While the IRS *finally* sent my refund, I was still in serious need of generating cashflow this past week, and thankfully it was the start of a new quarter.

I booked work for the entire week, exclusively in the petroleum/travel/automotive segment. I wound up doing 2 routes: an overnighter into Southern Utah and a 2-nighter into Colorado, in addition to some local stops stops throughout the 80-mile long valley where SLC is situated.

Here are the stats:

79 stops

42 Phillips 66
19 Chevron
15 Pilot/FlyingJ/Competitors
2 C-Store (Magic App/Shell format w/o pics)
1 Quick Quack car wash

1580 miles

$1385.71 gross revenues, of which over $900 has already been received.

My approach to personal "accounting" is skewed by my particular situation. I evaluate work opportunities and set up resulting routes strictly from a current vs. future cashflow standpoint. Anything going on a credit card is essentially a fee-free cash advance given the weekly (or better) payment structures.

For this trip I went with more expensive hotel options to qualify for 12 months interest-free payments through PayPal via Hotwire, and to be as comfy as possible while working my a$$ off and having weird sleep shifts due to nighttime shops. And I don't factor in lodging costs in my decision making because they are 100% deductible.

I also don't factor in food/beer costs, because I gotta eat and drink regardless of what I'm doing, and see above re: comfy.

Obviously the key to the week was gas reimbursements. I wound up with more in my tank than when I left (aways the goal), with only maybe a gallon or so at my own expense (because Chevron Customer First). I also don't factor in driving time as not only am I getting the tax write-off, I'd be driving rideshare to generate income if I weren't doing my routes. As that sometimes doesn't even generate $20/hr for a shift and I'm paying for the gas, I strictly weigh onsite time/pay for shops when making the decision to head out on a route.

For this one my overall gas strategy worked perfectly. I would use the P66 Fuel Forward app for gas purchases of 25¢ or 50¢, and use my Verizon VISA (paying 4% at gas stations) for the in-store purchase. After more than 3 dozen visits I now have a massive inventory of 5-Hour Energies. The app shuts down after 6 or 7 uses in a 24-hour period, so I mapped out the "low-rent" stations in advance, keeping myself in beverages when I had less to spend in the store.

And I had a cool time.

Weather was gorgeous (clear and low 90s) and the driving was through some beautiful country. Once I was out of Utah I could enjoy some full-strength draft beers, and I paid a surprise visit to my single favorite music store account from back in my repping days.

And I got to see some good fireworks going off on July 4 because of the nighttime P66 jobs. Was able to get a good shot of some going off in the background for one of my full site photos.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/09/2024 01:48PM by CoolMusic.

Wow what an interesting post into the life of a route shopper. I am a city shopper. I am absolutely amazed. It seems if you spent 5 days, some of every day being spent driving you still managed to do an average of 15 jobs a day. I am duly impressed.
I did shorten your post so others who have not should go back above and read it.
But also you actually had fun too.
Congrats on what seems like a worthwhile trip to you even tho it was hard work you enjoyed it.

@CoolMusic wrote:

I booked work for the entire week, exclusively in the petroleum/travel/automotive segment. I wound up doing 2 routes: an overnighter into Southern Utah and a 2-nighter into Colorado, in addition to some local stops stops throughout the 80-mile long valley where SLC is situated.

Here are the stats:

79 stops

42 Phillips 66
19 Chevron
15 Pilot/FlyingJ/Competitors
2 C-Store (Magic App/Shell format w/o pics)
1 Quick Quack car wash

1580 miles

$1385.71 gross revenues, of which over $900 has already been received.

Mn the background for one of my full site photos.

Your post makes me miss route shopping (kind of.)

If you start with video shopping, you could double or triple your earnings with new home and apartment work. And very little reporting at the end of the day. Might want to consider it…

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/09/2024 09:54PM by ColoKate63.

You averaged about $17.50 a shop.

You also had hotel fees.

That’s a ton of work and driving to net less than $1000.

To each their own I guess?

@ColoKate63 wrote:

Your post makes me miss route shopping (kind of.)

If you start with video shopping, you could double or triple your earnings with new home and apartment work. And very little reporting at the end of the day. Might want to consider it…

I've done it before. In my current situation I can't spend that much time on something and have to wait 45+ days to get paid.

And I disagree with the "very little reporting" assessment. EPMS reports are the 2nd worst form in the industry, and a total PITA.

@BayShopper22 wrote:

You averaged about $17.50 a shop.

You also had hotel fees.

That’s a ton of work and driving to net less than $1000.

To each their own I guess?

Better pay than driving rideshare, which is the other option for generating quick cashflow. And I had way more fun...

Hotel fees are 100% deductible, so I don't factor those into my decisions. I'm all about generating cash up front with minimal tax liability on the back end.

Hotel fees are 100% deductible from your income, which means that amount is not taxed, but you still eat most of the cost. Still, the deduction helps.

When I take a crazy route I would 100% much rather sleep in my car, work from sun up till I can't go anymore and finish the route faster.
I have a route coming up while my kids are at camp for the week and guidelines force me to stop at 8pm.... I'd much rather go till about 10/11pm and finish a few days earlier.
I take a cooler (my big RTIC one) and rarely stop to buy food. I'll prep chicken salad, regular salad, veggies, fruits, sandwiches and much prefer that than wasting time stopping.

Just my personal preferences.

@mystery2me wrote:

Hotel fees are 100% deductible from your income, which means that amount is not taxed, but you still eat most of the cost. Still, the deduction helps.

I'm the same way. Anything I can do to shave off a few minutes here and there. My goal is to get through it and get home with as few overnight stays as possible. And 20-30 minutes saved often means I can fit in another $25 shop. I don't go as far as packing food, but I do limit myself to buying food at my stops, even if it means eating gas station food or another dang burger. I don't sleep in my car, but I probably would sometimes if I were younger.

@CoolMusic wrote:

And I disagree with the "very little reporting" assessment. EPMS reports are the 2nd worst form in the industry, and a total PITA.

What's the first?

@viv0412 wrote:

When I take a crazy route I would 100% much rather sleep in my car, work from sun up till I can't go anymore and finish the route faster.

@mystery2me wrote:

I don't sleep in my car, but I probably would sometimes if I were younger.

I'm 64 and sleep in my SUV when doing overnight routes. I keep a really good quality, inflatable camping mattress in the back with a yoga mat under it, so it's fairly comfortable, and I bring a cooler with food I prepare at home. I mostly park in Walmart parking lots to sleep, but have also used Cracker Barrel, Cabela's, Home Depot, and truck stops. In one area that forbade overnight parking, I asked the police department if I could sleep in their lot, which they allowed. In another instance, I got permission from a yoga retreat center to park in theirs. It was nestled in a forest and I slept very well.

I used to be a city shopper. Back then, I could build small routes that took me around NYC via public transportation. But I really couldn't do more than three or four in a day because travel time was always longer than expected.

Now that I live in New England, there aren't as many shopping opportunities, so I started doing overnight routes last year. The first time I did that was last summer - I had a route with 250 stops for just one MSC. It became too much near the end, so I worked it out with the MSC for me to do less and they gave away some of my shops to another shopper, so my total ended up to be around 210. That route took a long time to finish and was utterly exhausting, but I learned a lot - especially about my limits.

Since then, I've created a few other routes that take much less time. I don't want to be on the road sleeping in my car for more than a week to 10 days. That's enough for me. I also try to enjoy the areas in which I'm shopping, and do other things besides the work, so it isn't as stressful. If I am ever lucky enough to work for an MSC who will reimburse lodging expenses, I'll gladly stay in hotels, but I don't think that's going to happen. My car is comfy enough and it saves me from having to make reservations in advance (I can just get in my car and go), and I don't have to outlay payment for lodging.

.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2024 05:22PM by shopnyc.

How do y'all sleep in your car - I'm assuming with the windows rolled up for safety - in the middle of summer? It's hot as balls here in Texas; even at night, the temperature is still in the 90s. There'd be no sleeping in that, especially without any air circulating.

windows DOWN and guns out!!! But agree, it's too hot in some areas.

I would just run "dog mode" in my tesla if I really was too cheap to not get a hotel. But i don't do route shopping to begin with. I should say, I don't do route shopping that requires overnight stays. I will drive around a couple hour radius.

@drdoggie00 wrote:

How do y'all sleep in your car - I'm assuming with the windows rolled up for safety - in the middle of summer? It's hot as balls here in Texas; even at night, the temperature is still in the 90s. There'd be no sleeping in that, especially without any air circulating.

Please, hb - don't give people in my state any ideas! -lol- We have enough of that business here already.

I haven't done an overnight route where I had to worry about a place to sleep in several years. I have friends or family in the major cities in Texas who will gladly let me camp on their couches as necessary.

I'm not in Texas..... but have the opposite issue in the winter. Really cold!
I use an air matress in the back of my mini van or my husband's suv (whichever i take on the route)
I crack the window for air circulation in the summer and I have an e-go battery operated fan that will run HOURS on one charge. It's pretty powerful.



[

quote=drdoggie00]
How do y'all sleep in your car - I'm assuming with the windows rolled up for safety - in the middle of summer? It's hot as balls here in Texas; even at night, the temperature is still in the 90s. There'd be no sleeping in that, especially without any air circulating.[/quote]

@drdoggie00 wrote:

How do y'all sleep in your car - I'm assuming with the windows rolled up for safety - in the middle of summer?

I bought a piece of bug screen and cut a rectangle to fit my moonroof opening, added Velcro, and attach it to my car's ceiling so I can keep the moonroof open. That gives me air flow. For safety, I have window coverings that block out light, and a curtain across the car just behind the front seats, so no one can see that there's someone in the car. I don't leave anything on the front seats, and I park where there are security cameras and other cars around me.

.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/11/2024 04:11PM by shopnyc.

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

I would just run "dog mode" in my tesla if I really was too cheap to not get a hotel.

There is a difference between being "too cheap" and being frugal out of necessity.

yes, i agree with you. my comment was "if I was too cheap" I understand not everyone who shops has the resources I do. I don't do this for a living. I do it for fun. Driving on the road like that would not be fun for me. I don't mind stopping at places if I'm making a road trip, but i'm not specifically setting up a road trip to do shops.

@shopnyc wrote:

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

I would just run "dog mode" in my tesla if I really was too cheap to not get a hotel.

There is a difference between being "too cheap" and being frugal out of necessity.

And then there are those of us who could afford whatever hotel we wanted, don't actually shop to pay the bills but are just picky on how $$$ is spent.

@shopnyc wrote:

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

I would just run "dog mode" in my tesla if I really was too cheap to not get a hotel.

There is a difference between being "too cheap" and being frugal out of necessity.

I car sleep when it's not too hot or cold. I used to have mesh screens for the windows but it was still too hot when I used them on a summer route. So spring, winter and fall are my best times to travel.

I remember there was a shopper here who had these amazing routes, where he'd arrange with MS companies to reimburse thousands in expenses and set up routes a couple of weeks long that would bring in tens of thousands of dollars. That was a year or two before covid. It was amazing.

@drdoggie00 wrote:

@CoolMusic wrote:

And I disagree with the "very little reporting" assessment. EPMS reports are the 2nd worst form in the industry, and a total PITA.

What's the first?

iSS

If this was a guy & his girlfriend team he over exaggerated a LOT. (About a lot of things! )

@Susan L. wrote:

I remember there was a shopper here who had these amazing routes, where he'd arrange with MS companies to reimburse thousands in expenses and set up routes a couple of weeks long that would bring in tens of thousands of dollars. That was a year or two before covid. It was amazing.

@viv0412 wrote:

If this was a guy & his girlfriend team he over exaggerated a LOT. (About a lot of things! )

Yes, I think that was him. I do recall he had a wife/girlfriend helping him.

It might have been exaggerated, but it was still fun to read. I wonder what happened to him?

I don't think it was so much exaggerated, it was that they are both shoppers. If you divided their totals by two, the numbers were not out of the ballpark.

Where do you wind up showering when you're on the road that kong? Do you go to a campground or truck stop?

@shopnyc wrote:

@viv0412 wrote:

When I take a crazy route I would 100% much rather sleep in my car, work from sun up till I can't go anymore and finish the route faster.

@mystery2me wrote:

I don't sleep in my car, but I probably would sometimes if I were younger.

I'm 64 and sleep in my SUV when doing overnight routes. I keep a really good quality, inflatable camping mattress in the back with a yoga mat under it, so it's fairly comfortable, and I bring a cooler with food I prepare at home. I mostly park in Walmart parking lots to sleep, but have also used Cracker Barrel, Cabela's, Home Depot, and truck stops. In one area that forbade overnight parking, I asked the police department if I could sleep in their lot, which they allowed. In another instance, I got permission from a yoga retreat center to park in theirs. It was nestled in a forest and I slept very well.

I used to be a city shopper. Back then, I could build small routes that took me around NYC via public transportation. But I really couldn't do more than three or four in a day because travel time was always longer than expected.

Now that I live in New England, there aren't as many shopping opportunities, so I started doing overnight routes last year. The first time I did that was last summer - I had a route with 250 stops for just one MSC. It became too much near the end, so I worked it out with the MSC for me to do less and they gave away some of my shops to another shopper, so my total ended up to be around 210. That route took a long time to finish and was utterly exhausting, but I learned a lot - especially about my limits.

Since then, I've created a few other routes that take much less time. I don't want to be on the road sleeping in my car for more than a week to 10 days. That's enough for me. I also try to enjoy the areas in which I'm shopping, and do other things besides the work, so it isn't as stressful. If I am ever lucky enough to work for an MSC who will reimburse lodging expenses, I'll gladly stay in hotels, but I don't think that's going to happen. My car is comfy enough and it saves me from having to make reservations in advance (I can just get in my car and go), and I don't have to outlay payment for lodging.

.

I think when you have kids, you have to manage and organize your time differently. Before kids I would have probably done similar to OP. Staying in a hotel and being able to go out to dinner or grab a beer at the end of the day and not have to take care of them or prepare a meal sounds downright luxurious to me right now lol

@viv0412 wrote:

When I take a crazy route I would 100% much rather sleep in my car, work from sun up till I can't go anymore and finish the route faster.
I have a route coming up while my kids are at camp for the week and guidelines force me to stop at 8pm.... I'd much rather go till about 10/11pm and finish a few days earlier.
I take a cooler (my big RTIC one) and rarely stop to buy food. I'll prep chicken salad, regular salad, veggies, fruits, sandwiches and much prefer that than wasting time stopping.

Just my personal preferences.

@mystery2me wrote:

Hotel fees are 100% deductible from your income, which means that amount is not taxed, but you still eat most of the cost. Still, the deduction helps.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/2024 10:41PM by joanna81.

Truck stop showers are great. Kinda pricey though!

@joanna81 wrote:

Where do you wind up showering when you're on the road that kong? Do you go to a campground or truck stop?

@shopnyc wrote:

@viv0412 wrote:

When I take a crazy route I would 100% much rather sleep in my car, work from sun up till I can't go anymore and finish the route faster.

@mystery2me wrote:

I don't sleep in my car, but I probably would sometimes if I were younger.

I'm 64 and sleep in my SUV when doing overnight routes. I keep a really good quality, inflatable camping mattress in the back with a yoga mat under it, so it's fairly comfortable, and I bring a cooler with food I prepare at home. I mostly park in Walmart parking lots to sleep, but have also used Cracker Barrel, Cabela's, Home Depot, and truck stops. In one area that forbade overnight parking, I asked the police department if I could sleep in their lot, which they allowed. In another instance, I got permission from a yoga retreat center to park in theirs. It was nestled in a forest and I slept very well.

I used to be a city shopper. Back then, I could build small routes that took me around NYC via public transportation. But I really couldn't do more than three or four in a day because travel time was always longer than expected.

Now that I live in New England, there aren't as many shopping opportunities, so I started doing overnight routes last year. The first time I did that was last summer - I had a route with 250 stops for just one MSC. It became too much near the end, so I worked it out with the MSC for me to do less and they gave away some of my shops to another shopper, so my total ended up to be around 210. That route took a long time to finish and was utterly exhausting, but I learned a lot - especially about my limits.

Since then, I've created a few other routes that take much less time. I don't want to be on the road sleeping in my car for more than a week to 10 days. That's enough for me. I also try to enjoy the areas in which I'm shopping, and do other things besides the work, so it isn't as stressful. If I am ever lucky enough to work for an MSC who will reimburse lodging expenses, I'll gladly stay in hotels, but I don't think that's going to happen. My car is comfy enough and it saves me from having to make reservations in advance (I can just get in my car and go), and I don't have to outlay payment for lodging.

.

What was exaggerated was the claim that MSC were paying thousands for his hotel stays/ travel expenses.
He and his girlfriend turned a van into a 'camper' meaning they slept in their vehicle a lot. If MSC are reimbursing so much for hotels why would you sleep in your car?
He didn't even write his own reports, he bragged about paying people in Asia to write them. (For exceptionally low amounts)

@mystery2me wrote:

I don't think it was so much exaggerated, it was that they are both shoppers. If you divided their totals by two, the numbers were not out of the ballpark.

@joanna81 wrote:

Where do you wind up showering when you're on the road that kong? Do you go to a campground or truck stop?

One can easily bathe without taking showers. A spray bottle of warm water, some Dr. Bronner's, and a washcloth is all one needs. Another option: the large body wipes sold in camping stores do the trick. If one feels a shower is necessary, there's always Planet Fitness, which is what most vanlifers/nomads use.

.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2024 04:11AM by shopnyc.