The landscape is changing. Costs of everything have increased, but our rates have not. In fact, as I have reviewed the various MSC offerings across many apps and portals, they’ve decreased.

This is simply not sustainable.

I’m sharing my reply to a personal plea from a scheduler to do an assignment none of us can afford to do, and am interested in your thoughts about how we can talk sense to corporations that can’t look beyond “profit” to see that the current strategy is not sustainable for those of us they depend on to…do the leg work required to make their profit, or themselves in the long run:

“Thank you for keeping me in mind xxxx,
I’d love to help you, but even with the $5 bonus, after the cost of fuel and overhead, I’m not making anything, plus waiting 30-60 days to be paid for my $10 job fee and “up to $15 reimbursement” for a small item I don’t need, and no, “reimbursement” is not part of my “pay” as stated in the title of your appeal. Reimbursement is the equivalent of an interest-free loan I’m making to the payor, to complete the job as requested.
The costs of doing this assignment exceed the return, just for fuel. In summary, this assignment, even with the “bonus” is asking me to ‘pay to work.’ Would you classify that as a wise business decision?
I know you’re likely not the one making the choices about assignment rates. I feel for how hard it must be to promote this assignment, but everything has become more expensive. The higher costs of doing business are already passed on to the public (all of us) by the clients, but the job rates remain the same or have been reduced for those of us needed to gather the data.
If the client can still afford to do these studies, they can afford to pay us enough to make these assignments a gainful endeavor.
I’m just one voice, and “the messenger” often becomes a target, but it can also be the voice of reason that shifts things into something more positive for everyone.”

I need and deserve to make back my costs of doing business, plus an hourly fee in alignment with minimum wage for my time plus required skills.

Don’t you?

You (we) can't talk sense into them (businesses, schedulers, etc...) because they simply do not care and/or are not capable of caring about other's. Businesses don't have emotions or care. A scheduler may know damn well that the shop they're trying to fill doesn't pay well or enough to cover expenses and the effort. They'll rationalize it (it's FUN and EASY, add it to a route, etc...) and take advantage of (manipulate) a shopper's ignorance or loyalty so that they can turn their own profit. It's like trying to tell a person with BPD that their selfish or careless actions can have a detrimental effect on other individuals and their community as a whole. It's the mentality of "I got mine! Screw everyone else! They need to watch out for themselves!" It's a one-sided relationship. It can leave you feeling unappreciated, undervalued, and emotionally drained. It's particularly disappointing when you have family members like this. Realizing that they wouldn't, couldn't, or flat out refuse to offer the reciprocity of being a kind and caring individual. We can't change them. We can't expect them to mirror our kind and compassionate behaviors. LOL! They'll continue to look at you (us) as if we are the stupid ones and continue to say "that's their choice!" I realize not everyone has the ability or business acumen for MS and lots of other things in life. I don't think I'm capable of using those who are incapable, for my own profit. LOL! We just can't expect people to change and to mirror our (good) behaviors. It really does suck when we take off our rose colored glasses. It's even worse when they suddenly break.

I hear you. It's a struggle out there! WE need to prioritize our own needs first.

I am beginning to think that our line of work is for those, "Already going that way or already shopping there today". Our line of work is not made for a profit, unless you do route shopping. Our jobs are for those that are "already going to this store, I will pay you $10, or if you are already eating there, I can save you $10 on your meal".

The only way I make a profit is by adding these low paying jobs to one (if lucky, two) big paying job and doing a lot of the low paying jobs while going to and from the big paying job. I travel, so it's easier to make more money. If I stayed in my one city and only did a short radius of miles for money, I'd stay broke.

You articulated some deeply relevant things Mr. Ed.

Yes, there is a personal aspect to what many have become accustomed to…accepting after being raised in Narcissistic environments, and many more are realizing how intrinsically nihilistic and soul-crushing that can be.

There are some that do believe no one matters except themselves, but the reality (rose colored glasses or not) is;
We all make choices every minute that effect others, and also ourselves, because we don’t live in a vacuum.

By not considering the effects of our choices, some may feel like they’re “winning” right now, but in the long run it’s not sustainable, and in the end they’re condemning themselves, the rest of us, and future generations to failure and extinction…literally when applied to the larger landscape of humanity and this planet.

The only way to change the outcome is to make different choices. It’s not about ‘us v. them’ because we’re all in this.

It’s about “learning to share,” and creating mutually beneficial outcomes so we can all continue to live and thrive, because there IS enough if we care and have learned to share.

The limitation and wasted potential in continuing on the current trajectory is astounding, and can change for everyone’s benefit if our choices do.

That may sound all “rosey,” but I can look at my life and know I chose what aligns with life rather than trying to hoarde everything, and thise who are will stab me in the back until there’s only one left, and realize too late you can’t eat money and keep making more money you can’t eat without a planet to live on, all by yourself, and call it Living.

I won’t work for free, or pay to work, or support what perpetuates that. That’s called slavery, and we’ve all lived long enough to know the tragic outcomes of that, which are still avoidable if enough of us make different choices.

The addiction to “power” is visible everywhere, but what’s being glorified is as “power” is more vulnerable and transient than our next breath, without the realization of how much our choices DO matter to everyone now, and later.

We are many making choices, and are living in times when they matter more than ever.

It's why I've only ever looked at mystery shopping as equivalent to using coupons. It's not a money making endeavor, just a cost reduction. I'd never use a coupon to buy something I didn't really want. However, I realize there are people who are "born to shop."

I've found out years ago that working for a W2 is taxed higher than long-term capital gains. That means that saving / investing is a better outcome than working for someone and living paycheck to paycheck.

BNPL - Buy Now Pay Later is going to place many earners in debt.

Here's a new podcast / YouTube that speaks about this...
[www.youtube.com]

yesterday, I started a route with a $100 anchor shop in a city far, far away. On the way there I stopped for reimbursed iced coffee + $10, a reimbursed truck stop sandwich + $10, 2 20oz sodas, almost completely reimbursed + $10. On the way back I did 2 Exxon site experiences and 2 lighting audits for $22 each, and I got a reimbursed Pizza + $8 to eat while my son did two Shell stations before we got home.

Between the two of us, we made a little over $200, ate, had coffee, soda, and gasoline that covered the entire drive. I arrived at home with more gasoline in my tank than when I left. AND a 5 gallon gas can with 3 gallons in it. I may not have made a profit, but I covered my expenses and had some left to cover expenses here at home.

Mystery shopping, in my opinion, is what it is. I definitely would not want to be needy and attempt to be successful in today's climate. I have stated on numerous occasions, I was a complete failure as a full timer. I did, though, create a part time plan that enabled me to succeed and where I am in the position to select the MSCs with whom I choose to associate. I, however, am not needy and I do not have any suggestions for those who need shopping AND have decided to remain in the business..

AI's gonna handle it all soon. I'm already pretty sure that some editors and project managers are simply bots that, if they reply at all, simply quote the FAQs or supply information completely unrelated to the question.

Wanna make money an easier way? For each $100 you had placed in a diversified group of stocks like the S&P500 and QQQ tech stocks on January 1st, 2025 and held until now you'd easily have $115 and if you hold for at least one year you'd only pay 15% tax on the gain.

Best part? You'd only have to lift a finger over your keyboard to make the purchase.

Sure beats driving around doing mystery shopping and all the associated paperwork, wear and tear on your vehicle, hassle with planning and schedulers, etc.

Note: do your own research before you invest.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/04/2025 11:33PM by maverick1.

@sestrahelena wrote:

AI's gonna handle it all soon. I'm already pretty sure that some editors and project managers are simply bots that, if they reply at all, simply quote the FAQs or supply information completely unrelated to the question.

Not yet, unless the AI bots have been programmed with snark…

Maverick1,

In this scenario, you are making $115 in a year investing? I make $115 in half a day with mystery shopping. I am wondering how that is better...

I understand the need of investing. But, you have to lift a finger to have the money to invest.

@maverick1 wrote:

Wanna make money an easier way? For each $100 you had placed in a diversified group of stocks like the S&P500 and QQQ tech stocks on January 1st, 2025 and held until now you'd easily have $115 and if you hold for at least one year you'd only pay 15% tax on the gain.

Best part? You'd only have to lift a finger over your keyboard to make the purchase.

Sure beats driving around doing mystery shopping and all the associated paperwork, wear and tear on your vehicle, hassle with planning and schedulers, etc.

Note: do your own research before you invest.

OP and the post are too funny. I couldn't finish reading. Instead of long-winded posts, you're better off not shopping.

In a perfect world for the MSCs, every shop would be done by someone nearby who already shops at those types of places, and is willing to get a discount or collect a small gratuity for the extra work.

In a perfect world for shoppers, the fees for every shop would cover all expenses, include enough extra for some modest travel, and leave enough profit to equal a living hourly wage.

In the real world, MSCs start fees low to attract the first type of shopper, and then gradually increase the fees to attracts the second type of shopper. And really, who can blame them.

As much as I hate to say it, the prevalence of new apps and cheap smartphones is tilting the balance in favor of the MSCs. Yes, some type of jobs will always need the second type of shopper, but the easy jobs, especially those that include meals or other useful reimbursements, will more and more get filled by the first.

I like your reply. It was well thought out and well written. While it will probably fall on deaf (or greedy) ears, it is worth saying and I appreciate it.

It helps also to have multiple & varying income streams in case one or more go bust....

and I'm not going to lecture any of the smart people here about things they already know....i.e. the headwinds coming for MSing and stock market investing, short term vs. long term.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2025 09:55AM by BarefootBliss.

MLZ,
it's cool that it worked out well for you and your son... if you don't mind sharing (and I understand if you don't)
how many miles in the round trip?

I know grade school math is hard for would be investors. Maybe I can try another approach with real world examples:

For each $100 you invested in the S&P500 and QQQ index mix on Jan 1st of this year, instead of buying a cable subscription to mostly left leaning media, you would have about $115 right now.

If you invested $1000 in the same mix on Jan 1st, instead of buying a new sofa-bed for the illegal immigrant you won't let sleep in your house, it would be valued at $1150 right now.

If you invested $10,000 in the same mix on Jan 1st, instead of buying another used car for said illegal immigrant to take work away from law abiding Americans, you would have $11,500 right now.

If you don't withdraw the money it continues to grow and taxes are trivial (that's another explanation).

Diversify! As grandmother said, "don't put all your eggs in one basket."

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2025 12:24PM by maverick1.

seems like an awful lot of running for not much money to me. Wear and tear on cars, having to write reports when you got home. Glad you enjoyed it. I am too old and tired to do such things!

It's clear and polite. It can be a good thing to send to schedulers et al. If it was shorter, it might be more likely to be read.

@SBP wrote:

“Thank you for keeping me in mind xxxx,
I’d love to help you, but even with the $5 bonus, after the cost of fuel and overhead, I’m not making anything, plus waiting 30-60 days to be paid for my $10 job fee and “up to $15 reimbursement” for a small item I don’t need, and no, “reimbursement” is not part of my “pay” as stated in the title of your appeal. Reimbursement is the equivalent of an interest-free loan I’m making to the payor, to complete the job as requested.
The costs of doing this assignment exceed the return, just for fuel. In summary, this assignment, even with the “bonus” is asking me to ‘pay to work.’ Would you classify that as a wise business decision?
I know you’re likely not the one making the choices about assignment rates. I feel for how hard it must be to promote this assignment, but everything has become more expensive. The higher costs of doing business are already passed on to the public (all of us) by the clients, but the job rates remain the same or have been reduced for those of us needed to gather the data.
If the client can still afford to do these studies, they can afford to pay us enough to make these assignments a gainful endeavor.
I’m just one voice, and “the messenger” often becomes a target, but it can also be the voice of reason that shifts things into something more positive for everyone.”

I need and deserve to make back my costs of doing business, plus an hourly fee in alignment with minimum wage for my time plus required skills.

Don’t you?

@maverick1 wrote:

I know grade school math is hard for would be investors. Maybe I can try another approach with real world examples:

For each $100 you invested in the S&P500 and QQQ index mix on Jan 1st of this year, instead of buying a cable subscription to mostly left leaning media, you would have about $115 right now.

If you invested $1000 in the same mix on Jan 1st, instead of buying a new sofa-bed for the illegal immigrant you won't let sleep in your house, it would be valued at $1150 right now.

If you invested $10,000 in the same mix on Jan 1st, instead of buying another used car for said illegal immigrant to take work away from law abiding Americans, you would have $11,500 right now.

If you don't withdraw the money it continues to grow and taxes are trivial (that's another explanation).

Diversify! As grandmother said, "don't put all your eggs in one basket."

First I want to mention that this post smacks through and through of political speech. And second it does not address the position of most of us at all. I know math way above and beyond grade school math and your examples just do not add up for me.
Yes perhaps if you had an extra $100 laying around on Jan 1 of 2025 you may have come across an investment that gained you $15 over 9 months. On the other hand you might have chosen to invest in some other investment in the stock market, some hot stock people told you about and now may have only a portion of your original investment. Mulitply that by 10 if you used $1000 to invest. I am certainly not downplaying the stock market as a place to increase your money but I would never suggest someone roll the dice of the stock market with their last $100 or $1000 in cash on hand. I have never had cable but perhaps there are some that live in areas where there on not many choices on regular tv and one should be connected to entertainment and news of the world in some fashion..if not just by relaxing in front of the tv or staving lonliness after a day trying to earn a few bucks.
I will not touch your choice # 2 regarding helping less fortunate people who are here illegally. I suppose that can include people here legally that for some reason you do not like. That choice is made by consensus of people locally to where you live, not one an individual can just decide. Are you proposing that we should not pay taxes to the irs or local state this year? Dear IRS, I am paying 30% of my taxes this year because xyz.

What doesn't add up? I couldn't make the real world examples any simpler. And where did I mention not paying taxes? Taxes on long-term capital gains is lower than that on typical W2 paychecks.

I believe some readers are pointing out their own lack of understanding in gambling vs investing vs W2 income and the tax treatment of each.

It's unfortunate, as this is how so many citizens cannot lift themselves up and are stuck in place complaining how it's someone else's fault. At no other time in history has there been so much knowledge at people's fingertips with the advent of smartphones. But a reader needs to comprehend the knowledge.

It's sad actually.

Maverick, I do agree with you that investing (disposable) money one has is a good way to help with ongoing financial health however I think some who are mystery shoppers are not in a position to invest until they can have some savings that are not necessary to keep liquid in case of emergency. And I agree that some look at shops and grab them without taking into account the costs to them of that particular shop.
Many mystery shoppers are doing this for a living and the op is pointing out that with many shops nowadays the shopper may actually be losing money. I personally do not do this for a living so I am able to pick and choose those shops that make sense to me. But some shoppers are desperate to get their bills paid so do not feel they have the kind of choices I do. And they may live in a place or be in a position due to many reasons such as health or family obligations where they do not have other options to earn money.
Please explain what you meant by not buying a sofa bed or a car for an illegal immigrant and instead investing the $1000 you saved on the bed or $10,000 you spent on a car for an illegal immigrant. Do you actually know a lot of people who went out and purchased a car out of their own money or a sofa bed for someone else who was not a family member or perhaps a good friend? Is there some magic way this money would be available to an individual short of not paying taxes?

@BarefootBliss wrote:

MLZ,
it's cool that it worked out well for you and your son... if you don't mind sharing (and I understand if you don't)
how many miles in the round trip?

According to Google maps I drove 191 miles. But you have to remember that there are zero shopping opportunities of any amount within 30 miles of my home, so 60 of those miles were just coming and going.

@Morledzep wrote:

@BarefootBliss wrote:

MLZ,
it's cool that it worked out well for you and your son... if you don't mind sharing (and I understand if you don't)
how many miles in the round trip?

According to Google maps I drove 191 miles. But you have to remember that there are zero shopping opportunities of any amount within 30 miles of my home, so 60 of those miles were just coming and going.

That’s good planning. Congrats! Hope it was fun!

SBP, it was a long day. And I made mistakes the cost me money. I accidentally ordered a pizza in a vastly different part of GA. Because my tablet is stupid and doesn't volunteer my location in the apps. My phone does, but the tablet is stingy.

"...Many mystery shoppers are doing this for a living..." ???

I sincerely doubt this. Let's see a show of hands who mystery shop for a living wage exclusively. I do NOT.

People mystery shop to the extent they eat sometimes from a vegetable garden or fish for their dinner a few times a year. Mystery shopping is a supplement, NOT an entire income.

Prove me wrong.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Most people are like this in one way or another:

Rather than saving money, or putting aside 10% with each paycheck, they buy stuff. it could be cool things for their cars, they could dine out several times a month, or may love to see live shows, or perhaps they enjoy wearing nice name-brand clothing. In some cases, they may love to smoke or drink, and those habits can be a slow drain on the bank account.

The bottom line is all of this is a matter of choices, priorities and discipline. Most people want their immediate needs and wants satisfied. They get hungry, get impatient and stop at a fast food restaurant. They feel depressed and stop at the bar for a few drinks. They want to keep up with the neighbors and spend a lot on their house. They want to appear affluent, so they spend on a new luxury car.

People who are inclined to be wealthy have a different mindset. They carefully guard their wealth and use every dollar to earn two more dollars. In other words, money is their priority, not stuff or feelings.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2025 09:22AM by maverick1.

@Morledzep wrote:

SBP, it was a long day. And I made mistakes the cost me money. I accidentally ordered a pizza in a vastly different part of GA. Because my tablet is stupid and doesn't volunteer my location in the apps. My phone does, but the tablet is stingy.

I did that once. I had two pizza shops scheduled, and ended up ordering from the same place twice. I tried calling and sweet talking them into canceling the order, and they were sympathetic, but it got nowhere.

When I shopped more, I focused on jobs that paid me, (banks) not jobs that served as a discount (restaurants). Oil changes, gas and groceries are discounts I consider worth it.

I found I didn't enjoy full days of mystery shopping and decided to keep it as a sideline. I have no doubt people do it for a living.

Of course, if you work hard in school, work hard in your career, earn, save, and invest, you can retire early like we did.

Then, there is no cost of working. No commuting cost, no work attire cost, and no associated waste of time.

But of course, you have to have something to retire to. It's surprising to me that so many people have no interests. They are better off working and staying busy.

*shows hands* Me, I do! But I live cheaply. No mortagage/rent, loans, car notes, credit card balance - nada. My investments stay where they are, untouched. Rental income goes back into the property/insurance fund. I'm old and there's almost nothing that advertisers throw at me that I feel I need to buy. I can survive comfortably on a small MS income.