I have worked for several MS companies in the past. With all the paperwork (printing detailed work orders)and the time spent on the pc I just don't see much money making. I have done jobs for as low as $4 and as high as $25 and that was rarely. I would like to continue doing MS jobs but I would like to make enough to at least pay for my gas and my supplies (paper & ink for printer). What MS companies pay the best? I know I can't make a living doing this but I would like to make it worth my time. Please let me know of the good companies that pay the most!

Sheila, I saw something today that made my blood run cold; a shop house that presents its shops, and then has you bid on them, thus driving the price down to the one who is the most desperate to get it. ewwwwwwww. I hope they know that you get what you pay for.

The highest paying shops are the ones that the scheduler calls you. Write a fabulous report, and they will beat their way to your door.

Don't undersell yourself. Someone wrote the other day, "where can I find more supermarket shops." Why? They are low paying, under 7 dollars, and massively detailed in report. The apartment shops are no bargain, either, even though the average is $25; be prepared that a decent report is going to take 1-2 hours, bringing it below minimun wage. But it is good work but a warning, I have not been paid 5 times, and four of them were apartmant shops. Epson (Ellis) thought they could punish me, and restrict my privileges, while still calling me when they had an emergency. They are not my parents. All over a huffy editor who I think was 12.

Don't sell yourself short, Sheila. There is no magic about getting jobs; once you have figured that out it is not if you will work but where. I do no shops under $10, unless it suits my own purpose, and a $10 dollar shop better have little to no paperwork. My real cutoff is $15, it goes up from there.

Realize that some shops you do because it is fun. This is unique amongst jobs. Dining, hotels, bowling,spas; you don't make a thing, and you put your money up front, but in the end your life is more enjoyable for it. But do five of these in a week and understand; you didn't MAKE anything this week, in fact, you are temporarily behind.

I actually met someone who thought they were going to get PAID to eat out. The companies are two smart for that. They have a product, it cost them a negligible amount to feed you, and they get your services for free. Make sure You know what You are buying.

Sheila,
I have to agree with Beth on this one. Most shops that I do start in the $15 range and go up from there. I have done $75 casino shops and a couple $100 bank investment shops. Remember the higher the fee the more that is involved. When I do the casino shops I spend 1 to 2 hours in the casino, and I have to gamble, then anouthe 1 to 2 hours completing the report. So between 2 to 4 hours for $75 plus the money that I might have lost gambling. I have found it mor enjoyable to do 3 to 4 $15 shops a day on my lunch or on the way home, still make the same amount or close to it. and takes less time. Most shops that I take are on the way home or near my job. I will always take a supermarket for $10 with a $5 towards purchase, a case of water is $5. I look at it this way a free case of water and $10 for 10 minutes work and 10 minutes filling the report out, not bad.

Mike

I agree too. No shop under $10 + reimbursement even considered (unless it's to my benefit in other ways) and I usually don't take them for less than $12 + reimbursement.

My high, so far, was $30 (no purchase required) for a pretty simple shop, but most are in the $12-$15 range. Have you tried Bare International? Most of their shops seem to pay higher than "average".

I have found some very high paying shops for as much as $200, but it ids true that they are very involved. I have also found that if I help a company out with their lower paying shops that I can therefore barter for the more in demand shops.

I do not take jobs unless they start with $10.00 to $15.00 now I have one coming up that is $22.50 and that is right here in my area it will take me all of 10 minutes to drive to that location. We cannot afford to take jobs less than that because of the price of gas. It seems to me that in away MS companies want you to almost work for nothing and the jobs that are $4.oo and $5.00 is a disgrace to any of us. I hope I never get that desperate and accept that price if you start doing that for them then they know that they have got Mystery Shoppers working for almost nothing. I am hoping that companies like that just fade away but if real desperate people keep taking those jobs they won't. You have the right to be paid a fair price because we are not in slavery where you work for practically nothing. They do not care how much your gas cost all they want is a warm body. Please do not let them do that to you as honest hard working Americans no matter what national origin you are as long as you are paid a decent wage for their work.

Thank you for everyone's input. I was a new shopper when I took the $4 plus meal job. I no longer take those. I not only went in the hole on my gas I ran my car to death. I was trying to build up to more & better jobs at the time but they did not seem to come. I quit doing cheap jobs. I have just about quit MS because of the pay. I feel they should and could pay a lot better than any of them do. You spend maybe 10 min.to 30 min. in the store, driving time, and computer time & by the time you pay for gas, paper, ink & your time how do you really come out?

I don't spend much for paper and ink. I keep most of the information for my shops on my computer.
My bf buys the gas...*lol* But, honestly, I set my shops up so that I can do several in the same general area of town. I have over $500 coming in this month, have used probably $50. in gas to do the shops, and my paper and ink cost...(ok...my bf's paper and ink costs...*lol*) have been negligible.
Plus, I've received some other perks in the way of dining, tanning, shopping and more.
The only $4. or $5 shops I do are ff, where I am reimbursed for my food as well as the small shop fee. It's a free meal, and it takes me less than 20 minutes to complete the paperwork.

~Christina