Despite needing to earn extra income, I'm becoming increasingly reluctant to perform mystery shops. The pay for most (especially Intellishop) is pathetically (often insultingly) low. Shops that include reimbursement put my own cash at risk if the shop is denied (or "excluded" as Maritz so cutely phrases it).
In addition to mystery shopping, I use the two popular apps, Field Agent and Gigwalk on a regular basis. I find that using them is often fun, sometimes mundane but ALWAYS profitable. I can make $5 in a matter of minutes doing gigs for them and often the gig is approved AND PAID before I even get home from the store.
To compare and contrast, yesterday I did two Field Agent jobs and one Gigwalk. Two were at the same store (membership club) and one was at the big grocery store in the same shopping center. Each job paid $5 and I was able to do all three while doing my regular shopping. Total time actually working was less than 10 minutes, was paid $15 and the funds were in my Paypal a few hours later.
On the other hand, I just reluctantly accepted a dine-in dinner mystery shop. For this I need to drive to the restaurant which serves overpriced, greasy, fried food, order an appetizer and an entree (reimbursed for up to $25), take copious discreet observations, go home, spend at least 30 minutes filling out their report, then hope nothing goes wrong or else I'm out the cost of the meal. Total shop pay? $5. And wait 2 months to be paid.
I think I'm just going to cancel the shop. And possibly stop mystery shopping altogether and just do the app gigs.
Am I just burned out or do other folks feel this way too?
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2016 07:47PM by BlueMoose.