Just a Cheesecake Factory To-Go. Was supposed to do a local restaurant but they were closed for a private event. BTW the Red Velvet Cheesecake is ridiculous.

Almost caught up. Three more to go, not looking for more at this time. So far this year: 239. Going to take a break and work on my book.

MDavisnowell.....239 shops between 1/1/and 2/21????????????? HOW?

Can't remember if it was James Bond of Buffalo that did 12 or 13 bank shops in 1 day...is that the Blue bank? I do those, but not that many in a day! They also need to be fairly close to me...I hate traffic. Anyway, most times it is a 5 to 10 shop...BUT, I have waited up to an hour once or twice. Does that happen to you? Is there a point where the MSC will allow us to leave and not have to go back? I always figure since I am there, I am going to stick it out and not have to go back on another day...these are the Combo shops, not OD.

If I can combine shops, it is the blue bank...2 to 5 in a day. I have done 3 or 4 yellow/orange gas stations in a day. I can do 4 to 5 recorded or non-recorded telephone shops in a day. I just get lazy when it come to the write-up and push it off. If I accept a shop on the Vegas strip, it is the soda pop store that is next to the little talking red, yellow, red and blue candies. If I go in the evening, Tues to Thurs, there is less traffic and I might miss the white bear which is up to 3 of the write-ups (bear, wrangler and photo shooter). I still average a 10 at the soda pop place...don't remember seeing grades for the candies. I also like Godiva.

Hugs

I've done as many as 18 banks in one day, but it's not Chase. It's now the largest regional bank in the southeast.

Cheat sheets make them easy to do.

imsuzie2, when I started shopping I didn't do much in one day. Gradually, over time, I developed a system that works for me. I specialize in convenience stores and banks and pick up a few odds and ends here and there. Because you expressed an interest in how I did this, I worked up some numbers this morning. Because I have commented many times on the forum that I shop mainly with Maritz, I will not be identifying by brand names. Of the 239 shops, here is the breakdown:

37 banks for one MSC
1 bank for a second MSC
35 stations of Brand 1
2 stations of Brand 2 (for a second MSC)
22 stations of Brand 3
4 USPO shops
99 stations of Brand 4
1 Fast Food
38 stations of Brand 5

This took place over a 52 day period. I worked out of the house for 31 days during that time. I averaged between seven and eight shops a day on the days I shopped. One day I only did one station. One day I did thirteen shops and on several days I did twelve. The higher number days included banks, which are a quick in and out. This round of shopping included two negotiated station bundles and when doing those I added whatever else I could pick up in the area. The toughest day was 366 miles round trip down south and eight stations, which was the most distant part of a negotiated bundle. I drove 3,881 miles total and slept in my own bed every night (no lodging bills).

My schedule would not work for the average person. I am not responsible for caring for others as I have already fulfilled that obligation. I live alone and can come and go and sleep or not without inconveniencing a family. I am a part timer at this in the sense that I don’t work every month. I take a lot of time off from this but when I do this I focus myself on turning in a performance that comes up to my own standards. I know what I would expect from someone else and I expect myself to exceed that.

It has taken years to refine my system but I believe anyone can do it and I believe a younger person can do it quite easily. I have a detailed cheat sheet for every type job I do and I try to do every job of the same kind with exactly the same process. I do not rush through any job. My goal is to be efficient while being thorough. I check my notes and pictures before leaving each location as I am not a big fan of do overs and go backs.

I retired the first time from full time work in 2002. Since then I quit some more jobs but I’m not a stay at home type retired person. I love this work and wish I had found it sooner. It’s perfect for anyone who wants flexible work with no long term commitment. I can see that it would work as well for a young parent as it does for me – time to do what you must do plus time to do what you want to do. I feel this can be lucrative (not that I would call my income from it lucrative) for the person who approaches it as a business and not a now and then dabble. I’m sure that some of our full time shoppers on the forum are doing very well indeed and on their own terms.

I hope this information has been helpful to you and if you want to work more, then I encourage you to think about how to make that happen. Remember, you’re in charge of your business.

Wowza, MDavisnowell! You have made a shopping career for yourself!

I once listed all potential shops in my little corner of the boonies & the larger region and discovered that due to potential conflicts of interest with people who do work/have worked at the locations or their competitors, I am ineligible for many shops. Oh, well. I do what I can with these jobs.

I have a few shops scheduled for next week. (Does that keep this post on topic?)

It's the weekend so no work for me.

I just got tired READING what Mary does. Good job, Mary!!!

Msdavisnowell:
I have done 9 bank shops in one day (the blue bank ones). If I got up early I could do 16 in one day.
I could do 12 gas stations in one day but that is in nice weather with good driving conditions not this bone chillin cold
I am much like yourself a lone soldier who has nothing or nobody to answer to.
The difference is I do this full time. I do stay overnight in places as close as 90 minutes from home.
Why because I either do it as a hotel shop or I have it built into my negotiated pay for my route.
Other times it makes more sense to stay in the place I have multiple days of shops to do vs
driving to the place driving back home than driving back to the place the next day.
I am young but have 8 herniated disks in my back. I could not do something where I had to work 8 hours everyday on my feet.
For a young healthy person you are right this would be easy to do.

Now for this thread
2/21/15 to 2/23/15
5 home improvement store
1 gas station
1 phone bank shop

2/16/15 to 2/19/15
my regular 6 circle k audits
Home City Ice audit
Fox and Hound
Steak n Shake
Fast Fix Jewelry
Clarks

Buffalo, good for you for staying out there after it. Sounds like you're doing all right for yourself. I really like to be home every night for more than one reason and I'll stretch extra hard to make that happen. I agree about the cold weather, it definitely slows down the process and I, too, get less done on a cold day if I'm doing stations. For banks only, the cold doesn't bother me as much but I still prefer better weather.

No shops for me today as we have thick ice on the roads here. I thought I had only two left in my book but actually it's three. Wednesday or whenever: 1 sizing audit, 1 bank, 1 station.

I have one apartment shop, one cable shop, three IT shops



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2015 02:27AM by dixiewhiskey.

Nothing for me today. Tomorrow is a cable shop, taking my parents to a yummy lunch, then a pretzel for dessert.

Oops. I just read we're supposed to get another ice storm tomorrow. Not good shopping weather.

Stay safe if you venture out ^

Go sledding!

5 Intel audits, three more IT shops, two bonused cable shops

Did 12 of 25 locations for a recall check. Will do the rest tomorrow.

Today 4 grocery and 1 auto. still doing reports.
Tomorrow 1 audit and 1 pee test to see if I can catch some more audits that require them.

I am doing the Bank Wealth Shop among others and I am actually nervous just thinking about it. I am always nervous doing high end shops because I have to dress and act like so. Luckily I have not failed. Knock on wood.

The storm is here, Mary. I am not moving.

3 Intel audits again today, 3 IT shops and one Salvation Army shop

No shops today.

However, I am doing shop-related business. I am finding out where/how/what for the charity or thrift shop shops. I naturally give to and shop in some of these stores, so how cool would it be if the ones in my little part of the boonies are shopped and available for me?

I have my favorite sit down dinner shop today. It not only completely covers two meals, it pays $15, and the report has NO narrative.

Busy day. 4 easy gas station shops, 1 audit, 1 FF, a tasty treat, and 2 midrange restaurants.

Tomorrow I have another thrift shop, 4 of the remaining IT shops, last computer audit, bonused cell phone shop and credit card shop. Have a great day tomorrow folks!

Easy day tomorrow. 3 quick video shops and 2 quick gas station shops.

Yesterday I finished the remaining 13 locations of the recall. Today a business verification and I thought I was getting a "help before noon/name your bonus" cell shop but it's not on the board this morning, so I guess not. Oh well, I wasn't that enthused anyway, even with the 'name your price bonus'.

Can someone please tell me what companies do you work with for recall shops? My friend was just telling me about this job today.. thanks a bunch!

Three valet parking shops and two cell phone shops -- all bonused! I love the end of the month!