How much can one person make?

@luckygirl0100 wrote:

Just passed an audit for my 2015 taxes.... (got the all is good letter about a week ago) all home office deductions were just fine. I deducted my internet & cell phone at 50%

@LisaSTL wrote:

When in doubt, I don't deduct. As BG said, the amounts can be so insignificant compared to the headaches. Nothing compares to my mileage and I am can easily prove the miles. I stick with deductions where there is no question they are strictly for mystery shopping, like video equipment and travel expenses, and just suck it up for anything that would involve designating percentages for work versus personal.

Internet and phone are fine. If you deducted any part of the house itself, that will be a problem going to be comes time to sell it.

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@luckygirl0100 wrote:

Just passed an audit for my 2015 taxes.... (got the all is good letter about a week ago) all home office deductions were just fine. I deducted my internet & cell phone at 50%

Do you know what triggered the audit? Was it the home office?

"Let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you - and why?” ~Walter Williams

I just started mystery shopping this year. I do my reports with my phone but I am just doing part time to supplement my income. I am enjoying this so much. The first report I had to complete was a nightmare. It took an hour for the restaurant shop and three hours for the report lol. It was supposed to be sent in by midnight and I was an hour past. I sent an email to the scheduler to explain and they were gracious. I have learned a lot already . I am looking for companies that have a variety of jobs and treat me right. I did a search in the beginning for companies. Just trial and error to start. I wish you well .

You need to do your part. Show up on time. Be consistent. Be reliable. Be professional in all your communication. Take time and submit exemplary reports before deadline. Do this and it won’t be long before you will get notified about shops before they hit a job board. Negotiate a bonus. The fact is these mystery shopping companies are contually looking for sharp shoppers. You have to take this business seriously and aim to understand what the client wants and deliver. It takes time to prove your worth, but you can make real money. Sign up with several companies. Deactivate the ones that pay too little and/or require too much of your time (multiple pages with several repetitive essays) in a report. You do need to work smart.

@walters marlenekay - restaurant shops are hard to gauge. Some of them offer relatively quick reports while others have reports that are a mile long. With experience, you'll know which companies to avoid. Also, I wouldn't recommend using your phone. I like an old school keyboard. I can bang out 70 wpm and get through a report much quicker. I've tried using my phone when in a pinch and it doesn't seem to work as smoothly. I'm not an old foogie LOL! I just know that I can absolutely fly when on a keyboard! Good luck!

Remember the oil change company also files a tax return where your oil change service is listed as income on their tax return and is thus taxable. The IRS is not going to double the tax paid on your mystery shop as well.

@Suzy Shopper wrote:

Remember the oil change company also files a tax return where your oil change service is listed as income on their tax return and is thus taxable. The IRS is not going to double the tax paid on your mystery shop as well.

'splain please.

I believe if you do a combination of merchandising and mystery shopping you will have a more consistent income, have more jobs in one area rather than having to drive around and have easier jobs in general. Merchandising jobs usually consist of doing a small project for a retailer, normally the same one over and over in their different locations. If you can find a merchandising company that pays by the project, you make an increasing profit on each location because you can do the job more quickly. There is a lot of information in the merchandising section on which companies are the best but I find a combination of merchandising and mystery shopping is a good way to stay busy.

It also depends on what you enjoy. I love the travel. I would detest setting planograms in Dollar General.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

Thank you for all the good information, it has been very helpful. I've been with Ellis for 10 months and I work full time but, and I average shops in my area and on weekends. But the rotation is hard, when you've done a lot for them. But they are good to me. I just wish more would come into my area for apartments.

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How much can one person make?

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