Hi Everyone,
my first post to the forum and I bet you all know what my first question is..how do you make any money at this business? I nickle and dime myself to death with the surveys and am not interested in the reimbursement jobs. Any advice for me? I would really appreciate it because I need the additional income to help hang on to the house (like that would be news to anyone)
Thanks.

I make some income but not enough to qualify as hold on to the house money! If you work a regular job, keep it. Last month I spent 300$ doing shops and brought in over 800$. But I busted my butt. As in working constantly on the computer looking for jobs. This is trial by error. I figure with my efforts I was making about 2 bucks an hour. Here's what really helps out our family, I do grocery shops at 10$ reimbursedment plus 10 for the shop, stop along the way and do a petstore shop and get the dogs food. They only reim. Then go over to this location and do an audit, 10-20$. Then go grab a bite and make 15$ more. I would say swing by a Harley Shop they pay pretty good, and maybe a convient store audit. Try to make a 100 in a day of outing. Really only the old schoolers get the big jobs, set a standard, like no jobs for less than 15$. Try some of the other stuff on the side like pinkertoncompliance.com. Easy money but it still takes a month to get a check. Demo work is usually good money, I know it seems silly, but those sweet older ladies in the grocery stores make good money. I did a demo for Sears and made 12$ an hour. That 50$ check for 4 hours showed up when we ran out of grocery money. My husband thought this was silly stuff but better than nothing until I brought in quite a few large checks that we didn't have't to fight over who was hiring a sitter and all that drama. I am doing my usual day shopping and picking up some extra hours demoing, he doesn't even really know I am working and still seeing the small benefits. And remember May 1st tax relief, if you qualify. We also lost a house in 2001 to foreclosure. My husband now does construction and we are feeling the effects too. Remember pay the house payment over everything else. Ya don't need cells, computers, cable or out landish truck payments. Good Luck!!!!

Your husband has just become liberated. Good for you both!

Ooh, Ooh! May 1 is just a month away.!!

Yup, rent or house payments and health insurance are always the top priority. Tell that to all the creditful (credititious? creditous?) people who overbought houses and several widescreen TV's, and SUV's they couldn't afford, and thus plunged the entire country into a recession. Actually in our business, computers are a necessity. But I don't have cable TV, get all my DVD's from the library, and have a $7/month cell phone service. My Toyota is 13, having a Bar Mitzvah this year. The computer also pays for itself because I read all my newspapers and magazines on it.

We have had a computer for 5 years, until now I never really needed it. My cell I just went into another contract, but when push comes to shove, Bank of America will get there money!!!!!!!! You are so right about people living outside there means, it drives mr crazy, people seem to think it can't or won't happen to them. Well unfortunately it does. The houses they keep showing on the news up for foreclosure are nice and fancy. Most of America are running on credit, and credit is nice but its not realalistic for long term. Ya can't go through life and really get ahead oweing everybody money. If ya drive through the rural areas thier houses aren't being sold or auctioned or foreclosed on.
We so learned the first time, Insted of buying a $150,000 house and having a 1,000 payment, we would buy a $76,000 house, found a loan that pays $15,000 down for the parents of disabled children, (that was so nice) and have a house payment of $530. and that includes all the taxes, insurance, life insurance, and title insurance, all that stuff. The best part about it, its a 4 bedroom house on five acres, built in 1986. That the previous owner had passed and her kids sold it.
I totally agree with Sneakers, I don't like that people want the to raise taxes to help these folks out, I know what they are going through, they will survive. Its all about living witin your means.
I can't do any shops this week, as for I have all three kids this week, SPRING BREAK, I am trying to find some work for this weekend. I am ready to get my checks so I can do more shops.

I'm in South Florida and it seems like there is at least one foreclosure on every block. People down here do not live within their means. Everyone wants what their neighbor has. It's disgusting. I'll admit, I have done it, too. It's just the norm down here, I don't know about the rest of the country.

My favorite example is an T.V. commercial advertising the local mall.

"See. Be Seen. Be seen shopping."

It's everywhere. When we were growing up, credit was a shameful thing. This was before credit cards. A long story. And although I have credit cards, I don't buy more than I can afford.

My favorite one refers to an item on sale, "The more you buy, the more you save." Really?

I "love" the supermarket that shows in huge bold print on my receipt how much I "SAVED!". When the cashier announces this amount to me it requires a chomp on the tongue to avoid saying, "Yes, it was the only stuff reasonably priced I found here today. Because of those prices I did spend $--.-- here today." But I do appreciate the "Feed the pig" ads on TV to encourage consumers to think a bit more about their spending.