Mystery Shopping Thread 20 **PLEASE DO NOT MENTION CLIENT NAMES OR FEES ON HERE**

MO2

This is posted on Gap Notice Board regarding this month payments:

The Finance Department have advised us of a delay in processing payments for the August shopping period. This should be fixed by tomorrow and all shoppers who successfully completed an assignment in August will be paid on Friday the 30th.

System

If I earn around £1500 a year doing MS, can I get any benefits? Although I am not looking for any more work.

dazza.mk

berbastrike wrote: »

If I earn around £1500 a year doing MS, can I get any benefits? Although I am not looking for any more work.

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

mskitten2904

I haven't worked for GAP long but the last 3 out of 4 months have been the same? Is this a regular thing?

dazza.mk

mskitten2904 wrote: »

I haven't worked for GAP long but the last 3 out of 4 months have been the same? Is this a regular thing?

yes, unfortunately

Lil_Me_2

weeg wrote: »

Having opened today's post, I have another reason to keep good records - I claim tax credits as a low earner. HMRC have just asked me for details of the type of work I do, summary/diary of bookings, appointments, breakdown of hours worked per week, invoices for work done, receipts for any expenses paid. Original documents - no photocopies.

Is it ok if I cry now?

Edit: I just phoned them to ask for clarification. Thankfully they do accept that time marketing your business/ looking for work - ie checking MS websites does count as work in their terms, not just the visiting/ report writing. Still, deep joy.

*hugs* I don't envy you.

StabiloBrillo

Weird question but now taking photo's is becoming common practice I feel my ipod touch isn't the megapixels it could be especially for auditing, can I buy a camera and claim it as an expense (by not paying tax on it). Any help would be greatly received.

invalid_username_2

Tudorc1 wrote: »

DP James - why not just do it correctly and pay the taxes due if you are ever lucky enough to do that much work?

Where do you get off having to cheat the system all the time?

Accept the fact that taxes need to be paid to pay for people's housing benefit (among other things).

Many MSers have been audited, often with no detriment to themselves - just the taxman doing their jobs. I look forward to the day that they catch up with you.

Bit of an unnecessary rant. He/she hasn't said anyhting about not paying their taxes. He/she only raised some points that were put out to discuss realy. (Keeping seperate files and the bit about the person who was asessed). And how do YOU know how much work they do? Maybe you are havin a bad day, but you've over-reacted and should apologise. My nursery kids behave better than some people on here. And, Handsome Max is watching us remember.

Come on, keep things civil

All this talk about tax has made me get my paperwork in order though. Does anyone have a good spread sheet I could possibly copy please.

marvellousaunt

Please don't hate me... a question regarding the recording of profit against reimbursements, picking up the conversation over the last couple of pages... seeking clarification if I may.

Example 1:
(Gap) Petrol Assignments
eg £x reimbursement, £y spend required on petrol. (Inevitably y > x).

I was under the impression that seeing as I HAD to spend at least £y as dictated by the job notes, and I was buying this specific purchase with the sole purpose of receiving £x income, that £y was then classed as an expense. Am I interpreting your conversation correcting by saying that because I then go onto USE and BENEFIT from this £y amount of petrol, it is therefore NOT deductable?

Example 2:
Any number of food assignments, for reimbursement + fee.

Let's say, for the sake of argument, that the reimbursement exactly covers the spend on the food. My argument would be that I would certainly not buy this food if not for the fee, and to be honest, yes I do do these jobs for the small fee. I do a number at a time, on the way back from work, and I find a little goes a long way. I specifically have to buy a certain product in order to get the fee. I do not benefit from eating in a certain burger place whatsoever! The vast majority of the time I sample the food, only, for the purposes of the survey. In this instance, would the FEE only be taxable?

(Sorry, I would go on the other site you mention to look at their discussion but it says no free addresses and I don't have a non g mail or hot mail account...)

Any advice would be helpful so I can get the accounts sorted. Thanks!

invalid_username_2

berbastrike wrote: »

If I earn around £1500 a year doing MS, can I get any benefits? Although I am not looking for any more work.

I think there are loads of benefits out there if that is your only income. Go to direct.gov.uk to find out what you might be entitled to.