2 the Test: Free smartphone apps such as Field Agent and Gigwalk that pay you cash

TULSA - Two weeks ago we introduced you to a few apps that promise to pay you cash in return for accepting and completing simple jobs around town. 

Since then, we've sent our 'secret shopper' into stores to see if the apps really do pay up.

We had heard of shoppers in other states making more than $100 in one weekend, but will our shopper, Mike Abbey, have the same luck in Tulsa? 

Here's how the app works.

Field Agent is a way for retailers and suppliers to check in on stores and make sure their product is marketed and priced correctly, this is done by using, you, the agent as a sort of secret shopper. CEO Rick West  told us via Skype, Tulsa is perfect for this type of testing.

"When we look at our requirements coming from our suppliers they're not looking for a major urban area like NYC or Los Angeles, they are looking for mainstream America.

Jobs on Field Agent are randomly added so you have to check the app often. The day we met up with Mike, there were several jobs in the Tulsa area.

"I've gone ahead and accepted one at 1201 E. Kenosha at Dollar General."  

This particular job is asking Mike to find a special display of Vicks NyQuil. If he is able to complete the job accurately, he will earn $3.50. Once inside the store, Mike had a hard time locating the display. He quickly found the area where NyQuil is commonly sold but he could not find a special display.  

According to the instructions on his app, if there is no special display he is to take a picture with his thumb down in front of the checkout counter.  Mike than answers a couple of questions, sends the picture and the job is complete.  Field Agent representatives will verify the picture is correct and that all questions are answered, once that is done, $3.50 will be added to Mike's PayPal account.  

Back on the app, Mike found two more 'jobs' nearby that will earn him $5 each. He accepted both jobs at two different Walmarts in Broken Arrow.

The job requires Mike to find a certain display of Cottonelle, Viva or Scott and take a picture of the display.  At the first Walmart, Mike was able to find the display in a matter of minutes.  He took the picture, answered a few quick questions, than sent in his answers, all from his smartphone.

At the second Walmart, finding the display wasn't as easy; but once he did, the process was the same.  He took a picture, answered some questions and the job was complete.  In less than an hour, Mike was able to complete three jobs and make $13.50.

"It's not something you can count on for a living, but when it does happen it's nice spending money," said Mike.  
The jobs Mike completed were all reviewed and accepted by Field Agent representatives and within 48 hours the money was put in his PayPal account.  In fact, since we met up with Mike,  he's completed several other jobs earning him more than $50.

"It's a win win for the consumer and for the companies involved," said Mike.  

Some tips to make sure your job is accepted:

• Read instructions very carefully
• Make sure you are at the correct location, GPS on your smartphone monitors the location and you will not get paid if you go to the wrong store
• Close all other apps on your smartphone completely before starting a job, having multiple apps open could cause the app to freeze and you will not get paid
• Answer questions completely and make sure your picture shows exactly what is wanted

Another app that pays is Gigwalk. 

Just last month, the free app launched about a hundred jobs in the Tulsa area. Those jobs pay around $5 and are a bit more complicated requiring you to take several pictures including a panorama of the business.

Want to know more about these apps and others that pay? 

iPoll - Take a local poll and share your opinion through a quick poll. Go to one of the locations listed on your device and rate your dining, shopping, movie, and other experiences. Answer a few quick questions about the food, customer service, or atmosphere, and get paid for your opinion. http://bit.ly/ipollitunes and http://bit.ly/ ipollandroid

Survey - Earn cash by taking short surveys on your smartphone. Surveys range across a variety of topics, and your opinions will help guide companies in the products and services they provide. http://bit.ly/surveyitunes and http://bit.ly/surveyandroid

Gigwalk - Get paid while building your professional profile. You can connect with businesses looking to get local contract work done. Build a great profile on the app for your chance to find local contract work with thousands of businesses. Gigs range from $6 to $220 and are available across the US. Only available in iTunes - http://bit.ly/gigwalkitunes

WeReward - Find a business, follow the instructions and earn points. Each point is worth a penny. You can turn your points in to cash via PayPal. WeReward ties in to all of your favorite social media apps including Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare. http://bit.ly/werewarditunes and http://bit.ly/werewardandroid

EasyShift - Assignments or Shifts are little jobs that only take a minute or two to complete, and you’ll discover them everywhere: at the grocery store, at the mall, getting gas, at the movies, getting coffee...even while you read the paper or walk the dog. When a shift is complete, the app verifies its accuracy and pays you securely via PayPal. As you complete Shifts, you’ll unlock higher paying opportunities and other valuable perks. Only available in iTunes - http://bit.ly/easyshiftitunes

Mobile Rewards - Users earn credits, redeemable for cash by completing simple tasks such as: watching a Youtube video, signing up for a free service or even just for mentioning a product on Facebook. Only available in iTunes - http://bit.ly/mobilerewardsitunes

CheckPoints - When you’re out shopping, scan barcodes on products and earn points toward prizes. Redeem points for rewards like iTunes and Amazon.com gift cards, Alaska airline miles, gadgets like popular tablets and gaming systems, and even donations to charities. http://bit.ly/checkitunes and http://bit.ly/checkandroid

Field Agent – Claims to have paid more than $1.8M to thousands of “Agents.” Jobs are small assignments you can complete at places you go every day like your local grocery store. They’ll pay you for collecting information like photos or product information for our clients all over the world. Jobs typically pay between $2 and $12 each. Only available in iTunes - http://bit.ly/fieldagentitunes

Surveys - Surveys on the Go® pays from $0.25 to $5 cash for your opinions, usually $1. You’ll be sent a notification when there’s a paid survey waiting for you. You’ll be able to: Rank courtroom, political and consumer advertising or videos, score graphics and outdoor billboards, give your opinions about the major issues of the day all while you’re getting paid. http://bit.ly/surveysitunes and http://bit.ly/surveysandroid

iSecretShop - Register as an Agent and the iSecretshop app will show you which restaurants, retailers and other businesses in your area are looking for input from "secret shoppers." You discreetly complete an evaluation using the ISS application (think Secret Agent: gathering information, taking pictures of messy facilities, beautiful food, etc) then, send it back instantly through the iPhone. When you are finished, you'll get paid (cash, meal and purchase reimbursements, Buy-One-Get-One-Free Coupons and more)! Only available in iTunes - http://bit.ly/isecretshopitunes