Part time temp work vs mystery shopping
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I tried it myself when times were difficult (begging). In 4 hours on a corner, I garnered $7. The gas to get me to that corner cost more than $7.
A wheel chair is a great idea, LOL!!!
A wheel chair is a great idea, LOL!!!
Wheelchair, eyepatch and a mangy-looking dog.
You could've asked us. I'm sure we could have come up with more than $7.@ceasesmith wrote:
I tried it myself when times were difficult (begging). In 4 hours on a corner, I garnered $7. The gas to get me to that corner cost more than $7.
"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
Oh, man, I did. I was assaulted at work by a knife-wielding co-worker -- and I had done NOTHING to make him angry. I tore my meniscus in my left knee, trying to escape him.
Fellow shoppers sent me FOOD and LOTS of encouragement.
I did park, and put out a sign: Will be evicted. Can't work. Need rent money.
I filed workmen's comp; it took them 2 years to deny it. But during that two years, I was in so much horrible, horrible pain, I could not work.
If it had not been for the kindness of my fellow shoppers, I would not have survived.
Thank you to all who helped.
So many sent food, USPS packages, etc., words of encouragement, anonymously, I didn't even know who to thank.
But I have been able to work for about a year now, and things are much, much better!
Fellow shoppers sent me FOOD and LOTS of encouragement.
I did park, and put out a sign: Will be evicted. Can't work. Need rent money.
I filed workmen's comp; it took them 2 years to deny it. But during that two years, I was in so much horrible, horrible pain, I could not work.
If it had not been for the kindness of my fellow shoppers, I would not have survived.
Thank you to all who helped.
So many sent food, USPS packages, etc., words of encouragement, anonymously, I didn't even know who to thank.
But I have been able to work for about a year now, and things are much, much better!
@johnb974 I'm not suggesting that you take any assignment that causes you financial harm. I was throwing it out there that you don't always get what you think you're worth, right off the bat. I hope when you told the temp agency "No.", that you appreciated them thinking of you. And as far as " No incentive for me to go back.", well the incentive would be that YOU want to do the job right. If you are technically inclined, you might look up FieldNation . Hubby and I have enjoyed gigging for them for over 10 years. Good luck, JohnB974.
@Monk-N-Nut wrote:
@johnb974 I'm not suggesting that you take any assignment that causes you financial harm. I was throwing it out there that you don't always get what you think you're worth, right off the bat. I hope when you told the temp agency "No.", that you appreciated them thinking of you. And as far as " No incentive for me to go back.", well the incentive would be that YOU want to do the job right. If you are technically inclined, you might look up FieldNation . Hubby and I have enjoyed gigging for them for over 10 years. Good luck, JohnB974.
The interesting thing talking to the woman running the office, I gave a list of cities around me that I would be more than willing to go to. Each time she named a city outside of my area. I was asked about working with the mentally disabled. I said, my only experience is with seniors I have never worked with the mentally disabled. She kept pushing for me to work with mentally disabled. This went back and forth several times. Every time I told them where I would work or where my experience was, she ignored and went in another direction.
One reason I like mystery shopping, YOU decide where and when you want to work. You take the jobs that fit your experience.
@johnb974 wrote:
The interesting thing talking to the woman running the office, I gave a list of cities around me that I would be more than willing to go to. Each time she named a city outside of my area. I was asked about working with the mentally disabled. I said, my only experience is with seniors I have never worked with the mentally disabled. She kept pushing for me to work with mentally disabled. This went back and forth several times. Every time I told them where I would work or where my experience was, she ignored and went in another direction.
It sounds like she is telling you she has limited work in your experience in the area in which you want to work. The work she has in your area seems to be with mentally disabled rather than with seniors. If you want to work with seniors and work in the particular area around you, it may be a better idea to register with a different temp agency. It does not sound like they have a lot of jobs fitting your criteria.
@Monk-N-Nut thank you for the link. I saved it and will look into it. I am expanding my mystery shopping to other areas.
@roflwofl I had a bad feeling about this caregiving company after I went through their interview process. I am looking for other work and expanding my mystery shopping area. I like the freedom that mystery shopping offers you. Now I just need to hold out for better fees. I know now which shops in my area, I doubt anyone will take, and I just need to wait until the fee goes up. It's not that the shops are difficult, it's that the shops are in an area few people go to.
@roflwofl I had a bad feeling about this caregiving company after I went through their interview process. I am looking for other work and expanding my mystery shopping area. I like the freedom that mystery shopping offers you. Now I just need to hold out for better fees. I know now which shops in my area, I doubt anyone will take, and I just need to wait until the fee goes up. It's not that the shops are difficult, it's that the shops are in an area few people go to.
Why not take the jobs with the mentally disabled? Likely she has a government contract to provide those services and it would be steady work.@johnb974 wrote:
She kept pushing for me to work with mentally disabled. This went back and forth several times. Every time I told them where I would work or where my experience was, she ignored and went in another direction.
You gain experience by working, and that has to start somewhere. Take the jobs, learn about the people, and expand your skill base. [cdss.ca]
(Any chance you're a Millennial?)
"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
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2018 08:48PM by iShop123.
@iShop123 wrote:
Why not take the jobs with the mentally disabled? Likely she has a government contract to provide those services and it would be steady work.@johnb974 wrote:
She kept pushing for me to work with mentally disabled. This went back and forth several times. Every time I told them where I would work or where my experience was, she ignored and went in another direction.
You gain experience by working, and that has to start somewhere. Take the jobs, learn about the people, and expand your skill base. [cdss.ca]
(Any chance you're a Millennial?)
To me, that kind of work takes a special calling, which I don't have. I know many people who have told me they could never work with seniors. I understand, it takes a special person to do some kinds of work.
From what I understand, John is not a millennial but is retired from a career, at least that is what he has posted in the past.
The very first meaningful work I ever performed was with severely challenged persons who resided at an institution along with challenged persons of all ages. Staying in that field would have led directly into special education as a career. I chose other fields of study and did other work later with Alzheimer's and other dementia patients, etc.
This work is not for everyone! There is no shame, and there is no blame, if someone does not want to enter into (or continue with) that type of work.
If the op does not want this, so be it.
This work is not for everyone! There is no shame, and there is no blame, if someone does not want to enter into (or continue with) that type of work.
If the op does not want this, so be it.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
I would say that the typical panhandler in this city makes more like $60 per hour if working the day shift, and he/she does not have to pay taxes. Most busy intersections have a 3-minute or longer red light. At least 3 motorists will hand him/her a dollar bill. That's a dollar a minute.@shoptastic wrote:
I wonder how mystery shopping compares vs. homeless panhandling?
At a good intersection, it seems possible to get a donation every 10 minutes of $1-5. If a person made $2.50/10 minutes, then that'd come out to $15/hour.
@AZwolfman wrote:
I would say that the typical panhandler in this city makes more like $60 per hour if working the day shift, and he/she does not have to pay taxes. Most busy intersections have a 3-minute or longer red light. At least 3 motorists will hand him/her a dollar bill. That's a dollar a minute.@shoptastic wrote:
I wonder how mystery shopping compares vs. homeless panhandling?
At a good intersection, it seems possible to get a donation every 10 minutes of $1-5. If a person made $2.50/10 minutes, then that'd come out to $15/hour.
That's $115,000/year! More than college grads, who often go into debt, make on average!
@shoptastic wrote:
@AZwolfman wrote:
@shoptastic wrote:
I wonder how mystery shopping compares vs. homeless panhandling?
At a good intersection, it seems possible to get a donation every 10 minutes of $1-5. If a person made $2.50/10 minutes, then that'd come out to $15/hour.
I would say that the typical panhandler in this city makes more like $60 per hour if working the day shift, and he/she does not have to pay taxes. Most busy intersections have a 3-minute or longer red light. At least 3 motorists will hand him/her a dollar bill. That's a dollar a minute.
That's $115,000/year! More than college grads, who often go into debt, make on average!
There are so many things wrong with the above suppositions, but mainly; If a red light indeed were 3 minutes long and a panhandler consistently made $1 from 3 cars at each light, they would be bringing in $30 over an hour because the light would be green 30 minutes out of each hour! It's also not going to be consistently busy for 8 straight hours.
Research shows that successful panhandlers can make between $10-30 hourly when active, up to around $100 per day. You have to take into account inclement weather, traffic patters, days where the individual may be ill or in the hospital, money stolen from them by other transients, the cost of living that particular lifestyle, etc...
Most panhandlers do it because they have no other option. People with options elect to do basically anything else, including mystery shopping. If anyone of you seriously have any jealousy over the money that panhandlers make, I'd suggest trying it.
It really depends on how well you are at organisation and planning. I have a $500 route that im doing tomorrow, $400 of which is mystery shopping and $100 of it is from a survey/ merchandising app. Im Always trying to find things in between shops to maximize profits.
I'm now planning routes further from my home. Monday I have a route I'll make $105. I have to travel at least 25 miles from home for this.
I would be THRILLED to find any shops within 25 miles. The absolute closest one to me is 45 miles each way; second closest is 60 miles away; then 88; then 100. I'd be happy to only drive 25 miles and get a mini route of $105!
Of course, if you're in the city, that 25 miles can -- and often does -- take two hours. For me, 25 miles is 25 minutes.
Of course, if you're in the city, that 25 miles can -- and often does -- take two hours. For me, 25 miles is 25 minutes.
Agreed. For my job in general, my commute is four hours a day (122 miles total, in traffic). Traveling 25 miles for anything would be nice.
I do not have jealously over the money the panhandlers get. I have contempt for the working, tax-paying citizens who support the panhandlers. While it's true that some have physical limitations that make it tough to get a job, most of those I've met are more physically able and younger than I am. Many of them hang out in the lot at fast food places begging for money even thought there are "Now Hiring" signs in the store windows. Many of these panhandlers are smoking cigarettes and drinking. If they are hungry, then that is obviously not their top priority. I've had some say they can't find a job. I would tell them about some places that are hiring, and those bums would tell me how they could not live on $8/hour. Therefore, one could conclude that they definitely made more than $8/hr by bumming money from hard-working people.
I'm still sweating bullets over a panhandling event during one of my shops. I was between the first and second parts of the shop when this happened. I gave the person money for the initial stated need, even though there were other parts to the story. Twenty justifications flew through my mind while that was happening, and I settled upon something a priest once said about giving. Sometimes, we give and ask questions later. I do not plan to ask questions of this panhandler. I just want to be paid for my shop! I did not want to seem mean, a pushover, or frivolous. I just wanted that not to have happened during a shop. I have not seen my shop grade, and I hope that the incident did not create a question or discomfort for my shop. Hopefully, if the person truly needed temporary or long-term assistance, they found it.
It is impossible to know at a glance who is in need, conducting research, pretending, etc. How do we know if we are creating a monster or withholding a benefit?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/2018 06:40PM by Shop-et-al.
It is impossible to know at a glance who is in need, conducting research, pretending, etc. How do we know if we are creating a monster or withholding a benefit?
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/2018 06:40PM by Shop-et-al.
I honestly don't care why someone is panhandling. Unless it's obvious that this is what they do, day in and day out like in Vegas, I give them a little something if I can. It's not about them, it's about me. What kind of person do I want to be? I want to be the kind that helps her fellow man. So what they do with it is on them. My behavior is on me.
You mean panhandling is different in other U.S. cities than it is here in Las Vegas? You are correct that panhandling is a day in day out non-taxed job here. I see the same panhandlers working the same intersections and parking lots the same shifts every day. I give them food but never money.@CoffeeQueen wrote:
I honestly don't care why someone is panhandling. Unless it's obvious that this is what they do, day in and day out like in Vegas, I give them a little something if I can. It's not about them, it's about me. What kind of person do I want to be? I want to be the kind that helps her fellow man. So what they do with it is on them. My behavior is on me.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/2018 09:13PM by AZwolfman.
If you feel inclined to help people, donate to a shelter that feeds and houses the homeless, or volunteer at a soup kitchen and spend some time with people that need help.
You may learn that simply handing out money to those who ask for it mainly just perpetuates the problem.
You may learn that simply handing out money to those who ask for it mainly just perpetuates the problem.
Right on! It's just like feeding stray pigeons. Feeding the pests only perpetuates the problem.@SteveSoCal wrote:
If you feel inclined to help people, donate to a shelter that feeds and houses the homeless, or volunteer at a soup kitchen and spend some time with people that need help.
You may learn that simply handing out money to those who ask for it mainly just perpetuates the problem.
I think that San Francisco is now worse than Seattle. Los Angeles is pretty bad too. I don't usually have too many issues in Las Vegas.@AZwolfman wrote:
You mean panhandling is different in other U.S. cities than it is here in Las Vegas? You are correct that panhandling is a day in day out non-taxed job here. I see the same panhandlers working the same intersections and parking lots the same shifts every day. I give them food but never money.@CoffeeQueen wrote:
I honestly don't care why someone is panhandling. Unless it's obvious that this is what they do, day in and day out like in Vegas, I give them a little something if I can. It's not about them, it's about me. What kind of person do I want to be? I want to be the kind that helps her fellow man. So what they do with it is on them. My behavior is on me.
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