For the casual hobby shopper... Why do you shop? What are you earning your money for? What kind of shops do you like best?
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I have been able to save so much money by eating out and getting reimbursed. Just like you, I eat at places that I normally would not eat at if I was not getting reimbursed. I get oil changes and they're paid for. I used to do grocery shops and never had a pay for groceries out of my pocket. I have saved a lot of money with secret shopping.
It's not a full-time job for me, I do a couple a week. My sister always has money problems and I explained to her how much money I have saved Mystery Shopping. Her reply to me is that she hates Mystery Shopping. I think she's a sucker for not doing it. I have money in the bank and she doesn't.
It's not a full-time job for me, I do a couple a week. My sister always has money problems and I explained to her how much money I have saved Mystery Shopping. Her reply to me is that she hates Mystery Shopping. I think she's a sucker for not doing it. I have money in the bank and she doesn't.
I work from home during my day job. Its a nice reason to get out of the house without spending a lot...I like the free meals, movies, oil changes and the extra few bucks, But I typically end up spending that anyway on something else while I am out and about. I think of it as guilt free spending since its not coming out of the normal budget-or at least a lot less than if I wasn't shopping.
I used to do about 50 to 60 shops a month but kinda got burned out. Now I do it more casually and am more selective. I like the food shops - easy and a free meal. I like casino shops, hardware stores, the occasional bank when they pay decently and the odd shops like laser removal. Also, the gas stations that are not revealed audits. Those are easy, couple gallons of gas and a few piks, and they pay as much as the horrible audits.
At this point, I have tried most shop types that I want to try. It is good for me, generally, to do a variety of assignments. It is good for the brain cell to do different things from time to time. It is possible for me to make large-ish amounts of money from this work, but it is much easier to have the same amount of money by staying home, working locally, and slashing the budget. I will do little spates of shops in future, and that will be enough for me.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2018 01:50AM by Shop-et-al.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2018 01:50AM by Shop-et-al.
I’m a hobby shopper. I’m saving to take my hubby on a trip to the Northwest when he retires in the fall. I’ve tried quite a variety of shops except gas stations and new car shops - those don’t interest me. Two of my favorites are not being shopped this year. I like the retail shops best.
Susie shopping the Columbus Ohio area and outlying communities.
I do almost all food shops. Habit Burger, Wahoo's if I could find them, Smashburger which I also haven't done in a while, and lately all those delivery shops. I dislike doing shops with "scenarios." I've posted recently about how I'm cutting down the number of shops I do because of the low return, but this week I've done one just about every day, reimbursement only to boot, but now I have more food than I can possibly eat, and all of it was pretty good.
I can do almost as well by using coupons and joining all of the rewards programs. In fact, there are more than I can possibly use, especially around birthday time.
I never really set aside my shop money for anything particular, except paying back the credit card I charged all the stuff on. When I first started, and I was working full time, I just let it all accumulate in Paypal until I had a use for it.
I can do almost as well by using coupons and joining all of the rewards programs. In fact, there are more than I can possibly use, especially around birthday time.
I never really set aside my shop money for anything particular, except paying back the credit card I charged all the stuff on. When I first started, and I was working full time, I just let it all accumulate in Paypal until I had a use for it.
@Cricut157 wrote:
I am a casual hobby shopper. I shop for the fun of getting out, using my brain and feeling like I have accomplished something valuable. I use my earnings to purchase paints and craft supplies and to try new things that I otherwise would not indulge in. I enjoy my lunch shops, they are not stressful and I have tried a few retail shops and they are fun and easy but hard to find.
I used my shopping to subsidize my income to have enough to pay off debt and start saving for a house. I love restaurant shops and audits and phone shops.
I'm saving to buy my first home in cash. I'm very close to my targeted savings goal to buy the home outright in cash. Mystery shopping is very flexible so its good supplemental income you can fit into a busy schedule.
I enjoy Mystery shopping as a way to increase cash, get some free food and payoff massive amounts of student loans. The supplemental income it brings in will also help with a substantial down payment for a new home.
@Shop-et-al wrote:
It is good for the brain cell
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
I started mystery shopping when my daughter started school three years ago. I was so happy having all the free time (6 hours) I started watching a lot of Netflix. Soon, I got bored and began looking for something new I could do from home. I started with some basic phone shops. I love phone and web shops. I also like jewelry and hardware shops. I guess I like having the feeling that I am doing something productive even while sitting at home. My sisters used to lovingly taunt me that I was wasting my MBA degree but no more!! I am mystery shopping businesses after all. I do a few visits on weekends and sometimes none. I stay away from fast food and restaurant shops since I think they are unhealthy.
I don't have a specific goal for my income. It's just a great feeling that I can contribute something towards my household income however small it is.
I don't have a specific goal for my income. It's just a great feeling that I can contribute something towards my household income however small it is.
I wouldn't say I'm a hobby shopper but this is not my main source of income either. Over the weekend, I took my mother out to the best steak dinner I have ever had thanks to Customer Impact. Had the best Pomegranate martini too. AND...to top it all off, I got the nicest note from the editor saying what a great job I did on the report. That was tops. I got to enjoy a great time out with my Mom, went to a place that I wouldn't normally go on my own dime, and got appreciated for my hard work!
Kim
I like the extra bit of money/ savings. I look for shops close to work and do them after work. So, no travelling expenses to mystery shop. Little amounts add up.
I enjoy mystery shopping. But when I was trying to make more and taking shops I didn't really enjoy I was getting tired of it. So fewer it is.
I enjoy mystery shopping. But when I was trying to make more and taking shops I didn't really enjoy I was getting tired of it. So fewer it is.
I'm a casual shopper and primarily lean towards high returns and convenience with little effort. I guess that makes me a lazy lioness, but that means more for everyone else. For instance, I'd do as many of the the $7 avocado shops I could find. I like the movie shops, bundt cake shops, veterinarian visits, and of course I like the $250 Bottega Veneta shops, which were so quick and easy it was criminal. I've also done the fancy steak house shops, amusement parks, resort stays, and casino shops, but they are not for me - too long & arduous. Pick what works for you; there's plenty of variety to go around.
And the reason why I shop is to keep my expenses down, try new things, and enjoy a few goodies I might not otherwise. I can afford that $3.99 avocado, but if I weren't doing a shop, I'd probably skip it and keep an eye on the papers and buy when the price comes down. Also, if I really wanted that $280 coin purse, I could have it, but that seems extravagant - especially when it;s not even "my brand".
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/2018 03:38PM by Monk-N-Nut.
And the reason why I shop is to keep my expenses down, try new things, and enjoy a few goodies I might not otherwise. I can afford that $3.99 avocado, but if I weren't doing a shop, I'd probably skip it and keep an eye on the papers and buy when the price comes down. Also, if I really wanted that $280 coin purse, I could have it, but that seems extravagant - especially when it;s not even "my brand".
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/2018 03:38PM by Monk-N-Nut.
Avocado Shop?!? I LOVE avocados! Guess it’s time to sign up for more MSCs! Any hints greatly appreciated! BTW I am already signed up with over 100 companies so it must be an elusive one or maybe the company doesn’t have that particular shop in my area.@Monk-N-Nut wrote:
I'm a casual shopper and primarily lean towards high returns and convenience with little effort. I guess that makes me a lazy lioness, but that means more for everyone else. For instance, I'd do as many of the the $7 avocado shops I could find. I like the movie shops, bundt cake shops, veterinarian visits, and of course I like the $250 Bottega Veneta shops, which were so quick and easy it was criminal. I've also done the fancy steak house shops, amusement parks, resort stays, and casino shops, but they are not for me - too long & arduous. Pick what works for you; there's plenty of variety to go around.
And the reason why I shop is to keep my expenses down, try new things, and enjoy a few goodies I might not otherwise. I can afford that $3.99 avocado, but if I weren't doing a shop, I'd probably skip it and keep an eye on the papers and buy when the price comes down. Also, if I really wanted that $280 coin purse, I could have it, but that seems extravagant - especially when it;s not even "my brand".
Love our fine and casual dining. Retail is a close second. I recently worked for a $100 silver bracelet from a wonderful retailer. DD #2 has a fancy birthday dinner to attend for one of her BFF's. What a great gift. She will love it. The small fees that I earn go towards coffee/bagels for me a few days a month. I am doing this for the perks without having to stress myself out (on most days) and for my DD's. I/we do miss HM, Aeropostale, Forever 21, Rag 'n Bone, reimbursed cosmetic jobs, high end athletic shoe shops. You get the drift. Enjoy!
@DavePi wrote:
I'm saving to buy my first home in cash. I'm very close to my targeted savings goal to buy the home outright in cash. Mystery shopping is very flexible so its good supplemental income you can fit into a busy schedule.
I hope that you've been paying taxes on all of those earnings. If you show up with cash, you have to explain where it came from.
@DavePi wrote:
there are loop holes to get around that. ;D
It's Federal law that transactions over $5000 in cash have to be reported to BSA.
Good luck with that.
Paying in cash does not mean you are bringing in actual cash although some people do...It can mean you have a legal bank acct or investment acct (bitcoin or equiv included) and you write a check out of it. Hopefully DavePi does not have hundreds of thousands of dollars (or millions in certain cities) under his mattress not even earning the pittance of interest being paid now. But then as colorful as DavePi is I would not put anything past him. DavePi??? Buying a house for cash would mean a thousand years of mystery shopping earnings where I live!. But some of us could almost buy a house in stamps by now.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/2018 06:48PM by sandyf.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/2018 06:48PM by sandyf.
lol, I only keep $10,000 in physical cash at my home. It's not really smart to keep most of your money as physical cash since inflation is around 3% a year.
AnneAshley - it's the same company that does NOT Mama June's Pizza....another name for dad... And they're also doing a bunch of fast food - "take a bunch of pix & upload shops".
I’m 95% sure I know which company to which you are referring, but I just checked their job board with no luck. I’ll broaden my job search mileage to try and verify. Thanks for the hint!@Monk-N-Nut wrote:
AnneAshley - it's the same company that does NOT Mama June's Pizza....another name for dad... And they're also doing a bunch of fast food - "take a bunch of pix & upload shops".
I will take a look too as I am signed up with two companies that do the daddy pizza shop. I did a lone avocado shop a few months ago but kicked myself as I had to purchase a bag of them for $2 over reimbursement as they had no single avocados for sale. They were all hard as rocks and never ripened well. I ended up not able to eat most of them as they turned brown while still hardish. The floor associate said they had sold out the day before and these were a new shipment.
Well, I had no luck. I know two companies that shop that pizza company, but neither had an avocado shop, not even when I searched hundreds of miles away.@AnneAshley wrote:
I’m 95% sure I know which company to which you are referring, but I just checked their job board with no luck. I’ll broaden my job search mileage to try and verify. Thanks for the hint!@Monk-N-Nut wrote:
AnneAshley - it's the same company that does NOT Mama June's Pizza....another name for dad... And they're also doing a bunch of fast food - "take a bunch of pix & upload shops".
@AnneAshley wrote:
Well, I had no luck. I know two companies that shop that pizza company, but neither had an avocado shop, not even when I searched hundreds of miles away.@AnneAshley wrote:
I’m 95% sure I know which company to which you are referring, but I just checked their job board with no luck. I’ll broaden my job search mileage to try and verify. Thanks for the hint!@Monk-N-Nut wrote:
AnneAshley - it's the same company that does NOT Mama June's Pizza....another name for dad... And they're also doing a bunch of fast food - "take a bunch of pix & upload shops".
Anne, the avocado shop I did was I think a one time shop. I have never seen them again at the company I did it for...and it was not a daddy pizza msc. So someone else must be doing it too.
I've been doing grocery shops for 8 years, casino shops for 2 to supplement my retirement income, I usually do 2 grocery shops a day 3x a week and 4-5 casino shops per quarter. I average $300-400 a week since one grocery client (no MSC) pays .54 per mile. I live in riverside county, CA and do most of the longer shops (San Diego, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Big Bear, Encino and surrounding valley out to Ventura. Some of these are 200 mi RT, Shop pay is $25 per store. The money's in the miles and tax free. Casino's shop pay is alot of work for $75 per, but relaxing.
AnneAshley Earlier this year, there were waves of multiple avo shops. I don't see them right now, here is CA. Just keep an eye out - they might pop up. You're an INTELLI gent person 
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