How many times have you quit or told yourself "I am going to quit mystery shopping" after getting burned or burned out?

I was wondering where I was. I think I am lost. I may have fallen asleep in front of my PC because I am really confused about what I am reading. Is this what burnout is about?

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@MDavisnowell wrote:

Oops. This train left the track. I thought we were talking about shopper burnout. Guess we finished up with that.

We are talking about shopper burnout. Us shoppers are burned out on GrosMichel's inappropriate and nonsensical posts.

Ignore it, forsooth, I believe it is the fetid reek of troll flatulence.

Her Serene Majesty, Cettie - Goat Queen of Zoltar, Sublime Empress of Her Caprine Domain

I usually want to quit after filling out a casino resort shop. They burn me out. Sadly, my memory seems to fail me when the next scheduler dangles a carrot to take another.

Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.

It is necessary to take a real break from mystery shopping for a week or so, i.e. I go for a week or so doing no shops.

"Evolve thyself and lose all hate...." Orphaned Land

You quit and then think, maybe it was my fault. You get burned again and say that's it. And tor what ever reason (a free dinner close to home, lunch on the road or maybe a great hotel shop) and you try again. Mystery shopping is hard, takes a lot of time, miles on your vehicle and you get hammered on taxes, even if you know how to "Play the tax game".

The only reason to keep shopping is to take,only easy shops, close to home and stay under $599.00 per year in earnings. If you can do that, keep shopping. If not...it is time to get out.

Good luck. It is frustrating but we all need a little, very little cash we earn with this terrible economy,

I've been doing this since late 2009, really got going in early 2010. Never have I been hammered on taxes and I have reported every cent earned regardless of whether I received a 1099 or not. Taking all the deductions to which you are legally entitled will result in almost zero profit for any of us. That means most of what we bring home is tax free. Try to find a 9 to 5 with that kind of benefit.

The tax system set up for the self employed person based out of their home has tremendous advantages. It is well worth anyone's time to study the publications available from the IRS on the Schedule C and on operating a small business. We all need to understand how this works.

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

After a couple bad weeks recently, I was ready to quit after a 16-year run of MS. I had to defend why I didn't identify a manager (because he was dressed like everyone else, seated us as if he were the host and later told me that they all operate as a team and do cross-jobs....(never did he introduce himself, use words like "my staff," "as the manager, I..." etc), I had to defend (for the same shop) why I didn't return the food even though I felt the chicken had been microwaved ie rubbery (because although I didn't care for it, it was cooked thoroughly, hot, plated nicely), I tried self-assigning a shop but was too old (yet the scheduler then called to ask if I could possibly pick up the shop in the next two day) and because a scheduler chastised me for asking how I should handle a phone shop that didn't record (small store--I was fairly sure if I called back I had a 50/50 chance of getting the same employee). So yes, I was ready to pull the plug. But, then I received a call from an editor telling me what a pleasure it was reading my report and what an experienced shopped I am. I bounced back!

Haven't ever decided to quit, but I've taken at least 4 breaks. I just get so tired of the constant irregular scheduling. It isn't like a 9 to 5 job where it begins and ends at an exact time.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/2016 08:19AM by March2016.

If it is not fun I ain't gonna do it! That is my Modus operandi

I take a lot of breaks. I bore easily so if I over do it I run the risk of burnout. This week I'm just taking a few small local jobs. I live in a suburb so the pickin's are a little slim unless I travel to the nearest city. That being said, sometimes I really like it when I'm scheduled to the max and running all over. I've never said I was going to quit shopping. I have said I was going to stop doing certain shops.

Was it from Ellis? I have one from them I'm about to do that I'm dreading. After this one...I definitely need a break from them! Their reports are so redundant!!!

I quit in 2008 or 2009. I had little kids at the time and I wasn't getting many shops that paid enough to justify hiring a sitter. I would apply for shop after shop and never hear back (this was back when applying meant hunting through job boards and replying to an email). Filling out the reports late at night after the kids had gone to bed and I just wanted to sleep or spend some precious time with my husband. It just wasn't worth it.

I've only been back at it for a year and I don't schedule very far ahead for the most part because I find that helps me stay excited and focused (and get more bonuses). When I broke my hand, I was sure glad for that self-imposed system! I took a month-long break from almost all shopping then and missed it like crazy. So glad to be back!

We are all here on earth to help others....What on earth the others are here for I don't know.

--W. H. Auden

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How many times have you quit or told yourself "I am going to quit mystery shopping" after getting burned or burned out?

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