the US. by applying for a green card.

5. Of course, one of the almost sure-fire ways to migrate to the US is having an immediate relative such as your parent or sibling there sponsor you. This method is probably the longest and hardest way to migrate to the US as it is subject to more restrictions and policies and could take years to process.  If you are a married adult child of a petitioner, the wait could be decades.  If the petitioner is your sibling, the wait is even longer!

Photo credits:  Elaron

Gamer pays $26000 for online real estate

August 3rd, 2008

The BBC reports that a gamer paid over $26,000 for VIRTUAL real estate.  You got it–online land.  “Land” that exists in an online game.

A 22-year-old gamer has spent $26,500 (£13,700) on an island that exists only in a computer role-playing game (RPG).

The Australian gamer, known only by his gaming moniker Deathifier, bought the island in an online auction.

The land exists within the game Project Entropia, an RPG which allows thousands of players to interact with each other.

Entropia allows gamers to buy and sell virtual items using real cash, while fans of other titles often use auction site eBay to sell their virtual wares.

This is yet another (although quite dramatic) example of people paying BIG MONEY for online items.  There is a HUGE international market for in game gold, equipment, characters, you name it.  We’ve covered this extensively in our coverage of Ragnarok, Everquest, Dark Age of Camelot, Eve Online, and Star Wars Galaxies, among other money making methods online.  The bottomline:  If you put in the time in these online games and use an efficient system–you can make a lot of REAL MONEY off “virtual” property.

Photo credits: Squeakymarmot