I need a pat on the back from my shopping colleagues.

prince Wrote:
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> (opposite of pat on the back

)
>

"\\ |

"? Just a thought.....

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I'm firmly on the side of letting someone else prepare my taxes. You do realize the cost of a tax preparer is tax deductible, lol!

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.

LisaSTL Wrote:
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> I'm firmly on the side of letting someone else
> prepare my taxes. You do realize the cost of a tax
> preparer is tax deductible, lol!

I asked the tax preparer/accountant that last night and he said that I couldn't because I was not filing a Schedule A. I got reamed on the cost of all the forms I had to file. FT job, 401K, IC job, and three other forms. I got a $345.00 refund but I had to pay $306.00 for the tax preparation. But at least I didn't owe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix

“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain

“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I've had someone else doing my taxes since long before my mystery shopping days. I also haven't had a refund in years and years, preferring to take the maximum deductions and write them a check later. When working a full-time job it was preferable to have the extra money rather than provide the government an interest free loan

I agree with not giving the government an interest free loan all year. And I've been paying someone else to do my taxes for a long time too.

This year I was able to deduct the new hot water heater and dishwasher !!! I keep records of all the household exspenses and they are deductions too. A portion equal to the amount of sq ft and some crazy calculation the tax guru knows! My guy is a genius at home based businesses and I also do seamstress work. I have been keeping cd backups of receipts and then cleaning up the PC. The disks go in the tax file and I can start over every year.

You can deduct part of this cost on next years tax return. Here is a quote from the IRS website:

Tax preparation fees. You can deduct on Schedule C or C-EZ the cost of preparing that part of your tax return relating to your business as a sole proprietor or statutory employee.

Shop2LiveinFL Wrote:
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> LisaSTL Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I'm firmly on the side of letting someone else
> > prepare my taxes. You do realize the cost of a
> tax
> > preparer is tax deductible, lol!
>
>
> I asked the tax preparer/accountant that last
> night and he said that I couldn't because I was
> not filing a Schedule A. I got reamed on the cost
> of all the forms I had to file. FT job, 401K, IC
> job, and three other forms. I got a $345.00
> refund but I had to pay $306.00 for the tax
> preparation. But at least I didn't owe.

This is why I use a tax prep who specializes in Home Businesses, they seem to be better versed in the laws and stay up to date on what is pertinent. In addition he tells me what to look out for in the next year. It is a great time saver and a big financial help to us! I have to add that I also have a long standing seamstress at home job that takes up a large room. I have sold makeup or some sord of HBB for years to earn extra cash. I like the tax deductions and the work my own hours part of it.

Don't forget to collect all your receipts from gas and office supplies and food you bought while working. Scan them into the computer, and then save the hard copy into an accordian folder. At the 1st of each month, tally up all you business costs into a spreadsheet, so when you do taxes you can itemize all the cost of your business and get a fancy tax discount.

Bookkeeping is very hard work, but it pays off at tax time.

Spread sheet. How do I start?

vbarbara Wrote:
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> Spread sheet. How do I start?

So far, I am just going through every company at the bottom and listing them on Excel. I am making notes for myself of the ones that don't include Canadians etc. THEN I will start a working spreadsheet.

I do keep records of my earnings/expenses in an old fashioned account book.

I think there might be an example of a spreadsheet in the New Shoppers Sections.

Well deserved pat on the back for prince

How are you doing with your mystery shopping?

I have an excel spread sheet for my log of the shops performed for the month, the date I did them, the amount, the reimbursement then total and the company that I worked with. Then I have a yes or no to check off if I was paid or not. It does take some time to work to set it up, but your life is so much easier when you do it! And you can ultimately make more money when you find out exactly how much you are making and if you need more or want to accept higher paying jobs etc..
I also have a list of all the companies I work with too! I find if I update these 'clerical' type things on the weekend, that makes me organized. I can't do this stuff during the week, so I set aside an hour on the weekend to go over, update etc my sheets..

A few years ago, I accidentally deleted my MSC spreadsheet, which listed the companies I am signed with, how and when they pay, contacta info (email, website and phone number) scheduler, major clients, password used, and server (Prophet, Sassie or Shopmetrics) as well as companies I alreadyapplied to or planned to apply to. I still cannot catch up to getting the companies listed, let alone anything else.

Does anyone have a spreadsheet of companies they would be willing to share?
I have looked for it on my back-up drive also.

MSPA Gold Certified
Undercover Essentials Video Specialist

I'm just working my way through the list at the bottom of the page here.

prince Wrote:
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> How are you doing with your mystery shopping?

Believe it or not, I have not been on a single shop. I was fighting strep throat for 3 weeks, and just had an ingrown toenail removed yesterday! I have spent the recovery time getting ready by setting up PayPal, signing up for companies and practice with my equipment to be ready to go once my toe heals.

Sounds like you'll be ready.

This has inspired me to get my butt in gear and do the same myself. When you say spreadsheet, are you using Microsoft Excel or is there a better program? Also, when keeping track of mileage do you write down your miles based on your odomoter in the car or how many miles you drove from place to place?

I'll be using Excel because it's what I have. I'm not very experienced with it so muddling through.
I use my odometer to keep track of how many kilometers I drive from place to place. But if I'm leaving my house to do several shops I just use my total kilometers for the whole trip. Is that what you mean?

Here are some of the Businesses listed below that do not exist any more as far as I can find out by using the links provided.

A Step Above
Channel Watch Mystery Shopping
Chekmark Inc
Checkup Marketing
Direct Scheduling Services
Extra Eyes Nationwide Inc
Service Intelligence - Now - Intouch
Star Scheduling
Wireless Store Shopper

DSS: gone for good, and I do mean for good.

Extra Eyes nationwide: closed voluntarily, with no known disputes or controversies. Suzette Drake, the owner, is now the Field Research Director for Sales Quality Group. I highly recommend both her and SQG.

prince Wrote:
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> Here are some of the Businesses listed below that
> do not exist any more...

Might want to give Jacobs a heads-up.

_____________________________________________________________________________
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl

I will. I just put it out there first in case my information isn't top notch. I am checking out every company below and seeing where that gets me.

Looks like Jacob is doing a thorough review of each company and posting that in the mystery shopper 's magazine.

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I need a pat on the back from my shopping colleagues.

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