The ever expanding route

I plan routes frequently and have a hard time limiting the number of shops in the time that I have. Often I return a second and third time, still adding more shops. I guess I will have to take a break and shop locally for a while. It is just so hard to resist those bonused shops in the middle of nowhere.

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My GA/SC run has 5 shops on it so far, for a total of $47. I need a few more on that run to break a profit. If one or more of my apps aren't accepted, then I start to sweat! I also need to learn how to negotiate bonuses!

Those bonuses are tempting!! I know what you mean by adding the shops. I try to plan my routes with some fudge time so if something good comes across I can add it in. There is one pre-set route shop on one of my boards right now, I do not know how they expect anyone to do the route. Round trip driving, at minimum is 8 hours, 8 shops, 2 at the same place so it has to be done over 2 days--so hotel stay or added several hours of driving, for $120 total...um, no thanks!

I am lucky enough to live 5 minutes from the largest mall in New York State. I plan a route for one Saturday every month: I hit the cell phone stores, some retail stores, see a movie and eat lunch with a girlfriend (all shops!). I normally try to stay at 5-6 but have done as many as 10 shops on this one Saturday a month. Not too shabby if you're going to bring home $300+ at the end of it. The key is really good notes and I text myself notes after every shop. Plus, my best friend has absolutely no interest in being a mystery shopper, but finds it fun and the extra set of eyes never hurts!

Last week as I was driving through Ballinger, Texas, got an email from the MSC that has the picky editors. There was a shop in Big Lake, Texas that paid $30. It was on my way, but I didn't want to commit to it while in Ballinger, so I drove to Big Lake. Didn't have my mobile hotspot with me, and when I got to the location at a travel center there was no way to get online, as there were no wi-fi hotspots in this West Texas town. So I had to pass it by. If I had been able to call the MSC and tell them I'd do it, I would have, but I don't know if they take calls.

Gas costs are killing me on the routes. The bonuses are far-flung. But the mileage adds up so fast. And I read that gas prices will keep going up forever.

I was curious--do any of you experienced route drivers use a mobile hot-spot? I use the AT&T Unite. I was draining my smartphone when I tethered to it from my laptop. The problem I've run into on the routes is how to keep my laptop fully charged. I've had to spend way to much time in the McDonalds with plugs just to keep going, and car inverters blow fuses on my car.

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Expert investigator and evaluator with PV-700, PV-500EVO, AstroScope 9350NIKS-3PRO, B&H DNV16HDZ-M Full Infrared Night Vision Camcorder

aggiejim72 Wrote:
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> And I read that gas prices will keep going
> up forever.

Well yes, obviously, the price of almost everything goes up continuously, especially expendable resources.

> I was curious--do any of you experienced route
> drivers use a mobile hot-spot?

I don't know if I would be considered experienced, but yes, I have a tablet that can be turned into a mobile hotspot.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

Check with your mechanic as to the proper amperage for the cigarette fuse on your vehicle, then verify that you have the right amperage fuse. You should be able to find an inverter that won't exceed the amperage of the circuit. Now, if you're running a GPS or something else in addition, then you may have some potential problems with fuses.

aggiejim72 Wrote:
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> I've had to spend way to much time
> in the McDonalds with plugs just to keep going,
> and car inverters blow fuses on my car.

.
Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)

"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor

"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei

aggiejim72 Wrote:
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>
> I was curious--do any of you experienced route
> drivers use a mobile hot-spot?

Before we had kids, we used to mystery shop our way for trips to see our families. Iowa's area rest stops all have wifi. I would edit gas station photos on the laptop while my hubby drove, and upload them at rest areas. Many fast food joints have wifi, so if you have to shop alone and do a dine-in, you can put in the data while sitting in the restaurant.

Since my routes are alone, I find it too difficult to use the laptop in the car. The battery for the darn thing is also next to worthless. If reports can be submitted on my tablet it is a whole different story. The tablet has a great battery life. Using my phone as a mobile hotspot does drain it's battery so it stays plugged in a lot.

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