The Mystery Shopping thread - VII

ruthiejane

If it doesn't tell you what to buy then yes mezer just buy whatever is on your shopping list!

felixthemoggy

gallygirl wrote: »

- I don't have to do different self-employed returns for each company?
Can I really charge all mileage at 40p? I had been using 25p previously. I also claim mileage at 45p for 1st 4,000 miles and 25p for the rest in my 'proper job' - I assume this is totally separate? Doing this (along with printing at 6p a sheet - never thought of claiming this - thanks :T) means my taxable profit from £700+ fees is only £69. Does this seem about right?

Good question and I can't answer because I'm new to this myself but would like to piggy back on this.

I'm worried about my earnings, with the petrol allowance on paper I am constantly making a loss but my car doesn't use 40p worth of petrol per mile so in reality I am making a profit. ( If I put £4.00 in my car I can do a lot more than 10 miles if you see what I mean ).
I don't fancy doing the actual mileage calculations which is the other way so I would like to stick with the 40p way.

I'm just worried when i come to do my tax return then HMRC will question why I am bothering to work if I always make a loss.

Any help would be really grateful.

kman

felixthemoggy wrote: »

Good question and I can't answer because I'm new to this myself but would like to piggy back on this.

I'm worried about my earnings, with the petrol allowance on paper I am constantly making a loss but my car doesn't use 40p worth of petrol per mile so in reality I am making a profit. ( If I put £4.00 in my car I can do a lot more than 10 miles if you see what I mean ).
I don't fancy doing the actual mileage calculations which is the other way so I would like to stick with the 40p way.

I'm just worried when i come to do my tax return then HMRC will question why I am bothering to work if I always make a loss.

Any help would be really grateful.

The 40p doesn't just cover the petrol you use, it includes other running costs, such as insurance and servicing etc...

Timmne

The 40p is a reimbursement for the running costs of your car, not the petrol....

Oops Kman got there first!

I would agree with the 'always making a loss' though; These days I make sure that no more than say 10% of my jobs are loss making. One has to bear in mind that if HMRC investigated, one would have to be able to give a reason as to why they're bothering to trade in the first place. Using the line "because of the freebies" can surely only get one into hot water too as although the 'freebies' are allowable, I'm certain an HMRC investigator would be able to pull that rug from underneath....

Tricky one really - which is why, as I said, I make sure I only do a job if it's genuinely profitable.

felixthemoggy

Thats what is worrying me because most of the jobs are in the next towns which are between 5 & 10 miles away and I go there regularly to go shopping so its not like I am going out of my way.
But when I calculate the car expenses plus the stationary and next the heating & lighting for my little room in the house I'm apparently not making any money whatsoever :eek: ( although I've only been doing this since January so maybe next the next tax year will be different )
I just suppose I need to make sure I am doing at least 2 jobs on the days I go to town to make it seem worthwhile.

ukmonkey

Bookies on RE

Scaredy_Cat_3

I can't see any bookies jobs on RE (mentioned on the Alerts thread).

Are there any in the north east? Or is it that I need to change my profile? I have stated I've never been in a bookies - do they only want experienced people?

ukmonkey

They're still uploading SC. There's some toward to East Coast, HU area. Some S.Yorks area.

kman

Scaredy_Cat wrote: »

I can't see any bookies jobs on RE (mentioned on the Alerts thread).

Are there any in the north east? Or is it that I need to change my profile? I have stated I've never been in a bookies - do they only want experienced people?

No, this one is based on the Irish Lottery, and you have to ask how to do it, so you don't have to be 'experienced'.

perhaps if you changed your profile to say you have been in a bookies you might get to see them...

ukmonkey

Hang on, are you female? I think someone mentioned previously that they only get blokes to do these jobs?