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Questions for the FULL time MSer

August 06, 2009 05:46AM
Okay, so while I ponder if it is possible to make this a justifiable (sp?) gig, I need to know....

Do you consider yourself full time (even if only for the summer or other part of the year)?

How many shops per month do you pull down? Total $$?

How long did it take you to make this a "full time decision", due to the lag in payment vs. other types of work?

Is it worth it to you, or do you still chalk it up as supplemental?
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August 07, 2009 02:07AM
I consider it more than worth it. It depends on where you are located and what is available. Keeps me pretty busy. I am only doing maybe a third of what is available to me...winking smiley

Shopping Bama and parts of Georgia.
I'm still learning 24/7.
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August 07, 2009 02:51AM
jjage Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Okay, so while I ponder if it is possible to make
> this a justifiable (sp?) gig, I need to know....
>
> Do you consider yourself full time (even if only
> for the summer or other part of the year)?

Yes.

>
> How many shops per month do you pull down?

30-95, depending on teaching schedule.




> Total $$?

800 at the low end; 2000 at the high end. usually more like $1200 for my schedule.

>
> How long did it take you to make this a "full time
> decision", due to the lag in payment vs. other
> types of work?
>

Not long. It took time to build it up. About 6 months to get there.

> Is it worth it to you,

Yes


> or do you still chalk it up as supplemental?

NOT! :-)

**********************************************************************
“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
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August 07, 2009 03:24AM
It depends on where you are, geographically. I've been in MS'ing for 15 years and could never make it a full time job here. If you live in a big metro area then you could do it.

Her Serene Majesty, Cettie - Goat Queen of Zoltar, Sublime Empress of Her Caprine Domain
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August 07, 2009 07:10AM
My answers are almost identical to Dee's except that I definitely do NOT see this as full time. Most of my shops cluster in the first two weeks of the month--that has always been the case. It used to be (pre 2008) that the last week of the month was the most profitable with a ton of bonused shops. I see very few bonuses any more. My financial 'goal' each month is about $1100. It used to take about 40 jobs per month to reach that goal but in 2008 and 2009 it is taking 60-70 shops to get there. So far this month I have completed 26 shops and I have only 16 shops left on my schedule for the month. I need to find another 15 decent shops or a ton of little stuff to make my monthly goal. Once I reach my goal I will stop doing the garbage shops and the ones I really don't like doing. But I have 18 days "free" still this month and a number of days with only one shop, so there is plenty of free time to do other things that I want to do.
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August 07, 2009 12:42PM
Cettie - how many MSCs actually schedule on Zoltar? (pssst.. I think the goats are beginning to suspect something!)


There are certainly easier ways to make money. I'm not full-time yet but plan to work up to that. For me, I need to have a lot of flexibility with my schedule AND I think the mystery shopping is fun. If you are really needing this to be a full-time job for you, then you need to sit down and weigh the pros and cons of flexibility, slow pay, low pay, travel, no boss, putting aside for taxes, tax write-offs, availability of jobs, wear and tear on vehicle, getting fun stuff for *free*, getting a discount off your groceries... and ask yourself if it would still be a fun job if you were doing 3-5 shops a day, plus the time it takes to file the reports, and take care of children, spouse, and life issues.
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August 08, 2009 01:50AM
I enjoy ms'ing, or wouldn't do it. January through April, I have a 40-60 hour a week job, and I will do less than 10 shops per month. The rest of the year I shop as much as family/home responsibilities will allow. I consider ms'ing a part-time job and appreciate the flexibility and freedom of choice. As long as I don't need a 'real' job with benefits, I will continue mystery shopping.
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