How am I doing as far as income?

I clear $1000 a month, not including reimbursements. I limit my shops to a 20 mile radius. How am I doing as far as income?

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You are doing great. I hope you are accounting for wear and tear on your vehicle. That is one thing many new shoppers don't take into account until it's too late, and find themselves with a broken down vehicle and no savings. But within 20 miles, I'm sure it's not that much of a factor for you. I do more than $1,000 a month, but I travel a lot. It's interesting to see new places, but the overnight stays in strange towns gets old and the time away from home and family is difficult sometimes.

My goal is US $1 billion per month. Each person has different goals - and different success in achieving them.

@Rousseau wrote:

My goal is US $1 billion per month. Each person has different goals - and different success in achieving them.

I think you are confusing yourself with Elon Musk. But you did give me a chuckle.

I think the answer will vary by shopper based on needs, where one lives (cost of living) and personal goals e.g. pay the bills, put X % in savings, never pay for gas out of pocket, etc.

But if you are able to pay the bills and live somewhat comfortably its great. Especially since not going more than 20 miles.

I am like you in that I don't have to venture too far from home. Most days I can stay within a 5-15 mile radius. Less frequently I will pick up distances up to 40-60 miles if the $ are there, or if on a road trip.

I have been shopping many years. Never made close to $1000 a month. Shops have rotation so high paying bank new account shops are one every 6 months. Fast food does not pay. Phone shops pay little. Please tell me what types of shops you do. Over the years I have lived near NYC, in the southeast and in the midwest and have never come close to what you make. Can you clue me in please?

@OldmanJames wrote:

I have been shopping many years. Never made close to $1000 a month. Shops have rotation so high paying bank new account shops are one every 6 months. Fast food does not pay. Phone shops pay little. Please tell me what types of shops you do. Over the years I have lived near NYC, in the southeast and in the midwest and have never come close to what you make. Can you clue me in please?

I do shopping routes in my area. In a week I could do 5 cellphone shops, paying $12 or $16 each. They add up. I'm now doing gas station shops. A lot of stations in my area. I also do shops for at least 10 MSC.

I am averaging $150 per day. I will drive 80 miles if needed. But the pay must more than pay for it. I calculate $.50 per mile to decide if it is really worth it. I make sure I maximize any long trip by picking up quick lower paying shops along the way there and/or back. Yesterday, I made $220 and traveled just over 100 miles round trip.

@morsteve wrote:

I am averaging $150 per day. I will drive 80 miles if needed. But the pay must more than pay for it. I calculate $.50 per mile to decide if it is really worth it. I make sure I maximize any long trip by picking up quick lower paying shops along the way there and/or back. Yesterday, I made $220 and traveled just over 100 miles round trip.

I would not travel that far. I'm in So. Calif and you could be stuck on the freeways for hours. I could take shops in another area about 20 miles from me, but the only way there is on the freeway and I could get stuck in traffic for an hour coming home.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2022 03:26PM by johnb974.

@johnb974 wrote:

I clear $1000 a month, not including reimbursements. I limit my shops to a 20 mile radius. How am I doing as far as income?

Better than me! LOL.

I think it really depends on how much time you're spending, how much effort you're putting in, how much gas you're using, and how much mileage you're putting on your car. If you're doing a small number of high paying shops, then that's awesome. If you're spending hours every day doing shops at base pay, then you might be better off with a regular part time job.

It also depends on how valuable the reimbursements are. If it's also helping you off set gas and food cost, then that's a bonus.

I've grossed $1150.00 in one day before. I guess it's all relative.

Also, for some people it is important to be free and close to home if you have family that you look after or care for, such as parents or grandparents, that rely on you. The benefit of being that flexible may be important to some. But, just as Thunder states, it is all relative to each one's needs. And if what you make is working for you, that is all that matters.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/2022 12:11AM by purpleicee.

You're doing great if your goal is pocket change. You're doing horrible if you're trying to pay all of your household bills.

Why are you asking this in the forum.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

I'm on Social Security, no spouse, no kids, so I have plenty of time. Nothing to do all day. The shops do take up a lot of my time, but then again I have nothing else to do all day. I still wonder how I'm doing. The only way to know is to ask others on here how they're doing.

It doesn't sound so good to me. Where I live, you would make more than that working two days a week in a fast food joint. Of course, I have always been mystified by those who state they make a living as a mystery shopper.

@MW wrote:

It doesn't sound so good to me. Where I live, you would make more than that working two days a week in a fast food joint. Of course, I have always been mystified by those who state they make a living as a mystery shopper.

working for someone else I don't get the write offs. I get my gas paid for.

We all have different goals. To me, it seems like you are doing well if you are staying within a 20 mile radius and just shopping to supplement Social Security. If you find yourself at home on a day you wanted to shop and couldn't find anything, then maybe extending that radius out to 40 will help. I don't know your market, but if there is another population center within 20-40 miles that you haven't explored yet, take a shot at it.

You’re doing fine!

As far as comparing, compare your income to your previous months (and same time last year). How does that compare?

Also take into account your driving expenses and actual hours worked too as other factors to grade yourself on how you’re doing too.

Shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado. 33 year old male and willing to travel!

$1000 a month sounds great. I like to calculate out what my hourly rate is (including drive time) and I try to stay around $25-$35 an hour. I don't shop 5 days a week, 8 hours a day because this is a side hustle for me and I'm in a rural area, so I'd have to really commit to large routes if I wanted to pull $1000 a month from shopping.

SS is an important point. I'm not on it, but believe there is a rule on how much other income you can earn before turning 70. After age 70 they don't care. Think its $20k ish annually, but it may vary by state.

As your MS income is in addition to SS, I'd say you are pulling in a respectable amount to help pay bills, eat, live and reduce expenses.

@johnb974 wrote:

I'm on Social Security, no spouse, no kids, so I have plenty of time. Nothing to do all day. The shops do take up a lot of my time, but then again I have nothing else to do all day. I still wonder how I'm doing. The only way to know is to ask others on here how they're doing.

The $600 or over being taxed for Social Security and Medicare, should be raised to $6000. I'm getting Social Security and Medicare, but won't get anymore back, even though I'm being taxed for both of them again.

I believe that these three paragraphs from the SS website address the issue you pointed out [www.ssa.gov]:

"If you are younger than full retirement age and earn more than the yearly earnings limit, we may reduce your benefit amount.

If you are under full retirement age for the entire year, we deduct $1 from your benefit payments for every $2 you earn above the annual limit. For 2022, that limit is $19,560.

In the year you reach full retirement age, we deduct $1 in benefits for every $3 you earn above a different limit. In 2022, this limit on your earnings is $51,960. We only count your earnings up to the month before you reach your full retirement age, not your earnings for the entire year."

@Zek wrote:

SS is an important point. I'm not on it, but believe there is a rule on how much other income you can earn before turning 70. After age 70 they don't care. Think its $20k ish annually, but it may vary by state.

As your MS income is in addition to SS, I'd say you are pulling in a respectable amount to help pay bills, eat, live and reduce expenses.

@johnb974 wrote:

I'm on Social Security, no spouse, no kids, so I have plenty of time. Nothing to do all day. The shops do take up a lot of my time, but then again I have nothing else to do all day. I still wonder how I'm doing. The only way to know is to ask others on here how they're doing.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

@johnb974 wrote:

The $600 or over being taxed for Social Security and Medicare, should be raised to $6000. I'm getting Social Security and Medicare, but won't get anymore back, even though I'm being taxed for both of them again.

If only it worked that way! You'll never see your own SS money, for better or worse.

I agree with the others that only you can judge how you feel about your income. I liked the suggestion of having a base rate that makes it worthwhile for you.

I'm 69 and I don't think I will ever earn more then $15,000 a year on mystery shopping. Do they count your gross or net? Is this before write offs?

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2022 01:14AM by johnb974.

The net amount is what counts for income tax purposes. You sort everything out on Schedule C, and the dollar amount that is transferred to the 1040 form is what matters.

@johnb974 wrote:

I'm 69 and I don't think I will ever earn more then $15,000 a year on mystery shopping. Do they count your gross or net? Is this before write offs?

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

Sounds to me like you're doing fine for what you want and need. As others said, what's a "good income" for this business is so relative to each person's situation.

I'm earning more from MS this year than I ever have before and am working at it less. But I'm not making anywhere near what you are. I only use this gig as a filler when my two other self-employment businesses are slow. I'm in between big freelance jobs, and my other business is just slow. I have to admit that I'm taking time from that to shop, but I'm making more $$ shopping at the moment, so making hay while the sun shines as they say.

If I can pay our two car payments each month with my MS income, I'm happy. That's my modest goal, and if I never make more than that, that's OK. My other two businesses are where my real passions are. I enjoy this, but it's third on the list. Plus, like you, I'm on SS, so I need to not make too much money (like that'll ever happen!).

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

@ MW

What fast food pays its workers $1k for 2 days work or anything close to that ?

@MW wrote:

It doesn't sound so good to me. Where I live, you would make more than that working two days a week in a fast food joint. Of course, I have always been mystified by those who state they make a living as a mystery shopper.

The question was $1k a month, not $1k a week. My point was you can work two days a week and make more than $1k a month.

$17 an hour X 16 hours a week X 52 weeks in a year, divided by 12 months in a year=$1178 a month.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2022 08:12AM by MW.

For your goal of making some money to supplement social security and get out of the house, you are doing fine.

I used to make more money mystery shopping, but since covid, I have not seen much. Last month, my credit card had a $355 charge for restaurants. That was all mystery shopping. All of it was covered except around $20 (we went $15 over at one place and figure a few dollars over for the others). We would not eat out otherwise, since it is so expensive.

Actual money- $83

I spend around $100/week for gas (I drive 1000 miles a week, 120 miles each day to get to work, and travel). Anything helps.

I think you are doing great!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2022 04:20PM by Shoptosay1.

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