Mystery Shopper

Saveit

I know a new Mystery Shopping Support site if anyone is interested PM me for the web address.

Choccieholic_2

I am a member of this forum http://mstearooms.proboards104.com/index.cgi it is a really useful place to go with lots of help and information for all current mystery shoppers and all who want to start.

BEEFROMMSUK

naomi123 wrote:

Thanks for all your helpful replies! I am about to go on maternity leave in 1 week so looking for something that will supplement my income whilst on leave.
Im registered with Grass roots at the moment but will register with some of the others mentioned!

Hi,

Check the terms of your maternity leave very carefully. I don't want to put you off or worry you, but you may find that you cannot undertake any work during maternity leave.:eek:

MikeLB

hilary1 wrote:

Sorry MikeLB - £1000 a month???

I dont know ANY mystery shoppers that get that a year. Most mystery shopping work pays around £10 a job which can last 10 mins or a hour but it seems that the hardest thing is to actually get enough jobs to do.

Perhaps you would like to give a list of a typical months work and the rates you are getting paid?

I wont go into specifics as per confidentiality etc. But for example. Over the next 2 days I will be carrying out 25 assignments in 6 different towns and cities and covering 380 miles in the car. This should take in about £250 before expenses and disbursements. So, per hour, it wont be that great a figure, but I always just look at the larger sum and the freebies I take home and think, well, I could have been at home watching TV so better to earn something that nothing!

Though my car may object as its covered 35K miles in a year because of this!

If it is a day off from my main job, i aim to get between 4 - 10 shop jobs per day. My record was 16 jobs in one day. But I usually get at least 4 with no hassle.

A typical month usually involves anything from 50 - 75 jobs - My best month was just over 100 jobs. Some of these are literally 5 minutes on your lunchbreak and some can involve a 14 hour day just to get 3 jobs done.

I work an odd shift pattern in my real job, which basically amounts to 7 day fortnights. So i have a lot of free time. But by the time I do the shop work, I have about 3 days a month to myself at the moment.

As I have said before, bend over backwards, find a niche, make yourself indispensable and trust me - They will pay increased sums if you are 110% dependable and flexible and they need a job done. I have had to make some huge compromises to get to the stage companies phone you and allocate work before releasing it onto the general systems for the other shoppers. I have carried out pilots and trial jobs for some companies as they tout for new business and have also branched into Auditing.

I said when I started this a year ago it would be for 2 years to pay my mortgage, and I am sticking to that as I reckon on the scale I am doing it on, its not sustainable long term. After the 2 years, I intend to give up most of the companies and just stay with my favorite 3 as pocket money jobs.

I've started to write a small book about the whole thing.......

Broken_hearted

Well we have our first trip out MS on Wednesday, wish us luck. Also we only intend to do 2/3 a month so do we have to tell the taxman as we will be way under the tax limit for the year. OH is on IB and they have been informed and are happy for us to do this.

MikeLB

Any income you earn as a contractor has to be declared if tax was not paid by the MS company before they pay you, even if it is to tell the tax man you owe them nothing. Always best to be safe than sorry is my own opinion.

MORPH3US

MikeLB wrote:

Any income you earn as a contractor has to be declared if tax was not paid by the MS company before they pay you, even if it is to tell the tax man you owe them nothing. Always best to be safe than sorry is my own opinion.

Mike is right, you have to ring them up and let them know what you are doing, chances are you will pay zero tax on it and same for NIC but you have to let them decide that.

Its stupid I know, I earned £25 last tax year from 5 mystery shops but still have to declare it and pay tax on it. Its not worth the extra paperwork but I have to do it to stay legal. I wouldn't bother for £25 but as someone above said, its the extra stuff you get - e.g. the girlfriend and I don't go out much so its nice to be able to go out for a meal and drinks with someone else paying, also it saves our food bill because we aren't eating our own food!!

M

EDIT:

Forgot to say, some MS agencies pay tax and NI for you, not sure if you'd have to claim it back if you are under the threashold!

BEEFROMMSUK

Broken_hearted wrote:

Well we have our first trip out MS on Wednesday, wish us luck. Also we only intend to do 2/3 a month so do we have to tell the taxman as we will be way under the tax limit for the year. OH is on IB and they have been informed and are happy for us to do this.

Make sure you tell the tax man ASAP. You have 3 months to do this. They can fine you £100............I know, they sent a fine to me.:mad:

MORPH3US

BEEFROMMSUK wrote:

Make sure you tell the tax man ASAP. You have 3 months to do this. They can fine you £100............I know, they sent a fine to me.:mad:

Did you have to pay it?

I was over the 3 month deadline but have sent a letter so hopefully I won't have to pay the fine, I earned five whole pounds outside the 3 month deadline for christ sake!!

M

BEEFROMMSUK

MORPH3US wrote:

Did you have to pay it?

I was over the 3 month deadline but have sent a letter so hopefully I won't have to pay the fine, I earned five whole pounds outside the 3 month deadline for christ sake!!

M

It was all ok in the end.:T There mistake not mine and I had a letter to prove it!;) Case of one dept not talking to another I think.:mad: The demand for £100 landed on my door mat on a Saturday morning and I spent the whole weekend stewing.:rotfl: I'm sure you'll be ok.