The Mystery Shopping thread - VII

The_Plush_Doormat

HOLLYPEAR!

Please empty your PM box. I have sent you my test answers.

Mumto2

kman wrote: »

Can somebody tell me what the 'Gangster' restaurant is, as i can't work it out...:o

2 mens names - F&B....

kman

Mumto2 wrote: »

2 mens names - F&B....

Many thanks. We've got one locally, but I've never seen it on RE...

ukmonkey

Ah, I did an evening job there a couple of weeks ago (which is probably why I can't see them!) - very good service - just full of bloody kids!

ukmonkey

MikeLB wrote: »

2 different mileage rates - when you hit over 10,000 miles a year you have to drop your rate as per Self Assesment rules. So its 40p per mile for first 10K, then 26p per mile thereafter. (Mnnual Mystery Shop mileage nowadays is 20,000. It used to be 45,000 a year exclusively on Mystery Shopping!) But I think there are ways to claim actuality car running costs and indeed there was an obscure rule about you could offset a part of a new car purchase against your Shop work if the car was under a certain engine size and CO2 limit - The old Renault Megane 1.5 dci was the largest car that qualifed but I cant remember what the rule actually was. The mileage thing is a bit of a farce as the Inland Revenue mileage doesnt in my opinion bearing a true reflection of cost, but it works in our favour not theirs, for once. I always underestimate miles too in case they investigate so I know it will work in my favour

Flights, ferries, taxis, rail tickets - I do some very obscure Scottish island locations for some companies and they pay for my flights - though in the past I must admit I got a company to pay for 2 Scottish mainland flights as the car was broken down.

Dont be scared of making a loss on Mystery Shopping - I have just done my final spreadsheets for last year and made a theoretical loss of over £3000! Offset against my main job and I'll be getting some money back from good old tax man, again!

An old work colleague of mine used to do freelance work part time and never made a profit - The Inland Revenue did phone hin one day and advised him he should close his business as it never made a profit. He replied it wasn't the Inland Revenue's business to hand out business advice, only to collect taxes - They never bothered him again!

Hmmm, I'm interested in the bit I've made bold. Could you PM me more details??

TractorGirl327

kman wrote: »

Can somebody tell me what the 'Gangster' restaurant is, as i can't work it out...:o

PM-ed you :j

Timmne

I'd be interested too!

Offsetting a loss against another income?

I've never come out with a loss on MSing though; this year I ended up somewhere around £800 profit, after everything I could squeeze through!

TractorGirl327

ukmonkey wrote: »

Ah, I did an evening job there a couple of weeks ago (which is probably why I can't see them!) - very good service - just full of bloody kids!

Hee hee hee - didn't I warn you about the kids???? :rotfl::rotfl:

ukmonkey

TractorGirl327 wrote: »

Hee hee hee - didn't I warn you about the kids???? :rotfl::rotfl:

you did! It seems that it's the place to go for the very young teen's birthdays. Every two minutes the lights were going off and people were signing. Not good when trying to read the bleeding menu.

And I just being a miserable g1t?

Timmne

No you're not - I hate kids at the best of times, especially when the parents think their kids are the cutest thing around, despite food being thrown on the floor and it screaming every few minutes!