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Tips and suggestions on first of the month planning.

April 01, 2015 12:51PM
Im wondering if anyone has any tips on how they start out new shops planning around the first of the month? I wish I had a better game plan and didnt waste so much time going to the job boards to look for what has been released. Does anyone have any methods that work well for you?
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April 01, 2015 05:58PM
There are generally 3 trains of thought about this:

1. Wait until the middle or end of the month and search for bonused shops. Essentially, this late-month shopping would be like planning your early-next-month work.

2. Always check the boards to keep track of when shops appear and how long some of them remain unclaimed. As the month progresses, bonuses sometimes automatically appear. You might commune with a scheduler about the unclaimed shops and offer your services and a suggested additional payment for your time.

3. How much shopping revenue do you need for a given month? Can you afford to take some non-bonused or seemingly low-paid shops? This option is entirely up to you and your need for a certain amount of income to appear at a certain time in your future.

Also, search this forum. Experienced shoppers have shared much more information than that above. You might find a method in previous posts that works well for you.

Happy shopping!

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2015 05:58PM by Shop-et-al.
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April 01, 2015 10:56PM
Most of my shops and projects are scheduled 1-3 months in advance or automatically reassigned to me per rotation eligibility. I will occasionally check out a job board to fill in any holes in my schedule or if I will be traveling out of my usual area. If you wait until the first of the month, it is usually too late to get the good jobs. Then you ride out the rest of the month and wait for those bonuses like mentioned above.
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April 01, 2015 11:09PM
in addition to what is said about, continued experience and improved relations with schedulers will give you a better plan. When schedulers know you are a good shopper and like to do certain shops in certain areas, they will seek you out more, especially after someone flakes.

Good luck

Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut
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April 02, 2015 02:55AM
I guess it all depends on your overall objectives. I am still learning each MSCs listing patterns. Very few on my list will list shops more than a month in advance.

Thursday is my day off so I try to stack up shops as best I can. This month I am targeting new areas. For example, on the 9th I'm scheduling shops in an area about 7 to 10 miles west of me. For the 16th about the same distance South. The 23rd I'll head east.

Next month I'll look further out in each direction. I have to head about 20 miles north to find concentrations of shops. Once I figure out what works best for me I'll try setting up larger routes.

I keep the majority of my shops local on other days, helps me fit them into and around my work schedule.

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson
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