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Did you know many paid survey websites are online, but not all are as trustworthy as you think? We have picked 15 of the best-paying survey sites where you can start to make money from home or even on the go. In this complete guide on paying survey sites, we show you the top survey websites that pay in 2023 and beyond, how to make the most, best practices for making money with survey websites, and the signs of a scam survey website. Plenty of work to do, so let's a better start. Top 15 Best Paying Survey Sites This guide breaks down which platforms you can get paid for online surveys, which pay cash, give freebies, or payout in vouchers. We examine which platforms allow you to generate a good income and help you make over $1,000 monthly with minimal effort. Paid Survey sites differ in the frequency of surveys, so make sure you sign up to every survey site listed to maximize your potential profits. 1. FreeCash The Best Paid Survey Websites - FreeCash FreeCash Website Details: Payment range: $0.40 to $2 per survey Where it’s available: WorldWide Age requirements: 16 or 17 years old with parental permission, or 18+ years old Payment method: PayPal, Crypto, Amazon & Robux Gift card, Bitcoin, Skins in games Minimum to cash out: $0.10 Time Invested: 5-10 minutes per survey Social Media Profiles: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Signup on FreeCash Freecash is an excellent GPT site to join to earn points for Roblox gift cards. It offers many different ways to earn, such as paid surveys, paid offers, watching videos, and more. You can quickly reach the payout threshold for Roblox codes as it is only $5, and once you request a payout, you get it very fast (usually within a maximum of a few hours). You can also take your earnings as PayPal cash, CS:GO skins, cryptocurrencies, or gift cards. If you join through the link below, you will immediately get a 100-point bonus into your account. I like FreeCash because it offers many earning opportunities, and you can multiply your earnings with offers, bonuses, and competitions. Also, they accept members from around the world, which is fantastic as everyone has a chance to earn. FreeCash PROs Easy registration process using your Facebook or Google account. There are many ways to earn cash: surveys, offers, games, raffles, competitions, etc. Multiple cash-out options: PayPal, Cards, Crypto, or Skins in games. A lot of bonuses: signup bonus, daily bonus, etc. On-site chat – You can chat and learn from other users, and it's just fun. Good support team – Easy to reach, quick to respond. Low earnings withdrawal of only $0.10. FreeCash CONs Task availability can depend on your demographics. Some tasks can take some time to get credit, especially reaching a specific level in games. Some offer/survey walls are locked first before you reach a specific site level. We like Prize Rebel because it allows you to make money doing surveys, and it's convenient to withdraw the rewards through multiple options. --> Start earning money on FreeCash 2. PrizeRebel Best Paying Survey Sites - PrizeRebel PrizeRebel is THE second-best survey site, in my opinion. Since its debut in 2007, PrizeRebel has paid over $19 million to its 9 million members. I have had many positive experiences with them, made over $2000, and paid within 24 hours. PrizeRebel Website Details: Payment range: $0.40 to $0.60 per survey Where it’s available: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, or Australia Age requirements: 16 or 17 years old with parental permission or 18+ years old Payment method: PayPal, Amazon, Robux Gift card, Bitcoin, Bank Wire Minimum to cash out: $5 Time Invested: 5-10 minutes per survey Social Media Profiles: Facebook, Twitter Signup on PrizeRebel You can earn up to 100 points for each task, after which you exchange these points for cash rewards. Here, every 100 points are equivalent to $1, and you need a minimum of 500 points ($5) to redeem cash and 200 points ($2) for gift cards. They can pay you via PayPal, Amazon, gift cards, BitCoin, or directly to your bank account. I like PrizeRebel because they offer many quick-hit surveys so that you can quickly earn a fair chunk of change. PrizeRebel has a unique program that awards members based on their level of earnings. PrizeRebel PROs Easy registration process using your Facebook or Google account. The survey site has daily challenges available to allow you to win extra rewards. Multiple cash-out options. PrizeRebel CONs The site’s 100 points reward ($1) per survey or task is relatively low We like Prize Rebel because it allows you to make money doing surveys, and its convenience of withdrawing the rewards through multiple options. Signup to PrizeRebel and Start Earning Money Signup on PrizeRebel 3. YSense [Join YSense] Signup to ySense - One of the Best Paying Survey Websites ySense is a rewards panel that went by the name of ClixSense from 2007 through 2019. One awesome thing is that ySense and its parent company Prodege, LLC, are accredited with Better Business Bureau and hold a ritzy-glitzy A+ rating as of this writing. They also have an active forum where members can share their experiences and discuss various topics. ySense Website Details: Payment range: $0.50 to $10 per survey Where it’s available: Worldwide Age requirements: 16 or 17 years old with parental permission, or 18+ years old Payment method: PayPal, Amazon gift cards, Payoneer, Skrill, Reward Link Minimum to cash out: $30 ($5 signup bonus) Time Invested: 5-10 minutes per survey. Social Media Profiles: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram If you decide to give ySense a try, make sure to install their Chrome extension. It will save you tons of time sending alerts whenever a new survey, offer or task is available. ySense PROs Multiple payment options, including PayPal, Skrill, Payoneer, and Amazon gift cards. The referral program should increase your earnings a bit. Active earners are rewarded with a daily bonus every day. They host a multi-language forum, and it’s pretty active. ySense CONs The cashout threshold varies from $5 (Skrill) to $52. Buckle up for some frustration due to ineligibility. They do accept people from all over the world, but not everyone will have equal chances. The ySense paying survey website is better than most others because it isn’t too challenging to earn a couple of dozen bucks or more monthly. However, if you’re outside the US, you may have fewer surveys and tasks available – even none at all! Signup to ySense - Best Paying Surveys Websites 4. Inbox Dollars Best Paying Surveys Websites - InboxDollars Inbox Dollars has been running its service for almost 20 years now, and it was even featured on Good Morning America as one of the best work-from-home opportunities. InboxDollars has given out nearly $58 million to its users since launching in 2000. Inbox Dollars Website Details: Payment range: $0.50 to $10 per survey Where it’s available: United States Age requirements: 16 or 17 years old with parental permission or 18+ years old Payment method: PayPal: Check, PayPal, Gift card Minimum to cash out: $30 ($5 signup bonus) Time Invested: 5-10 minutes per survey. Social Media Profiles: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram Signup on Inbox Dollars Although they commonly get lumped together with paid online “survey” sites, InboxDollars has many more earning options like watching videos, using discount codes upon checkout, reading emails, signing up for memberships, and so on! InboxDollars has a payout threshold of $30 and usually takes 10-16 working days to cash out. Once you’ve withdrawn for the first time, you can enjoy the perks of being a “Gold Member” and reduce your waiting time to nine days! InboxDollars Review - Is it Legit Or Scam? Inbox Dollars PROs Easy way to make extra money online. Plenty of options to earn (surveys included). Not much time or effort is required to earn. Multiple cash-out options. High legitimacy (BBB accredited with an A+ rating). Inbox Dollars CONs You’re not going to make a lot of money. The payment threshold ($30) is high. The waiting payment time to get your 1st payment is also high. Here is our detailed InboxDollars review. Also, I've listed InboxDollars as one of the best ways to make money with survey websites in our huge list of websites and apps that pay to refer your friends. Did I mention that InboxDollars gives you $5 straight away upon signup? Please register now to secure it. -> Signup to Inbox Dollars and start earning money 5. Paidview Point [Join PaidViewPoints] Signup to PaidViewPoint PaidViewPoint is a long-established website that pays you for answering surveys. It is not among the best-paying survey websites, yet I liked that PaidViewpoint is so upfront that you will not earn much money using their site. One thing that makes PaidViewpoint stand out is that you can use it without confirming your name or mailing address. Their parent company – Umongous, LLC. – has received a respectable B- rating from the Better Business Bureau. PaidViewpoint is also part of Ask Your Target Market (AYTM), which appears to be one of the most respected market research platforms online, having worked with Samsung, Nike, and NBC. PaidViewPoint Website Details: Payment range: $0.03 - $1.5 Where it’s available: Worldwide. Age requirements: 18+ years old. Payment method: PayPal, Giftcards Minimum to cash out: $15. Time Invested: 2-8 minutes per survey. Social Media Profiles: Facebook, Instagram . Two types of surveys earn money: traits and market research surveys. Traits surveys generally pay between $0.03 and $0.10, but more importantly, they help build your TraitScore. Market research surveys are surveys ordered by clients of PaidViewpoint who are trying to understand more about your demographic, your buying habits, etc. Each market research survey is different, but most take less than 5 minutes to complete and pay between $0.25 and $1.50. PaidViewPoint PROs Never screens you out of surveys they offer you. You don't have to fill in your credit card or give sensitive personal details. It is available worldwide. Legit survey site. Variety of surveys. PaidViewPoint CONs Quite a law and a varying number of surveys. Surveys won’t make you rich. A limited number of payment options. The PaidViewPoint referral program is a great way to earn some extra money. You earn cash, making 20% of everything your referrals earn, up to $25 per referral. Signup on PaidViewPoint 6. SurveyTime.io SurveyTime.io - Paying survey website Persona.ly, a global mobile ad-tech company that works with the largest market research companies globally, launched SurveyTime.io. It is the only survey panel that offers users instant paid surveys with truly instant rewards. SurveyTime.io Website Details: Payment range: $1 per survey Where it’s available: Worldwide. Age requirements: 18+ years old Payment method: PayPal, Coinbase, Gift cards, Retail e-vouchers Minimum to cash out: $1 Time Invested: 5-15 minutes per survey. Social Media Profiles: Facebook. Every time you complete a survey, you will receive an instant $1 reward (from the available rewards options), sent immediately to your PayPal account or another payment method you choose. That's one of the best features. You don't have to raise points, wait to meet the withdrawal limit, convert the points to cash, and then wait patiently for the payment to reach your account. Earn $1 instantly for filling surveys SurveyTime.io Payment Proof: We recently got a new payment from Persona.ly, which administrates SurveyTime.io. Here is the payment proof: SurveyTime Payment Proof SurveyTime.io PROs There is no minimum payment. Get paid instantly after the survey is completed. Earn even more by contributing or referring friends. Get paid by multiple methods, including PayPal, Coinbase, and gift cards. The website is well-designed. SurveyTime.io CONs The website has no contact desk besides an email address. You don't have the option to accumulate your earnings. The number of available surveys varies a lot. Watch below a SurveyTime review and a tutorial on how to sign up and get paid by this survey website: SurveyTime is a legitimate survey site and is not a scam. Some users experience varying levels of success, depending on their location and profile. Signup on SurveyTime.io 7. Swagbucks Best Paying Survey Sites - Swagbucks [Join Swagbucks] Swagbucks is owned and operated by Prodege, LLC. It has an A rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has been in business for almost 15 years. Swagbucks gives you the most opportunities to earn money. Surveys and Polls are the backbones of this site. Swagbucks Website Details: Payment range: Starting at $0.52 per Survey up to $2 per survey Where it’s available: America, Asia, Europe, and some countries in Africa Age requirements: 13+ years old Payment method: PayPal cash or gift cards Minimum to cash out: $1 in gift cards or $3 in PayPal cash Time Invested: 5-20 minutes per survey Social Media Profiles: Facebook, Twitter Signup on Swagbucks With over one hundred million dollars paid out and counting, Swagbucks dwarfs most of the competition. You can earn rewards by completing many tasks, including but not limited to watching movies, completing surveys, or shopping online. They also offer exclusive discounts for other online vendors simply by signing up. Swagbucks PROs High frequency of surveys Many countries are accepted Legit with A+ customer review rating Multiple payment options Swagbucks CONs Their payment process is rather complicated The best thing about Swagbucks is that you will earn rewards for doing things you already did online. Consistently marked as one of the best survey sites by multiple outlets, Swag bucks is a must for any serious online survey taker. Signup for Swagbucks and start Earning Money. 8. Survey Junkie Best Paying Survey Sites - Survey Junkie Survey Junkie is another leader in the survey industry, with a BBB rating of B. The company has been in business since 2011 and serves over 10 million members. Survey Junkiepay their earnings in the form of points. Every 100 points equal $1 earned, and it takes a minimum of 1,000 points (or $10) to cash out via PayPal or with e-gift cards. Survey Junkie Website Details: Payment range: Starting at $0.52 per Survey up to $2 per survey Where it’s available: America, Asia, Europe, and some countries in Africa Age requirements: 13+ years old Payment method: PayPal cash or gift cards Minimum to cash out: $1 in gift cards or $3 in PayPal cash Time Invested: 5-20 minutes per survey Social Media Profiles: Facebook, Twitter With over one hundred million dollars paid out and counting, Swagbucks dwarfs most of the competition. You can earn rewards by completing many tasks, including but not limited to watching movies, completing surveys, or shopping online. Survey Junkie offers exclusive discounts for other online vendors simply by signing up. Survey Junkie PROs High frequency of surveys Many countries are accepted Legit with A+ customer review rating Multiple payment options Survey Junkie CONs Their payment process is rather complicated 9. Survey Savvy [Join Survey Savvy] Best Paying Survey Website - SurveySavvy SurveySavvy is a prominent market research company of Luth Research, so you know they're not going anywhere anytime soon! The site has been around for over 20 years, with millions of members worldwide. SurveySavvy Website Details: Payment range: $1 - $10 per survey Where it’s available: Worldwide Age requirements: 14+ years old Payment method: Check Minimum to cash out: $1 Time Invested: 5-10 minutes per survey Social Media Profiles: Facebook, Twitter SurveySavvy does not offer PayPal as a payment option, and they don't offer gift cards either. They only offer payment through checks that will be mailed to you. Survey Savvy PROs They accept members from all over the world. The member dashboard is easy to use and intuitive. The minimum payment is just $1. Survey Savvy CONs No PayPal. You can get paid only by check, issued in US dollars. You’ll never have to worry about your stream of surveys drying out. SurveySavvy is extremely frequent with their stuff – and compensation isn’t half as bad either. Expect $2 surveys on the regular here. They will also pay you for every friend you refer to the site and an additional $1 or $2 every time your referrals complete a survey, as well as the $0.5 to $1 you earn for referrals. Signup to SurveySavvy and start earning. 10. LifePoints Paying Survey Website - Life Points LifePoints is an online survey site and community of like-minded people who want to share their views and opinions to earn rewards and influence future decisions made by the big brands we know and see daily. LifePoints is run by Lightspeed, ranked as the world’s largest custom research and analysis provider, operating across 70 countries. The company conducted its very first research study in…1946! Life Points Website Details: Payment range: $0.50 to $10 per survey Where it’s available: Worldwide Age requirements: 18+ years old Payment method: PayPal, Gift Cards, Vouchers, Products, Sweepstakes Minimum to cash out: $5 Time Invested: 5-20 minutes per survey. Social Media Profiles: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram In early 2019, Lightspeed shut down MySurvey and GlobalTestMarket in most countries and merged those members into LifePoints. LifePoints rewards its members monthly on social media with prizes such as PlayStation 4, Apple Watch, Xbox, Amazon voucher, Amazon Echo & Alexa devices, Smart TVs, and more. Life Points PROs You can choose from PayPal cash, gift cards, or charity donations. LifePoints is a legitimate and trustworthy company. The cashout threshold is low ($5) compared to most other survey websites. You won’t have to wait too long for the funds to hit your PayPal balance. Users from all over the world are welcome. Life Points CONs Some users complain that their accounts were suspended when payment was due. Disqualification seems to be a common issue. LifePoints seems worse overall than its parent panels, Global Test Market, and MySurvey. LifePoints is a legitimate and trustworthy panel. Regarding profitability, there isn’t a single survey panel that would make you rich. Some of them still try to make it worth your while. Judging by all the information I could get, LifePoints is not one of them. Or at least, not yet. Signup on Life Points 11. MyPoints MyPoints is primarily an online shopping and rewards service. But it also allows users to increase their earnings by taking paid surveys. You can sign up for an account to access all the promotional options, including shopping rewards, surveys, watching videos, or redeeming coupons. Founded in 1996, MyPoints has helped over 9 million members earn points and rewards at 2,000 top retailers. MyPoints Website Details: Payment range: $0.35 to $1 per survey ($10 bonus at signup) Where it’s available: USA, Canada Payment method: Gift cards, Visa Gift card Minimum to cash out: $5 Time Invested: 5-20 minutes per survey Social Media Profiles: None found The site works on a points system; you can earn points on surveys you don’t qualify for. There’s also a $10 signup bonus. MyPoints PROs Great mobile app to earn cash on your phone or the web. They reward you with points for just signing up. There are lots of ways to increase your points and make money. It is a legit company and pays you as soon as you earn. Get your money in less than a week. It is a safe site that doesn’t require sharing sensitive information like credit card details. MyPoints CONs You may not be able to take all the surveys because many have disqualification terms. Your earnings from some methods take longer to show up in your account. It is only limited to residents of the US and Canada. They don’t have a solid system to track the points you earn from surveys. MyPoints.com is a good website for making money by paying surveys. Granted, there are a few issues like not being eligible for all surveys and caps on the number of points you can earn per day in specific categories. But even with these drawbacks, MyPoints still came out looking good. There are several ways to earn points. the redemption policy is flexible and customer-centric, and you can redeem your rewards points in various ways. 12. Pinecone Research The Pinecone Research website is one of the older players in the survey game and has been a long-time leader. Pinecone Research Review should be at the top of your list if you’re looking for an easy way to earn extra cash by reviewing products. Pinecone Research is backed by Nielsen, a leading market research company with an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Pinecone Research Website Details: Payment range: $0.75 to $75 per survey. ($2 signup bonus) Where it’s available: United States, United Kingdom, Canada Payment method: Paypal, Checks, Gift cards Minimum to cash out: $3 Time Invested: 5-20 minutes per survey. Social Media Profiles: TrustPilot, Twitter, Pinterest. Pinecone Research PROs The company has an A+ rating with BBB. They pay at least $3 per survey. PineCone Research has a lucky draw twice a week worth $500 and a quarterly draw worth $4,500. There is no chance of disqualification. They will send you only the surveys you qualify for. As Nielsen backs it, it’s a legit survey panel to sign up for. Pinecone Research CONs The qualification rate for surveys is relatively low. Limited customer support compared to other companies. It is only limited to US, UK, and Canadian residents. The points expire after 12 months of inactivity. PineCone Research has no mobile app yet, so you must use a desktop or a laptop to take surveys. Overall, Pinecone Research is a great way to earn extra money online. The surveys and product tests are simple to complete. Most can be done for several minutes, making them ideal if you have a busy schedule. Here is a video review of Pinecone Research if you're more into videos rather than reading: 13. Tellwut The US and Canada Paying Survey Company - Tellwut[/caption] Tellwut is a paying survey website open to residents of Canada and the USA only. It has been operating since 2010, and the panel grows daily and boasts 750,000+ members. The members participate in surveys and social media activities, earning rewards. You can get gift cards in denominations of $10, $15, $25 for retailers including Amazon, Home Depot, Subway, Sephora, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, CVS, Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, Domino's, Game Stop, Amazon gift certificates are available in different denominations of $50, $100, and $250. Tellwut Website Details: Payment range: $0.50 to $5 per survey Where it’s available: USA, Canada Age requirements: 18+ years old Payment method: Gift cards, Prepaid debit or credit cards, Merchandise, Movie vouchers, Retail e-vouchers Minimum to cash out: $10 Time Invested: 10-15 minutes per survey. Social Media Profiles: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Linkedin. A bonus of being a registered member also consists of its fantastic daily rewards giveaway of 10,000 points a day. That’s like earning a clean $10/day if you qualify! Tellwut lets you decide pretty early on the types of rewards you’d prefer to receive and tailors all of their surveys to help you achieve your goal quickly. Tellwut PROs There also is no disqualification from surveys. There are many surveys to choose from. You can earn even more by contributing or referring friends. It's free to join. Payments are usually made fast. Tellwut CONs The minimum cash out is 4000 points - $10. You can not withdraw to PayPal, but only to gift cards or debit cards. Getting points is difficult when you get closer to the minimum cash out. It's available only to people in the US and Canada. You will receive 100 points just for signing up and another 200 points when you provide your profile information. Interestingly, Tellwut has a referral program, and you will receive 25 points for each friend you refer. Tellwut is a safe and legit paying survey website. Signup to earn gift cards and connect with other survey takers. If the community aspect of the website appeals to you, you will enjoy being a member. Signup on Tellwut 14. i-Say i-Say Survey Website Ipsos i-Say is a survey site run by Ipsos, one of the world's largest market research firms online. This company has its headquarters in Paris, France, and they are present in 88 countries, employing more than 16,000 people. The i-Say website is pretty straightforward; you take surveys and get paid in points, which you can redeem for various gift cards and prizes. i-Say Website Details: Payment range: $0.50 to $10 per survey. Where it’s available: Worldwide. Age requirements: 18+ years old. Payment method: PayPal, Gift cards, Virtual cards, Donations. Minimum to cash out: $5 for gift cards. Time Invested: 5-20 minutes per survey. Social Media Profiles: Facebook, Instagram You can earn money or rewards in the following ways using Ipsos I-say: surveys, the loyalty program, polls, draws (which are held every four months, and ten lucky members receive 5000 points) and through their referral program. i-Say PROs Decent rewards. Low cashout threshold of just $5. Same-day redemption for e-gift cards. Clean Interface. You can quickly know how many points you will get for taking a survey and approximately how long it’ll take. Legit survey site. i-Say CONs Surveys won’t make you rich. You may not qualify for surveys. Cash payouts via PayPal take 3-4 weeks to process. Once you have accumulated 500 points or more, you can redeem them for various rewards, including PayPal cash, Amazon gift cards, Starbucks eGift Cards, Tim Horton's cards, iTunes, Virtual Visa Prepaid cards, and other popular gift cards. Here is a recent in-depth review of i-Say done by a Youtuber: 15. PointClub Last but certainly not least, PointClub is the latest addition to our list of best-paying survey websites – and they’re already one of our favorites. PointClub launched in 2012 and is run by Innovate MR, an independently-owned market research firm with over 3,500,000 panelists and over 10,000,000 survey completions. Founded by research industry pioneers, Innovate is committed to quality and transparency. PointClub Website Details: Payment range: $0.50 to $10 per survey ($5 bonus at signup) Where it’s available: Worldwide Age requirements: 18+ years old Payment method: PayPal, Prepaid debit and credit cards, Gift cards, Movie vouchers, Sweepstakes entries Minimum to cash out: $25 for gift cards, $50 for PayPal Time Invested: 5-20 minutes per survey Social Media Profiles: Facebook, Twitter PointClub lets you decide pretty early on the types of rewards you’d prefer receiving and tailors all of their surveys to help you achieve your goal quickly. A bonus of being a registered member also consists of its fantastic daily rewards giveaway of 10,000 points a day. That’s like earning a clean $10/day if you qualify! PointClub PROs There is a large selection of rewards. PointClub provides many surveys for you to choose from. The website has an eye-catching user interface. It's free to join. Payments are usually made fast. PointClub CONs Minimum cash out is high—$ 25 for gift cards, $50 for PayPal. It’s hard to qualify for surveys. It's difficult to get points when you get closer to the minimum cash out. It has a relatively bad reputation with several negative reviews on the Internet. PointClub offers a Referral Zone where members can earn additional points by inviting friends to join the community. Limited to members and referrals in the USA, earn 10% of your referral's points. Refer 20 or more members to achieve Brand Ambassador status and receive a 20% of your referral's earnings credited to your account. All PointClub rewards are received 72 hours after withdrawal. You can take a look at all of their customer testimonials right here. Here is a recent in-depth review of PointClub done by a Youtuber: Signup on Point Club Honorable mentions: [24] American Consumer Opinion, [25] One Opinion, Surveys on the Go, iPoll. Best Practice for Making Money With Surveys Websites Even if a survey site is trustworthy, there are still precautions you should take. Here are the top 5 things you should do when taking online surveys: Use a separate email address - You should create a separate email address for accounts on survey websites. You will get dozens of emails if you sign up for 5-10 survey companies. Most of them send multiple emails every day. If you stop doing surveys, you can check that email account instead of unsubscribing from many sites. Keep your work and personal inboxes clear of clutter. Use anti-malware software - Anti-malware software can keep your laptop virus-free. Protecting your computer from malicious spyware and viruses is vital if you visit multiple survey sites daily. Be mindful of what you share - Good survey companies will keep your identity a secret. But that doesn’t make it safe to provide them with sensitive information like your Social Security number, driver’s license number, or bank account numbers. Legitimate survey companies do not need this information. Take frequent breaks - Completing surveys can be tedious. Take regular intervals from your screen so that you will not rush through surveys and provide wrong or inconsistent answers as you will not get paid, or you may even close your account. Fees and false promises - Any survey site that promises you’ll earn thousands per month is either a scam or at least misleading. Please ensure the sites you join make realistic statements about your potential earnings and the time it takes to complete surveys. Best Paying Survey Sites FAQ Can I make money with online surveys? Yes, you can earn money taking surveys because companies are willing to pay to get a glimpse into the minds of their average consumers. Companies can improve their products, services, and marketing strategies using surveys' answers. How much can I make from paid surveys online? There are many factors that affect your earnings when taking online surveys, like how many you complete, how consistent you are and your demographic information. Most surveys pay between $0.50 and $3 for 10 to 20 minutes of your time. Some surveys pay up to $50, but those are rare. If you spend your time wisely, you can potentially earn an extra couple of hundred dollars per year. These websites also have well-paying referral programs that make it possible to earn passively based on the number of invites you bring onboard. What online surveys pay the most? The amount a survey pays directly relates to the amount of time it takes to complete and the demographics the survey targets. Longer surveys tend to pay more, and you can steadily accumulate your earnings as long as you stay consistent. Pro tip: If you want to make the most money taking paid surveys, we recommend filling out your demographic profile after signing up and then taking only the highest paying surveys each day and waiting for new high-paying surveys to appear later day or week. What are the best online survey sites that pay through Paypal? Here are the best survey websites that pay your earnings through PayPal: Swagbucks, PrizeRebel, InboxDollars, Survey Junkie, SurveyTime.io, and ySense. Several other sites in our list pay through PayPal, so I suggest you check it. Which paid survey sites are legitimate? Legitimate survey sites are free to join, well-established, and hold a high rating with sites like Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau. Your best bet is to join trusted sites like Swagbucks, InboxDollars, and Vindale Research. How do I withdraw my earnings from a paid online survey website? Different online survey companies have varied payment options and reward systems. While most choose to pay cash in bank or PayPal deposits, others prefer issuing Amazon gift cards or other popular online and main street retailers. Conclusion So, you reach the end of our complete guide on the best survey sites that pay well in 2023. Now you know how a survey website works, how much you can make, the best practices to make money with survey websites, and how to stay away from survey scams. What about you? What experience do you have with survey sites? Are you making enough money? Do you think we should add more paying survey sites to the top? Let us know in the comments form.

Table of Contents 1 Glossary 2 Why Buy Gold & Silver 3 Before You Buy Gold Or Silver 4 Where To Buy Gold & Silver 5 What kind of Gold & Silver To Buy 6 Storage of physical gold 7 Non-Physical GOLD You can purchase 8 Your exit plan Recent economic and monetary developments have increased interest in safe-haven assets. Precious metals (Gold and Silver) have historically thrived in uncertain times like these. The current financial crisis has been no exception, with metals rising hundreds of percent over the past ten years. If you are interested in Gold and Silver, this guide should be a handy introduction to the metals. It was written with the beginner in mind to provide the basic knowledge on how and where to purchase bullion, what types to buy, and ensure you are comfortable making your first purchase. Whether through an online dealer, over the counter from a store, or a private transaction with another individual. For some of us, the information in this guide is just a reminder. Still, hopefully, there is enough content here to benefit intermediate and expert Gold/Silver buyers and beginners. To help get you started with the guide, here are some terms that you might not yet be familiar with but maybe litter through the guide: Glossary Gold: A precious yellow metal (Au, chemical element) Silver: A silver-white lustrous precious metal (Ag, chemical element) Bullion: A term that can be used to describe a precious metal in investment form (e.g., a bullion bar could be either Gold/Silver) Spot Price: The market dictated the 'base price of Gold or Silver Dealer Premium: The percentage markup charged by the dealer over the spot price .xxx Fine: Purity of Gold/Silver (measured as a fraction of the total) AGW/ASW: Actual Gold/Silver Weight signifies Gold/Silver content (Troy Ounces) in a coin or bar less than a .999 fine. Troy Ounce: Common unit of measurement for Gold/Silver (31.103 grams) Why Buy Gold & Silver This guide was written to direct readers on how and what to buy rather than why. However, it is prudent to include a small section on why to buy as this may dictate the way and what you believe. Some people are buying Gold as money, somewhere to store their wealth as central banks destroy it through excessive money printing (keep their wealth safe from inflationary forces). Others buy as insurance, a hard asset that can be exchanged in the case of a complete financial meltdown (to keep their wealth safe from deflationary forces). Some see that Gold and Silver are cyclical and are trying to time the move from buying when undervalued to selling as they move to overvalued (essentially a medium/long-term trade). Some buy due to the unstable political, financial, and economic environment, seeing that the metals have previously thrived in such situations. Gold Prices - 100-Year Historical Chart None of these reasons are necessarily wrong. Some may buy to protect against multiple situations, or their specific location may dictate which is appropriate based on likely outcomes. Gold and Silver both have rich histories of use as money. The perfect money should have the following attributes: Durable (not easy to destroy) Acceptable (something that other individuals will take) Portable (ability to carry wealth easily) Divisible (able to be split without destroying value) Homogeneous (consistent) Identifiable (easily recognized/measured) Retain value (rare/scarce) Gold has all the above attributed and Silver most as well (could argue that at current low prices, Silver isn't very portable). It's no wonder that Gold and Silver have remained the people's choice as money for thousands of years. Open your wallet and take a look at the plastic notes inside. What gives this currency any value to be exchanged for goods? Can you come up with a reasonable answer? I suggest 'confidence' and nothing more gives this currency any value. While the general public is confident that their currency has value, you can exchange it for goods (and to a degree, this reflects the public's confidence in the central bank or government to do right by the money supply). Confidence in fiat currencies is slowly faltering as people wake up to the reality that central banks and governments are destroying the value of their savings through bailouts and money printing to try to avert our current debt crisis. Eventually, we will reach the 'knee of the curve' or inflection point where the vote of nonconfidence in fiat currencies accelerates, but to what end? There is the possibility that governments restore faith in fiat currencies before they are ultimately rejected. In the 1980s, they did this by jacking up the interest rates to control inflation and restoring a fair cost to borrow money above the inflation rate. I recently heard a story that went something like this: This truly does reflect the way people think and act. Whether we would like to admit it or not, humans (as a group) have a herd mentality, just like sheep. You can be significantly better off if you act ahead of the majority. If the shift toward hard assets and sound money in Gold or Silver continues, working ahead of the herd can greatly reward those early to the scene. Jim Rickards was even recently quoted as saying that less than 1% moving in a specific direction could set the trend given the fragile nature of our markets: I don't think that he is wrong. At the same time, we must be cautious as the bull market and wealth shifts into Gold and Silver are already around ten years old. Over the past 100 years, the wealth shift from stocks into Gold and Silver, as measured by the Dow to Gold ratio, has only lasted around 13-14 years, as recently pointed out on Pragmatic Capitalism: Given the nature of the current crisis, it could be "different this time," especially if we return to sound money that somehow includes the metals, for example, a return to a Gold backed currency which is improbable, or inclusion of Gold in a new global monetary system such as the proposed SDR (basket of currencies) could result in a more permanent revaluation of the metals. The above has only started to scratch the surface of why you might want to buy Gold and Silver. Hopefully, it kicks your mind into gear and gets you thinking like current Gold and Silver buyers. From there, you can start researching and decide why you buy the metals. Before You Buy Gold Or Silver There are a couple of things you should take into consideration before you decide to buy GOLD or Silver. Let's review them: Tax on Gold and Silver Before making any investment purchase, you should consider the tax implications of buying and selling the asset. GST (Goods & Services Tax) Investment grade Gold (99.5%+ Fine) and Silver (99.9%+ Fine) bullion is not subject to GST. Bullion products of a lesser grade (for example, 22k Gold coins like Sovereigns & Kruggerands or 92.5% sterling Silver coins) attract GST when a bullion dealer sells. You can avoid this additional premium by buying affected products privately, where GST does not need to be charged. Numismatic coins are not considered 'investment grade,' so they will also attract GST even though they might have the required finesse. CGT (Capital Gains Tax) CGT applies to capital gains made from Gold and Silver. This is from the ATO: A capital gain - or capital loss - is the difference between what it costs to get an asset and what you receive when you dispose of it. You pay tax on your capital gains. It's not a separate tax, just part of your income tax, although it is generally referred to as capital gains tax (CGT). ATO.gov.au For example, if you buy an ounce of Gold for $1900 and sell it for $2800, then you will be liable to pay income tax on the $900 profit (there are exceptions, such as if you've held the asset for 12 months then you only pay tax on half the gain). Consult your accountant to see how CGT might affect your investment in Gold and Silver. Tax Changes Tax rules could change throughout the bull market (after you have purchased Gold and Silver or related investments). A few commentators have suggested this is how the metals will be confiscated from the people via a windfall tax (rather than direct confiscation, they will tax precious metal investors a much higher percentage on their gains once they sell). This is something to keep in mind. The Greens also suggested that Gold miners should be included in the MRRT (Minerals Resource Rent Tax), which has the potential to impact their profitability (and, in turn, share price if you hold any Australian Gold miners). Spot Price / Physical Premiums The spot price of Gold and Silver is derived from active intraday trading that occurs on multiple markets across the world. Generally, the largest moves happen in the most established markets during US and London trading hours. Consider the spot price as a base rate for the metal. When you buy retail-sized bullion bars and coins, you will pay a premium to the spot price. This premium covers the cost of production and distribution. Generally speaking, the smaller the product you buy, the larger the premium will be (as a % of the products underlying spot value). If the spot was at $30, then a 1oz Silver round might set you back $34.50 (15% premium to spot price), whereas a 10oz Silver bar might cost $315 ($31.50 per oz, 5% premium to spot price), a lower premium than the coin. Depending on the product, the premium may hold or even rise if sought after (e.g., if it has a limited mintage). It's a good idea to keep a mix of larger bullion (to stack as many ounces as you can for as little as possible) and smaller bullion (for liquidity purposes and to take advantage of limited mintage bullion coins, which can rise in value), I talk more about what to buy later in the guide. Australian Price of Gold and Silver In Australia, you will pay a different price to our American counterparts as the local price is a derivative of the US spot price and AUD/USD exchange rate. For this reason, Gold and Silver purchased locally is a play on the US spot price of the metal and a currency play (what the AUD will do relative to the USD). This has resulted in some fascinating local dynamics; for example, the price of Gold in Australia didn't fall by nearly as much as the US price in the middle of the GFC (2008) as the falling AUD held up the price. To determine the AUD price of Gold, we divide the US spot price by the AUD/USD exchange rate. So, for example, at the time of writing this post, we have a US spot price of US$1680 and an AUD/USD exchange rate of .9714: US$1680 / .9714 = AUD$1729 Of course, there is no need to manually calculate the price this way whenever you want to check the local price, as some websites display the spot price of Gold and Silver in AUD. It's essential to understand this pricing. Many suggest the US will enter hyperinflation and Gold/Silver will go to the moon. If this were to happen, it wouldn't necessarily reflect in astronomical prices here as we could see our dollar appreciate against the USD. If we have a second credit crisis like that seen in 2008 and the USD strengthens (against the AUD) along with Gold (as opposed to the fall it saw in 2008), the local price of Gold could soar much higher than the US price. Hopefully, this gives you a basic understanding of how the AUD price of Gold and Silver works. ID Requirements When Buying Gold or Silver When you make a bullion purchase (either in person or online), you may be required to provide identification. Depending on the purchase size, the business you buy from may be required by law to view a particular ID, or it may simply be an in-house rule. Under the Anti Money Laundering / Counter Terrorism Financing legislation, customer identification procedures must be followed for specific transactions by designated service providers. This means that when a bullion dealer provides you with $5000 or more worth of bullion, they are legally required to take appropriate identification from the buyer. Furthermore, where a $10,000 or more transaction is made with cash (e.g., for the purchase of bullion), the dealer must lodge a significant cash transaction report to AUSTRAC (for Australia). As these laws aren't specific enough to cover every type of transaction that might occur, some dealers may interpret the legislation slightly differently (hence different requirements between dealers). Some dealers even ask for ID (even if not required by law) on transactions less than $5000. It would be best to familiarize yourself with the identification procedures that the dealer you buy from adheres to. If they don't have the information readily available on their website or in-store, ask before handing over your cash. In general, if you keep your transactions to less than $5000 and purchase infrequently, you should be able to build a position in Gold and Silver without an accompanying paper trail. Buying/selling privately can also result in the same. Postage of Gold and Silver I thought a section covering postage of bullion items would be prudent to include. Importantly it should be noted that AUSTRALIA POST DOES NOT INSURE BULLION. That is the case even if you have purchased insurance for the package. The terms and conditions on their Express/Platinum/Registered services exclude bullion. If you are sending valuable items, Express Post Platinum offers additional peace of mind with automatic compensation of up to $100 should loss or damage occurs. If your item exceeds $100 in value, you can purchase Extra Cover up to a limit of $5,000 from your local postal outlet. Extra Cover does not apply to bank notes, bullion, or negotiable securities. Australia Post This poses a significant risk when buying from either dealers or privately when their postage method is via Australia Post. I have heard it suggested that some insure their packages as "metal parts" or something else rather than specifying it's bullion to cover themselves if it goes missing. It's not a strategy I would recommend relying on. Some dealers post via other couriers who can ensure the product or claim to self-insure when sending via Australia Post. Be sure to have an understanding with the Gold/Silver seller (whether private individual or dealer) before making a purchase, and know and understand their policy on what happens if they are sending via an uninsured method and the package goes missing. Buying From Overseas Purchasing Gold and Silver from overseas definitely has its risks. Still, with premiums in the United States and elsewhere sometimes much lower than locally, it can be worth importing Gold and Silver if doing so in large enough quantities. Most products, when imported, will incur customs duty/GST if they are over AUD$1000 in value. Investment-grade bullion shouldn't be subject to GST. However, some courier services do not recognize this, and you may have a fight on your hands to get the bullion through without paying the tax and then applying later for a refund. Future reading: Investing in Gold - Pros and Cons Where To Buy Gold & Silver Online Dealers There are now many online dealers available to purchase bullion from in Australia. The last couple of years have seen many new stores spring up, and no doubt, as more investors turn to precious metals, this number will only increase. Pricing has become highly competitive amongst online dealers cutting to excellent margins and relying on volume/turnover to make up for the lower profits. I suggest finding a dealer who can be recommended by the bullion-buying community (e.g., search or ask for feedback on dealers at SilverStackers.com). I have purchased from and can recommend Bullion Money. I have also purchased from the below online dealers and can recommend their services (fast delivery, good communication): Gold Stackers Bullion Bourse Aurora Et Luna Some online dealers also have a walk-in office or store (Bullion Money now does). Don't let the fact that some dealers don't have a walk-in store deter you. Many of them have established long-lasting relationships with their customers and can be trusted (but please do your reading, especially on any newly established stores). Direct From Perth Mint Gold and Silver bullion can be purchased from the Perth Mint in several ways. You can walk in and buy it across the counter, place orders over the phone, or buy via their online portal (Perth Mint Bullion). The most significant criticism of Perth Mint is its cost. Most dealers undercut Perth Mint with their products by buying in bulk at wholesale prices and selling for less than Perth Mint sells to the public. Furthermore, Perth Mint's shipping/insurance costs are pretty substantial (costs listed here). That said, you aren't going to find a more secure business to purchase your bullion through, given that they have the backing of the Western Australian Government. Suppose a dealer goes bankrupt while holding your funds for an online order (not likely, but you can't rule out the possibility). In that case, you will likely become an unsecured creditor chasing the funds from the administrators. No such event could occur when buying through the Perth Mint. It would be best to determine whether the additional security is worth the extra cost. eBay & Auction Sites From my observations, eBay rarely provides a good platform for buying bullion. The excessive eBay and PayPal fees mean dealers can't remain competitive, given the low margin % on bullion sales. Where a dealer sells bullion on eBay, you can often visit their external online store for much better prices. Along with legitimate bullion, eBay allows many fake/plated items to be sold. Some of these products are clearly labeled (for example, items listed as mills or plated), while others (such as fake Chinese Bullion Panda coins) are not marked and are sold as legitimate products when they are fake. Sometimes bargains come up on eBay; for example, less well-known coins will sometimes go for very close to or even under the spot. As I mentioned on the blog, I even picked up some PAMP 1 Kilo bars for undermark when a dealer started dumping them en masse over a few nights. However, these finds are the exception, not the rule, so avoid eBay, but consider scouring it for good deals once you are more confident about prices you should be paying for specific products and can tell real from fake. Although I only specify eBay above, the same is also relevant to most online auction sites. Walk-in Store/Office There are many bullion dealers all over Australia. At least several in each capital city. The benefits include walking in and talking to someone face to face about your purchase, more easily asking questions, seeing what you are purchasing, and in most cases, walking away with the product in hand once you've paid for it. A bullion dealer who runs a shopfront will likely have larger overheads than an online store; this may reflect in the pricing of their bullion (e.g., in some cases, you would pay more in a walk-in store than via an online purchase). There is a list of Australian bullion dealers on this site, which may come in handy (unsure of how current the list is) to help you find a nearby store. Privately (From Individuals) Buying and selling Gold and Silver privately is easy. Silver Stackers is a forum where a predominant percentage of the user base is Australian, and they have a trading section expressly set up for facilitating transactions between individuals. Public and private forums provide more privacy if you only want registered members of the forum to see the items you have posted for sale. Trade feedback gives you a history of member transactions to decide better which members you feel comfortable transacting with. Extra care should be taken when purchasing metals privately. When signing up on Silver Stackers or any other site, ensure you are careful about your username; for example, I wouldn't recommend signing up with your real name (make up a handle/nickname). Also, ensure you leave the hide email address option default (hidden), especially if you are signing up with an email that contains your real name. If meeting face-to-face for a private transaction, I would suggest doing so in a public/high-traffic space where a discreet transaction can be made. For example, a Cafe/Pub table might be suitable for facilitating trade. If you buy from someone privately and in public, then you probably have little recourse if what you buy is fake, so be careful who you choose to deal with and ensure that you are confident what you are buying is the real deal. What kind of Gold & Silver To Buy Bars & Ingots Gold and Silver When looking at Gold or Silver bars and ingots, you often choose between cast or minted bars. Cast bars where the metal is poured in liquid form (after being heated) into a mold. Generally, these bars will appear less refined and may have uneven surfaces. Minted bars are pressed in a machine with minting dies onto 'blanks.' Visually they are more attractive, and some manufacturers add an extra level of security by putting minted bars in plastic security cards. A premium is paid for minted bars. Whether it's worth the premium is something that you will have to decide for yourself, but I believe the security cards that Perth Mint and PAMP put some of their minted bars in are a welcome addition and will make it easier to sell them when it comes time to do so. Gold Gold bars and ingots come in many shapes and sizes. There are many different hallmarks and brands. Where possible, you are best sticking with those easily recognized in Australia; for example, brands such as Perth Mint, ABC, PAMP, or Ainslie are well-known and widely accepted. To provide maximum liquidity, buying bars and ingots that are 2oz or less would be worth aiming for 10g to 1/2oz, where you can get them for a reasonable premium. If Gold heads to $3000 an ounce, you have to ask how many people would have more than $6000 (2oz) to spend in one go to purchase it from you. A larger bar limits your stack's liquidity if you intend to sell privately (the liquidity risk of larger bars is smaller if you want to sell back to a dealer). Silver As well as cast/minted bars, a recent addition to the famous Silver bar lineup has been a CNC Milled bar. These bars have grooves cut out of them with a particular machine, and in the case of the 'stacker' series bars (of which there are multiple branding), they can be stacked in an interlocked format, one on top of the other. Once again, I would try and stick to the well-known brands and formats to ensure they are quickly sold when the time comes. I would stick with 1kg Silver bars or smaller ones to provide maximum liquidity. 10oz Silver bars are trendy and can be purchased for only a small premium to the spot price. Although 100oz bars and larger can be purchased for smaller premiums, if we were to see Silver head to $100 an ounce, you are left trying to shift a single bar worth $10,000. Coins & Rounds Sovereigns (Gold) Sovereigns and half Sovereign coins are popular with Gold investors. Sovereigns are a 22k Gold coin (.916 Fine). A full sovereign has a .2354 AGW, and the half sovereign contains a .1177 AGW. Being so close to a 1/4 Troy Ounce of Gold makes the Sovereign a handy coin for trading. Some less common years command a higher premium, but generally, Sovereigns will be sold for around 12% over the spot price of the Gold. Sovereigns are sometimes copied by jewelers, in which case they would typically have an additional hallmark to indicate that this is the case. Some jeweler's copies will be less fine (at 18k rather than 22k), so you are best to stick with the original coins where possible. You can read more about Gold Sovereigns here. Uncirculated Coins (Gold & Silver) Government-minted coins are generally more expensive than generically minted rounds (as described below). Coins are produced in government-owned mints and usually have a face value (and legal tender status). Bullion coins include the Perth Mint Kookaburra and Lunar coins, the United States Gold & Silver Eagle, the Canadian Maple Leaf, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the Chinese Panda. Some of these coins are relatively low in mintage so they can achieve a high premium once no longer available from their source (mint or official distributors). Circulated Coins (Silver) When I say circulated, I refer to coins that either were or are circulated as legal tender in Australia and contain Silver. Such coins include the 1966 Round 50 cent piece and older predecimal coins such as florins, shillings & crowns. These coins all have different Silver content, which can even change depending on the year; For example, predecimal until 1946 was coined in Sterling Silver (92.5%), but the following were only 50% Silver. The 1966 Round 50 cent piece is 80% Silver. Silver in this form is inexpensive and should be purchased for a spot or only a few % higher. Given the small content of Silver in each coin, these coins would become very practical if the need ever arose for transactional-size bullion. Rounds (Gold & Silver) Bullion rounds are similar to bullion coins, except a government mint does not issue them as legal tender. Popular Silver rounds include Buffalos & Scottsdale Omnia rounds. Stick to common/well-known coins to avoid difficulty in selling. Many different obscure generic round designs might be attractive to you but more difficult to sell later. Numismatics Suppose you are buying numismatic coins at a significant premium to Gold/Silver. In that case, you are speculating on the demand for the coin rather than on the underlying value of the metal. If you are specifically buying Gold and Silver to take advantage of the rise in spot prices, then you are best-avoiding numismatics. However, some new release bullion coins are minted in limited quantities providing an opportunity to buy them at bullion prices and holding the potential they will achieve a numismatic premium later down the track. This premium can take years to develop, or like the recently released Perth Mint 2012 Lunar Dragon, the premiums can develop practically overnight once sold out at the mint. In my opinion, you are better off paying a little extra for the Perth Mint limited mintage 1oz bullion coins (particularly in Australia where Perth Mint coins are highly sought after) rather than American Silver Eagles, Maples, and other unlimited (or high limit) mintage coins & rounds. Examples of bullion coins that can achieve a numismatic premium down the track are the Perth Mint Lunar Series, the Kookaburra Series, and the Koala Series. Make sure you do your research, as generally; only some sizes will have a limited mintage making the demand for these specific coins somewhat larger. Jewelry Jewelry made out of Gold and Silver is one way of gaining exposure to the metals if you can buy it reasonably (note that most jewelry retailers will sell at a considerable premium, so generally should be avoided). However, it is not as quickly checked for authenticity (for example, unlike coins, no universal size/weight can be checked against). When selling jewelry back to a jeweler or gold buyer, you would expect to receive less than the spot price in most cases. One perceived benefit of holding Gold/Silver jewelry is that they would likely be excluded if governments ever confiscated the metals. However, in my opinion, unless you have the appropriate resources to test the pieces you buy thoroughly, the risks far outweigh the potential benefits. What not to buy Unfortunately, many items sold (particularly on auction sites like eBay) are not real Gold/Silver and should be avoided at all costs. Some examples include: German (Nickel) Silver: This copper alloy with nickel and often zinc. The usual formulation is 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc. 100 Mills/Mils: Refers to a Silver (or Gold) plated product. While the very thin exterior layer *might* be real Silver or Gold, the inside will be something else (usually copper). HGE Gold: Stands for Heavy Gold Electroplate and consists of a base metal plated in Gold. Gold Flakes: Often sold in vials, this alloy is unlikely to contain significant amounts of (if ANY) real Gold. Columbium (Niobium) / Molybdenum Bullion: Other metals may be manufactured into bars and coins and sold as a "precious" metal, but ultimately they are of little value to the investor. Other keywords to look out for when avoiding products that are likely fake and contain little or no real Gold/Silver: Copy, Replica, Plated, Layered. The easiest way to avoid fake, replicas, or otherwise worthless metals is to buy from a reputable source (such as a well-known and respected dealer). Further reading: Top 10 Dangerous Mistakes When Investing in Gold What Mix Is Best The three largest factors that weigh in on what you should buy are liquidity, recognition, and premium. Some questions you might need to ask yourself would be: Liquidity: How much will each piece be worth at my target sale price, and will a buyer be easily found? Recognition: Will a buyer easily recognize the brand of bullion that I've purchased? Premium: When reselling what I've paid for each item, will I get the premium back? For example, suppose you have a million dollars to sink into physical Gold/Silver and intend on selling back to a dealer. In that case, you won't want to be messing around with predecimal coins, and likely the best solution would be to stick with large, widely recognized/accepted bars, such as 10oz to 1 Kilo Gold bars and 1000oz Silver bars. Those of us with a smaller bankroll who intend on selling Gold and Silver privately will need to find a balance of smaller products that will be more easily sold. A reasonably balanced stack with a mix of low premium and quickly sold & recognized products might look like this (example only, not advice): $20,000 spent Gold Spot Price: AUD: $1595 Silver Spot Price: AUD: $29.25 Gold $3290 - 2 x 1oz Perth Mint CertiCard bars ($1645 each) $4200 - 10 x Sovereigns (.2354oz, $420 each) $5450 - 10 x 10g Perth Mint CertiCard bars ($545 each) $1425 - 5 x 5g PAMP CertiCard bars = ($285 each) Total Gold: $14,365 (72.5% of spend) Silver $2124 - 60 x Perth Mint 1oz Silver Koala ($35.40 each) $3350 - 10 x Perth Mint 10oz Silver bars ($335 each) Total Silver: $5,474 (27.5% of spend) Grand Total: $19,839 The above is based on today's spot price and premiums from a dealer, but it gives you an idea of what a well-recognized and easily liquidated stack looks like with a mixture of low and higher-premium products. Depending on your outlook for Gold or Silver, you might more heavily weigh your buying in one direction. Storage of Physical Gold You will need somewhere safe to store any physical Gold and Silver you purchase. Your situation may limit your options (e.g., renting/buying, house/unit). Here are the main options: Safety Deposit Box These are provided by some banks and private companies (for example, Guardian Vaults in Melbourne). They provide an offsite storage option, usually with an establishment fee and ongoing monthly fees. Pros: Generally safer than home storage. Cons: If Gold is confiscated, you may get locked out & forced to hand over your Gold. Banking holidays could restrict access in case of urgent need. Allocation Gold is owned outright by an investor and stored under a safekeeping or custody arrangement in a bullion vault. It is the property of the investor. Some dealers offer this as a free service to their customers. Make sure you read the fine print on any arrangement. Pros: Potentially a cheaper storage option for the small-time stacker who doesn't want to pay for a safety deposit box. Cons: At the mercy of the dealer to access. Home Installed Safe If you own your own home (or have permission from your landlord), you could install a safe. A safe will set you back anywhere from $100 to $ 1000's. Depending on the size/weight, it may need to be bolted to the floor, or if large/heavy enough, some are free-standing. Pros: Easily accessed. Cons: If someone knows you have a safe, they could threaten you with a weapon to get it open. Depending on the model, it might be cracked or removed in a break-in. Fire risk (depending on the safe rating). Buried Some choose to hide their physical metals. This may be inside the home in obscure locations. A burglar could guess the problem with this being any hiding spots you can think of. Others hide the metals underground, digging a hole to bury them. Pros: Probably the safest way of home storage. No risk of fire damage. Cons: They might never be found without telling anyone and meeting an unexpected end. Insurance You should consider insuring your bullion if you keep it at home or in a safety deposit box. Safety deposit box providers won't always provide insurance for their boxes by default, so see what is provided and organize it externally where required. Environment It would be best to store physical metals in a clean, dry location with a constantly moderate temperature (especially for Silver which can tarnish). Non-Physical GOLD You can purchase While this guide was written with the physical buyer of Gold and Silver in mind, I am not oblivious to the alternatives (I have used some of them myself short term at times), and it's a good idea to consider these when looking at exposure to Gold and Silver. Depending on your particular circumstances & reasons for investing in Gold, exposure to the price of Gold or Silver via external storage with a company or in electronic form may be more convenient and safer. Below is a brief description of some alternatives to physical metals: ASX Listed AUD Gold/Silver Alternatives PMGOLD: The Perth Mint security listed on the ASX is PMGOLD. You can read more about the product here. It can be redeemed for physical Gold, but ideally, it is suited to traders who want exposure to the price of AUD Gold or those who don't want the hassle of buying, storing, and then selling physical. There is a low management fee; ensure you read the PDS and are comfortable with the costs, terms, and conditions. GOLD: The other AUD Gold proxy on the ASX is GOLD. You can view the fact sheet and more information about this product here. ETPMAG: This is the Silver equivalent of the above-listed GOLD; it tracks the AUD price of Silver. Further information is here. ASX Listed USD Gold Alternative QAU: This security hedges the AUD/USD exchange rate to expose Australians to the movements of the USD price of Gold. I like the idea of this product (although I haven't yet used it myself). The US price of Gold has outperformed the AUD price of Gold over the past ten years; this product allows exposure to US$ Gold price movements without the difficulty of hedging the A$ exposure yourself. Allocated and Unallocated Accounts I'm not going to go into detail on either of these products. Terms, conditions, and your rights will vary between Allocated or Unallocated accounts providers. Generally speaking, an allocated account would be where the service provider stores Gold or Silver on your behalf in their vault. The bars should be set aside and not leased or changed; they should operate simply as a storage facility. Unallocated accounts are where you have a claim to Gold, but it is not explicitly set aside. It might be leased/loaned out (depending on the company providing, Perth Mint doesn't do this). Idoesn'tompany providing the service goes into administration, you may become an unsecured creditor. I would steer clear of unallocated accounts personally. If you open an allocated account, ensure it is with a reputable business and familiarise yourself with its product offering. You can learn more about Perth Mint depository programs here. Other Forms of "Electronic Gold/Silver" Several other for"s of Gold or Silver can be purchased and stored in an online account. For example, Digital Gold Currencies, such as Bullion Vault or GoldMoney, were founded by well-known industry player James Turk. Many of these digital Gold or Silver accounts are reputable. Still, they do not hedge the A$ currency exposure, so from an Australian perspective (which this guide is about), you are probably best to stick with the ASX-listed products or go with physical. Gold Money does allow you to trade in AUD. However, Bullion Vault only allows trade in EUR, GBP, or USD. Mining Companies Mining companies are more speculative than holding physical metal. Still, they are potentially highly leveraged to a rising Gold price which means if the price of Gold increases, then the profitability and, in turn, the market cap of the related miners should increase by an even higher percentage. How does that figure? Consider a Gold miner with a cash cost of $1000oz to pull an ounce of Gold out of the ground. Further to the $1000, they also have admin and other development costs ($250oz), which increase the total cost per ounce to $1250. Gold at $1750 leaves them with a profit margin of $500 per ounce. If Gold was to increase by $500 to $2250, it's only be an increase's 28.5% in the spot price of Gold, but it should result in a 100% increase in profitability for the company (profit increase from $500 to $1000 per ounce). Many things can go wrong with a miner, though. Their costs might increase, such as energy and labor. The project might be poorly managed. Grades of the resource might not meet expectations. They may need to raise capital in an unstable market, causing the share price to fall and resulting in more dilution than otherwise. The list is endless. An ounce of Gold in hand is an ounce of Gold in hand. There is a couple of old sayings that come to mind: "A gold mine is a ho"e in the ground with a liar at the top." "A bird in the hand worth two in the bush." I wouldn't suggest avoiding Gold or Silver miners altogether, but I would place them secondary to physical metal exposure. I would consider the physical metals a wealth preserver and buying mining stocks a speculative way to take advantage of any rises in the price of the metals (as long as you pick the right ones and buy/sell them at the right time, which is undoubtedly a challenge!). Gold ETFs If you're a novice investor, your first question is probably, "what is an ETF?" The answer to that question is that it's an exchange-traded fund. From the name alone, you should understand that buying into gold ETFs means buying your way into the stock market - and so you should also know the risks. For all the glitz and glamour that sometimes accompanies it, the stock market is just a planet-wide game of online slots which offer free spins with no deposit. A little knowledge about how it operates can help you to tilt the odds in your favor in just the same way that knowing the 'return to player' rate and the volatility of a game at an online slots website can improve your chances there, but there's still a lot of luck involved. We know that stock traders might not appreciate being compared to online slot players, but it's a fair comparison. Nevertheless, the route is available if you want to take it, with more than 30 ETFs specializing in gold and an increasing number of people pair gold ETF investments with property investments as a preference to currency holdings. Ask your adviser to go through the pros and cons with you. ETPMPM: This ETF is a basket of precious metals exposure that includes Gold, Silver, Platinum, and Palladium, with the largest component being Gold. Further reading: 5 Ways You Can Invest In Gold Have an Exit Plan An exit plan is essential to your strategy and should be considered before purchasing Gold or Silver. You may not need one if you intend to save in Gold and Silver as an alternative to fiat money (and only exchange it when required). Still, if you plan on speculating on the price appreciation and selling when you believe it's reaching peaks, you better understand what circumstances you will be doing so. Perhaps you intend to trade Gold and Silver in for another asset class (e.g., once they reach an overvalued state against property or blue chip shares), or maybe you have a price target (or Gold/Silver ratio) that you believe will mark the peak. Whatever the case, ensure that you have a plan and you will be ready to execute it when it comes.