I agree that these initially sucked the first few I did -- but now that I've gotten used to them, my grocery bill has easily been cut by 75% -- I have a route of 3 that I take... 2 are the $12/12 ones and one is a 9/12 one. They really are straightforward -- and for $69 in groceries every 2 weeks, it's worth the hour it takes to put all 3 reports in. I've also found that when they need an extra shopper in the middle of the week they will give me a $5 PAD even for my local ones... there is also a smaller store that is usually a 5/9 that is about 20 miles out of my way... they called me once and I said I couldn't for less than $35 in PAD -- and so that was the rate we set... so I do that 4th store when they call which is around every month or so near the end of the month. It's out of my way but for 35 it's worth the drive.

So TrendSource is quite fair... they don't require a ton of narrative, and although they guise their bonuses as 'pre approved distance pay'-- it is possible to get reasonable amounts if you need to. They also pay like clockwork... I'm more than happy to do these. If you are stressing out about them you are probably over thinking them.

I use the Mystery Stopwatch and report all of my 5-7 at once, in an hour to hour and a half, and think of them as one report. I don't get emotional when reporting the interaction, what happened is what happened. There are two to four sentences that are used/interchanged throughout the report. For example when there are no associates in a department or the 'overall' questions, overall, the service sucked or it didn't. Walk through pharmacy, floral, bakery, deli and meat/seafood and record what you saw there "1 in phar-verb, none in floral, 1 in bakery-did not engage, 2 in deli-1 serv 1 verb, 1 meat/seaf serv". Then the other half of the store. 5- 13-37 second recordings total. It took me longer to write this than it would to do a report.

What I would recommend is doing the online survey that is on the receipt and you'll see exactly what they want; it's exactly like our survey except without the questions. They really want to know if you would shop there again, if you would recommend it or if you would even go out of your way to shop there; that is the bottom line!

Misunderstanding about The source, if posts are so negative, why do jobs jump off the boards, and don't forget they pay twice a month, never wait for your reimbursements like most companies....Bravo The Trend.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2017 06:04PM by Irene_L.A..

OP every time I log in to Trend Source I see these same jobs for $5.00 pay and $12.00 reimbursement and I have your same feelings. I have only done 1 grocery shop before for a different MSC (for $15 fee/$15 reimbursement) and it was such a pain that I pretty much swore off of them. The ones for Trend Source seem to pay so little.

That sounds like a shop I would like! I love grocery shopping and if even a small portion of my groceries are reimbursed I'd be pretty happy about that.

@bgriffin wrote:

I would be willing to bet there are retired shoppers who are drawing SSI at less than full retirement age.

Me!! So yes, I would have to make sure any amount I want to earn for the year, until I turn 66, comes in at under what is allowed before SS starts taking out $1 for every $2 earned. But I don't have to worry about that, since I only MS part time. And with Trendsource (The Source), the reimbursement doesn't count towards my income, only the fee (which IS low) does, so that is another bonus!!

@guysmom wrote:

@bgriffin wrote:

I would be willing to bet there are retired shoppers who are drawing SSI at less than full retirement age.

Me!!

@LisaSTL wrote:

Other than the error about Social Security income, I found BGriffin's response quite informative.

You can apologize at your leisure.

I do these shops ALL THE TIME! They are on the board because they have to shop each store 2-3 times per week and you have to have a week or two in rotation before you go back to the same store. I'm lucky that I live in an area where there are 12 or so within 10 miles of myself and another 12 or so a little further out. I have already hit about 90 of these shops this year. You can use coupons and iBotta/SavingsStar so you really can get a lot of your groceries for $9, or $12.

The first time you do one of these shops it can be overwhelming. You get faster as you do more of them. I walk the exterior of the store, to count workers, looking down the grocery aisles for a worker and only going down that aisle if there is a worker. Sometimes I put an item in the cart so I don't look suspicious. Then I go to the targeted departments, with my real shopping mixed in. You can print out the grid form and take it in with you. I fold mine inside my "shopping list" which will tell me "bananas" if I have to ask a question about bananas...and the other things on the question list. I also put my shopping items I need at home on the list. But I usually check out the "Great Buys" for more bargains. I plan on an hour to get to the store, do the shop and go to the next store. I can do them in about 20-25 minutes if I'm in a hurry. The report takes about 20 minutes now that I've done a bunch. I also enjoy doing the competitor shops which are once per quarter.

I have not paid for groceries for over a year! I get all my groceries with these shops. Not just my groceries, but all my seeds and potting soil for the garden, socks, undies, and shoes from the "BIG market stores", office supplies, swimming pool chlorine and baking soda, items for my churches "feed the hungry kids" program, all the food for several receptions, all my canning supplies, Christmas and other holiday decorations, all the plastic under-the-bed bins and other plastic storage items for my craft supplies, kitchen gadgets and cleaning supplies.

I DO get tired of going to the jewelry department of one nearby store. I never buy anything. I think they might suspect me. And sometimes the monthly questions are a little lame.

The schedulers are really nice and they pay on time. I enjoy using the rewards points for gas discounts. Although you can't buy gift cards on these shops, I DO buy giftcards at this store (when there is a 2x or 4x fuel points) for when I'm doing a fast food/fast casual shop that lets me pay with a gift card.

If I could only shop with five companies, this would be one of them.

You DO get faster at doing these shops.

For what? You said income would reduce SSI. I simply clarified so anyone who was at full retirement age would not mistakenly think working could somehow reduce their benefit.

@bgriffin wrote:

You can apologize at your leisure.

@guysmom wrote:

@bgriffin wrote:

I would be willing to bet there are retired shoppers who are drawing SSI at less than full retirement age.

Me!! So yes, I would have to make sure any amount I want to earn for the year, until I turn 66, comes in at under what is allowed before SS starts taking out $1 for every $2 earned. But I don't have to worry about that, since I only MS part time. And with Trendsource (The Source), the reimbursement doesn't count towards my income, only the fee (which IS low) does, so that is another bonus!!

I question that BG, Soc Sec is tough and don't send out funds without verifying your age......no one can get it without being 65, then you are automatically ready for Medicare as well. They take your Medicare payment out of Soc Sec., and it doesn't come before retirement age.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2017 06:25PM by Irene_L.A..

Social Security Disability can be collected well before retirement age, which I think is now 66. My understanding is people can start collecting early, perhaps 62, but they will receive reduced benefits for the rest of their life. Those are the two classes who will also reduce their benefits if they earn above a specific threshold.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2017 06:28PM by LisaSTL.

You can collect social security at 62. Though it is a limited amount. Most of us, at this point can't collect full benefits until 66 or 67 years of age.

@RobG wrote:

You can collect social security at 62. Though it is a limited amount. Most of us, at this point can't collect full benefits until 66 or 67 years of age.

I started collecting SS at 65, didn't know they changed it. You can as Lisa said collect early (62) it is an option, but not a good one, you are cheating yourself out of your money.

@RobG wrote:

You can collect social security at 62. Though it is a limited amount. Most of us, at this point can't collect full benefits until 66 or 67 years of age.

It depends how long you live, as to whether or not it is a good option. If you have ALS, you might want to collect asap.

@LisaSTL wrote:

For what? You said income would reduce SSI. I simply clarified so anyone who was at full retirement age would not mistakenly think working could somehow reduce their benefit.

My assumption was that people would know if they were affected by that or not. I didn't realize there would be a need to differentiate since my point was simply about people who were affected. Of which there is at least one case.

Edited to add:
I just reread my original post and can see the confusion. It was supposed to read "for SOME retired shoppers"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2017 06:55PM by bgriffin.

Social Security can be tricky to navigate. Someone on it right now probably knows, but someone approaching it or considering the early retirement may not have checked it out yet. Clarity really isn't a bad thing

And let me clarify this. The comment was made in jest while defending your longer post. I found comparing a long informative post to a long rambling post unfair.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2017 06:59PM by LisaSTL.

I know it was. As was my request for an apology.

I started collecting my SS$ at 62. And yes, the benefits at that age are reduced by about 25% of what I could have collected, so not a decision to make haphazardly. But after going thru surgery, chemo, radiation et al for breast cancer, and doing well now, it was the right decision for me. Not everyone. But for me. So that affects my decision at times to take the lower paying jobs if the reimbursements are worth it for me. And these grocery shops fit that criteria. There are so many of this particular Client's stores in my neighborhood, that I typically get $100/month in groceries reimbursed. That's $1200.00/yr money saved, not counting their small fee. Once in a while, I even get a PAD approved, too! So, worth it for me. Not everyone. But for me.

So I did one, got PAD, and soon will get PAID. All is well. I got useful stuff for my mini rosd trips into the wide open spaces for mystery shopping. Go me.

My sole reason for replying is that financial decisions are quite individualized and there are three points in this thread that I am addressing:

1-The full SS amount can only be earned by those waiting until age 70 to begin earning.
2-I took my SS at age 62 because to have waited until 65+10 months, which was where my number was in 2004, would have cost me approx. 43K, in addition to the loss in usage for that amount. A CPA and I agreed, I would need to live until 83 to break even.
3-The middle number, currently age 66 but inaccurately referred to as full benefits by the press, will become age 67 for those born in 1960 and later.

I could have had too much beer, or it's just hump day but I lost everyone with the Social Security, SSI thing. I always thought they were different in that Social Security was for retirees or those who were severely injured while working a 9-5 and that SSI was supplemental security income for those who have never worked due to some sort of debilitating disease/disorder/mental defect.... It sounds like you guys are using SSI as "social security income" but I'm always used to it being meant as someone with a cognitive defect drawing supplemental security. I know when I was managing Hardees, our truck guy drew SSI and could only work 2-6 hours per week depending on how the hours were set and our biscuit maker who was 69 and drew social security -- a completely different thing -- she could work as much as she wanted which was usually 24-30 hours a week. Of course, many workers did not want to go over 30 hours due to making too much for EBT benefits..or their benefits dropping yada yada whole other situation there.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/2017 01:52AM by MountainCacher88.

Yes, I meant Social Security Income, I got tired of writing it out.

This is from the Social Security Administration website for those born in 1960 or later. It actually lists 100% of benefits at age 67.

[www.ssa.gov]

I also found this page listing benefits based on year of birth. Obviously the age for "full" benefits is subject to change. It seems any bills I've seen floated usually exempt workers around 50 and older from having their retirement age pushed out.

[www.ssa.gov]

MountainCacher, SSDI is Social Security Disability. Regular Social Security Income is the retirement benefit. SSDI can be collected at any age because it covers a work related disability. I think disability also covers family members so underage children may receive benefits. Other than a spouse or the children, just like SSI, SSDI is usually related to work although it may include people born with a permanent disability. If memory serves, disability is not necessarily a permanent benefit. So someone with a long term problem preventing them from working could recover sufficiently for some type of regular employment.

I am far from an expert. Mostly I have gleaned some knowledge based on family members who have retired and some research on the disability option for shops when portraying someone qualifying for Medicare while under the age of 65.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/2017 02:18AM by LisaSTL.

It is a bit insulting when someone is trying to convince you to do work for $14, offers no mileage, and also won't pay you for at least 30 days. Minimum wage is about $8. So if you are getting paid $5 (reimbursement does not count because that is not your money, you can say "Well I'd buy it anyway" but the fact of the matter is the only money that is freely yours is the $5.00), is WAY below minimum wage. Ridiculous. Some people say, "Well, buy really cheap stuff, like spend 8 cents on a hot pepper" REALLY? I don't want that though, I don't want to buy it. I'm forced to have to invent ways to keep money because I'm not getting paid enough in the front end. In any case, I would be insulted. And even if I wasn't insulted, if you felt insulted that's valid. No one should tell you how you should feel.

Also, I'm probably the cheapest person on this whole board, but I would still pay someone $14 to NOT do this shop. That's how much it sounds like it sucks. I can buy groceries for the week at ALDI for less than that and there is no report, and more groceries.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/2017 02:36AM by rothers27.

And that's how the world is. We justify, by providing reasons to ourselves or others, that justify our beliefs. Life is beautiful. I don't know why I get so excited when I hear another person saying this assignment doesn't work for them. I guess because it works so well for me, in my circumstances, that I keep thinking 'more for me'. Under what circumstances does this assignment make sense? Under some, for sure. I do these back to back and it comes out to about $25 an hour and I can make a 3 lb lunch meat/cheese sandwich every Sunday!

Love these shops too. My husband and I both do them and do a ton of them. He is taking a new job in another area and is concerned about the effect of not having these shops available to him. Seriously he considered how well he fares food wise when he talked salary with the new position. I will not be following him for awhile so will still be doing them. Love them.

Liz

So where will you be going?

Different shoppers have different general ideas about what level of payment is appropriate for certain types of shops. What is insulting to a shopper who is used to making relatively large fees on shops is run of the mill for a shopper who is used to plodding along with meager payouts. For example, there is a fast food client that saturates the state I live in. I regularly get 30, 40, 50, 75 and occasionally even 100 dollar bonuses to do certain locations. I have a particularly lucrative circle route that is about 300 miles that I do every month with 8 of their locations that generally pays me around $500 plus reimbursement, and I can complete this in about 8 hours. I live out in the middle of nowhere, and I am blessed to have this opportunity.

This client has a location that is approximately 1000 yards from my house. I have never shopped it. The scheduler won't pay more than $10 for this location, because there is another shopper in my small town that likes to do this and is willing to do it for 10. Based on what I am used to making, its not even worth me leaving the house. It is all based on what a shopper is used to, and the types of shops a shopper has the skills and experience to complete in a palatable and financially beneficial fashion. I can fully understand a shopper feeling insulted by a payment offer, and another shopper being perfectly happy with it. Its just like the shopper in my town that is happy to go right down the road for $10 but would not consider driving 300 miles for $500. I love driving 300 miles and making $500, but would not consider going 1/5 of a mile down the road to make $10.