HOw much do you really earn shopping? Truth please.

How much can I expect to make if I work full time mystery shopping? I don't believe claims that you can make a good income. I think expenses will take to big a bite out of profits. I don't want to hear from anyone who appears to exaggerate. Only wish to hear frm those who know howvto calculate expenses. Surprises me to read people bragging about earning $$$$/month. That is near poverty income.

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It's hard to tell you how much you can make working at this full time, Billy. There are so many variables.

Have you researched, set up your business, and written a strong business plan? What is your background and experience? Where do you live? How much competition do you have in your area? How many companies have you registered with? How long have you been mystery shopping? Have you built strong relationships with MSCs and schedulers? How many hours per week/day will you work? How far are you willing to drive from home to perform assignments? Will you perform video shops or just regular? Do you have your own video equipment? How much overnight travel are you willing to do?

Billy, how much can you expect to make if you get a job? This is just as hard to answer. You don't want to hear from the top earners because you don't believe them. That cuts out those most qualified to help you.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

OP, why don't you ask PetroAuditGal?

Good one, Sybil.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

Jeez
If you are so convinced you can not earn a good living as a mystery shopper then do something else.
NO ONE is holding a gun to your head and saying you have to suffer working as a mystery shopper....

Billy, based on your expectations, without video, and not traveling overnight YOU would probably level out somewhere around $50 to $100 a day if you applied yourself, NET of all legally allowable expenses of course. You would not be conscious of tax advantages because you don't understand them. If you have to know in advance how much you'll make, I recommend a job. Any job will pay $X per hour gross less the income tax on that level of income and your contribution for social security and medicare. From your net number on the job, remember to deduct every incurred expense such as vehicle expense, extra clothing expense for uniforms, etc. You know, anything related to getting there and doing the job. That will be your NET on that job. That's dependable and regardless of whether you skate by or give it your best highly skilled effort. Now that's security.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

I barely break even. I'm just doing this because it's fun.

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

me too bgriffin... I'm sure I'm running at a loss...

I'm a lunch hour shopper, completing reports while I sit in front of the TV at night. My total revenues minus required purchases, business supplies, and $0.575 mileage deduction averages to $230 per month. I'm not sure my actual vehicle expenses are as high as the IRS rate since I would be eating the depreciation and insurance cost anyway, so the actual cash I put in my bank account is higher than that.

For the time I put in, I'm sure I could make more at a second job. However, with a second job, I wouldn't be able to use the free hour I have in the middle of the day, and spend time with my family while getting work done in the evening. The lower pay is worth it to me. I don't calculate my hourly earnings for shopping, because I am not willing to sacrifice what it would take to earn more. I live in a small city and higher paying shops are rarely available here.

I make $85,000 per month. I only do evenings and weekends though, because I don't care about my friends or family or want to spend any time with them.

Seriously, if you already know what you think I make, and you won't believe me unless I say something you're already prepared to believe, why even ask? Just decide on your own what you think I make and go from there.

Some sure are being mean. Seriously, the business plan will tell you where to go. I have other sources of income, all self-employment, so I recently went through everything and determined what was giving me the best income. I am marketing hard for that. Mystery shopping was fourth on the list of six sources of income. The fifth and sixth sources were very occasional work.

It just depends on how much time you want to put in it. It has been a decent second income for me. If I have a really good month and shop 2 days every weekend I can clear 900 - 1300. But that is hustling and no time to do anything else. Not much fun, but necessary for me right now. If you build the business, keep a good reputation with the schedulers, and get into video shopping, you could make a decent fulltime income that is above poverty level. But it takes time to get to that point. It takes patience and the knowledge that it will not happen quickly, but slowly improves every month.

I lose money on every shop I do, but I make it up on volume.

My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me.
Benjamin Disraeli

One thing that I haven't seen included here is the price of "tangible" shops. For example, I needed to have my carpet cleaned after a family gathering. In comes mystery shopping. The whole house was cleaned for $215. Mystery shopping paid all $215. So I believe as far as taxes are concerned, that was not income as it was a reimbursement. However, it would have been an expense out of my pocket if mystery shopping had not paid for it so I write it up as a savings. At the end of the year, I want to know how much have I saved and how much (non-reimbursable) income I have received. That's just the way my mind works.

When you learn, teach, when you get, give. Maya Angelou

Forget full time. Get a real job and use shopping what you want and when you want to enhance your lifestyle.

~
up, up, down, down, left, right,left,right, B,A, start.

I have been shopping more full time every month since the end of March. In March I only made $10 because it was my first two shops as phone calls. The next month I made $100, though only half that was paid in the same month. It is still increasing as I am learning when to wait for jobs and combining more and more jobs when I am going to the area. In June I have made $1000, and as a stay at home parent otherwise, that's good money. Now, that is net after reimbursements, but last month it was only $500. After all my possible deductions, I made $500 this month, but that is including mileage that was on a bike. Sorry guys, I'm all over the place, but I am willing to share my spreadsheet (if I can figure out how to make it as a template) and totals if anybody wants. I do believe there is good money in this if you are patient. I am not willing or really able to take different job because of my kids. Another job would require childcare which is nearly half my income. This way I can have my brother babysit for the hour or two I need him to, or do the shops around my partner's work schedule, or even take them/her along in some cases.

@CureMS wrote:

One thing that I haven't seen included here is the price of "tangible" shops. For example, I needed to have my carpet cleaned after a family gathering. In comes mystery shopping. The whole house was cleaned for $215. Mystery shopping paid all $215. So I believe as far as taxes are concerned, that was not income as it was a reimbursement. However, it would have been an expense out of my pocket if mystery shopping had not paid for it so I write it up as a savings. At the end of the year, I want to know how much have I saved and how much (non-reimbursable) income I have received. That's just the way my mind works.

I make between $1,800 and $2,200 per month gross. In May, I netted $1,100.00. I live in Texas where jobs are plentiful. I do travel a lot and have a very small travel trailer I tow with me which allows me stays in campgrounds for no more than $35.00 per night. I take into consideration fuel costs and travel time when searching for assignments that require long distance traveling. I "bundle" jobs to maximum income and minimize costs. I have been doing this for 10 years, have Gold certification status, and have to do a LOT of assignments to reach $2,200.00 per month. Mystery Shopping is not an easy road.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2015 11:42PM by camelliac612.

I have been shopping about a year or so and I have been wondering how to get into video shopping. Does anybody know about this?

@evemarie wrote:

I have been shopping about a year or so and I have been wondering how to get into video shopping. Does anybody know about this?

Read in the New Member section the Video FAQs

[www.mysteryshopforum.com]

Billy,

It seems to me you want an answer to how your own business will work.

To answer your question you first need to know,

-- The opportunities available to you in your area,
-- The willingness you have to expand that area for more opportunities - and what those are,
-- How much directed time and effort you will put into it. The guide to a successful business is right here on the forum. And lastly,
-- How willing and able you are to to use proper spelling and grammar.

If you want a guide, I suggest you read and believe the stories in the Mystery Shopper Magazine. If you still choose not to believe them, I think it is best for you to find another opportunity.

Good luck!

Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut

@Sandra Sue wrote:

Some sure are being mean.

Sandra, apparently you have not realized this is the same shopper who has asked this same question 5 or 6 times over the last 6 months or so under a different identity. Then when professional full time shoppers say that it is possible to make a decent living he tells them they are liars and it can't be done. He is here to complain because he doesn't make enough money in his opinion. He does not really want to know how much people make. He wants to complain and tell people who are more successful than him that they are liars because their reality doesn't fit his worldview.

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

I recommend getting a regular job and starting to shop as a second income. As you get some time and contacts under your belt you can make a reasonable decision if you can drop your primary job. I have had months with some pretty impressive income, and some that are slim. If you live in a rural area, there may not be many shops, if you are near a major metro area, there can be many opportunities, especially if you are willing to run a route. Don't forget that if you do a meal shop, you save what you would have spent, which is a real plus since you normally spend after tax money for that. Add in the potential savings for oil changes, movies, some gifts, etc, and you really save some impressive bucks, plus you get the pay too. After you put in some time, you will qualify for the occasional bonus, which is where the better fees are made. Good Luck!

Oh Boy Sybil

Life is a Giggle - Embrace every moment

af517 ummmmmm I am okay with some of that but I have no seen a shop for after hours yet and well... Personally I have not seen a movie setup for Magic Mike yet..... Just say in................................... :-)

Life is a Giggle - Embrace every moment

Maybe I'm freaking old, okay no maybe about it, but when did asking people how much money they make become socially acceptable? I've checked around the Internet and found other professional forums. Funny thing is I didn't find threads asking the other business people that question. But then again, I didn't find requests to turn over client lists either. And is this just me, what is the point in asking people the question while including the caveat you won't believe them anyway?

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

Every time I post I get in trouble. Last year in Four Corners area I made net $3500. I do the out of the way shops as to get the incentive pay. I map ever thing on mapquest and use their calulations for mileage reimbursements so I know what I should get back for taxes how ever I use this amount to ask for plus what I think I can I can get for motel. I have been told by the schedulers that I ask for too much money and they will not pay it however toward the end of the month or end of the quarter I seem to make out okay. I take only these shops that I can ask for the incenive pay. I only use the companies that work in my area my using volition.com and the MSPA job search and the shops that I feel I can do without long narratives. Remember that they want you to do the shops as cheap as they can get so there bottom line is low and the profits are high.

@bmttinman wrote:

Remember that they want you to do the shops as cheap as they can get so there bottom line is low and the profits are high.

And I want the most money for the shops that I can bundle together! So I can keep the bottom line low and the profit before taxes high. And hopefully after taxes this aint no hobby!! Requires too much work.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2015 04:24AM by 2stepps.

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HOw much do you really earn shopping? Truth please.

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