I say, do what you need to do for each time frame of your life. Eclecticism is good. The other posters have given you many options which will apply at various times as you explore this business and perhaps experience it in a variety of ways.
Instead of seeking bigger, badder routes, I am stepping back and letting work develop.
For example, I am not waiting around for that alleged, vague time after which some companies lift their shop caps. One company had 12 unclaimed shops along my various work and pleasure paths. I am the one who charges little when my true cost is little. If the company had allowed me to perform the possible number of shops, I would have added them to existing schedules and routes. Their project in this area would have come in under budget, on time, and with money to spare (because I charge little when shops dovetail and cost me little additional money) and the scheduler would not have needed to ratchet up the shop fees with bribes I mean bonuses.
Starting next month, I am shopping only for mani/pedi money. This gives me great freedom to choose assignments that fit into the rest of life and do not require extensive scheduling activities.
So far this week, I have scheduled one efficienct shop day with several shops clustered within one mall and time left over for personal stuff; one food shop; and one bonused retail shop which slides into the end of a camping trip and covers my half of the fuel cost for the camping trip.
My profit from the newly added shops covers next month's mani/pedi costs. Which shops will fund my nails in October?
I do not care if any shop caps are in place, nor will I wonder whether I should play a waiting game for bonuses.
It was my goal to stop needing to shop and to stop being subjected to the vagaries of remuneration in this business.
If I can make my goal, you can make your goal. The tips in this forum helped me and will help you with your goal.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/2015 05:37PM by Shop-et-al.