The Mystery Shopping thread - IX

absolutelynomoney

jdan9 wrote: »

Can somebody who can see the betting shop jobs on GAP tell me the timeframe (by PM probably best) please? I want to know if there's any point on me bothering with the tests or not.. thanks!

As far as I can see there are only 9 left, so be quick! But the time frame is until about 16th/17th August. I have mine booked for 11th and 13th August.

jdan9

absolutelynomoney wrote: »

As far as I can see there are only 9 left, so be quick! But the time frame is until about 16th/17th August. I have mine booked for 11th and 13th August.

I have nearly 600...! Lol...

creaker

one wave is the competitor and the current wave is the client.

absolutelynomoney

creaker wrote: »

one wave is the competitor and the current wave is the client.

Thats odd - I can only see the competitors. There were initially hundreds of those, but I never saw the client.

xxisabellexx

Hey, hope everyone's mystery shopping is going ok!

I just had a few questions regarding tax etc :rolleyes:
Fun.

Say, for example, that I had three jobs to do in my city centre. It is a £1.70 bus ride there and back. Do I say for the one job that it has cost me £3.40 and nothing for the rest? Or do I put it has cost me £3.40 for each job? Or do I split the cost between the three, so put that its cost me £1.13 for each job?

In a similar vein, I had been doing shops in my boyfriends town when I visited him at £7.05 for a return ticket. Can I claim that as an expense or would they tell me I was having a laugh as obviously I would have been going there anyway?

To be fair, I really don't think I'll be earning enough to be paying tax even if I don't fill in all my expenses, but its good to be thorough

Dont think this is a question thats been asked a hundred times, hope not anyway
Obviously there was a discussion about tax yesterday but the only relevant part I found to my query was this from scotsbob:

scotsbob wrote: »

If I were you I would be doing two jobs or more at a time so you only use one tank of petrol but can get two or more jobs out of it.

But wasn't sure whether you mean it would be beneficial for you personally, which obviously it would, or beneficial for tax man purposes, or both?

Hope that makes sense, I'm kinda rambling now
TIA x

josie

becca0417 wrote: »

Oops. I did a job for sandwich RE and as it didnt ask for the product photo on the report. I accidentally deleted it. Now they're asking for it, a week later. Guess I won't get paid now.

Have you looked in your recycle bin, or was it just on phone or camera?

josie

jdan9 wrote: »

Can somebody who can see the betting shop jobs on GAP tell me the timeframe (by PM probably best) please? I want to know if there's any point on me bothering with the tests or not.. thanks!

12-22 Aug

my msg is too short....

scotsbob

xxisabellexx wrote: »

Say, for example, that I had three jobs to do in my city centre. It is a £1.70 bus ride there and back. Do I say for the one job that it has cost me £3.40 and nothing for the rest? Or do I put it has cost me £3.40 for each job? Or do I split the cost between the three, so put that its cost me £1.13 for each job?

In a similar vein, I had been doing shops in my boyfriends town when I visited him at £7.05 for a return ticket. Can I claim that as an expense or would they tell me I was having a laugh as obviously I would have been going there anyway?

Obviously there was a discussion about tax yesterday but the only relevant part I found to my query was this from scotsbob:

And here I am again

How does the taxman know who your boyfriend is or where he lives or when you go to see him?
In fact it could be the other way around. As you happen to be Misery Shopping you just pop in to see him while you are passing.

As to your first question, when you complete your tax return you will be entering a total amount earned and a total amount of expenses. It is most unlikely you will be called on to account for each and every shop.

Personally I would just claim once because I try to be honest and have to answer to my own conscience.

What you do is up to you. I mean look what the MPs get up to, so do you really think anyone is bothered how much petrol you used to buy a burger?????

josie

xxisabellexx wrote: »

Hey, hope everyone's mystery shopping is going ok!

I just had a few questions regarding tax etc :rolleyes:
Fun.

Say, for example, that I had three jobs to do in my city centre. It is a £1.70 bus ride there and back. Do I say for the one job that it has cost me £3.40 and nothing for the rest? Or do I put it has cost me £3.40 for each job? Or do I split the cost between the three, so put that its cost me £1.13 for each job?

In a similar vein, I had been doing shops in my boyfriends town when I visited him at £7.05 for a return ticket. Can I claim that as an expense or would they tell me I was having a laugh as obviously I would have been going there anyway?

To be fair, I really don't think I'll be earning enough to be paying tax even if I don't fill in all my expenses, but its good to be thorough

Dont think this is a question thats been asked a hundred times, hope not anyway
Obviously there was a discussion about tax yesterday but the only relevant part I found to my query was this from scotsbob:



But wasn't sure whether you mean it would be beneficial for you personally, which obviously it would, or beneficial for tax man purposes, or both?

Hope that makes sense, I'm kinda rambling now
TIA x

Regarding your bus ride query, then really you should just put down the fare once. It doesn't matter whether you put it against one job, two or three, as at the end of the tax year all your entry is one total for expenses, so as long as your keeping records then that's fine.

Although of course, you may find that you had to go home in between to feed the kids / water the garden / take the dog out etc., which I sometimes have to do in the car. It's a bit more tricky on the bus, tho, as you wouldn't have 2 bus tickets, so best just stick to the cost of one ticket.

In strict terms then if you were going anyway to visit your b/f then you can't claim. In reality, it goes back to a moral question as to how you feel about it, because the taxman doesn't know who your b/f is or where he lives or whether you have one (or even if your husband knows about him! :rotfl:)

Regarding the other question - it would benefit you to arrange two jobs in the same town, as it won't cost you so much to get there. Although I suppose you could argue that it would potentially benefit the tax man too, tho, as you'd be making more profit and so would be likely to pay him more.

I take it you don't have any other income that is going to take you over the tax allowance then?

HTH (Hope that helps)

mharzuk

xxisabellexx wrote: »

Say, for example, that I had three jobs to do in my city centre. It is a £1.70 bus ride there and back. Do I say for the one job that it has cost me £3.40 and nothing for the rest? Or do I put it has cost me £3.40 for each job? Or do I split the cost between the three, so put that its cost me £1.13 for each job?
I tend to put it all on one job and take a loss on this one with more profit on the others, doesn't matter really because the dates are logged and can be traced if needed.
I have heard the argument that MSers should return home between jobs to enter reports whilst they are fresh in thier memories, each to their own I say..... suppose it depends on the profits available.

In a similar vein, I had been doing shops in my boyfriends town when I visited him at £7.05 for a return ticket. Can I claim that as an expense or would they tell me I was having a laugh as obviously I would have been going there anyway?
Don't you mean you visit your boyfriend when you are in that town doing MS jobs?
But seriously this is a legitimate expense so the full £7.05 would be used IMO.

TIA x

I've put my opinion in red, I'm sure others will have different views. HTH

EDIT: Sorry for crossing over with others, that'll teach me to refresh after going to fill up my wine glass....... its a very BIG glass