Mystery Shopping Thread 22 *PLEASE READ THE OP FIRST**PLEASE NO CLIENT NAMES OR FEES*

Workie_Ticket

Big_Graeme wrote: »

I've got GFK, Beyond Hello, Catalyst, Service Measure and RE/MF pending, all should be paid tomorrow.

I got GFK on Friday 23rd? Also, I thought Catalyst were Paypal or cheque? Though my shop log shows the payment is pending. RE/MF won't be until Friday 30th.

brooke3

Boredupnorth wrote: »

Your question is very specific and nobody will know the answer to "i really don’t know how much money i can expect to be making".
Yes we do have a few accountancy types on here but unfortunately we don't have any fortune tellers. If you have searched the thread and can't find the answer already posted then your best course of action is to do as the initial post says and talk to the tax office.

I'm a bit confused...I didn't ask how much money I should expect to me making. I've been doing this for enough years now to know how much money I make! Perhaps you could explain what you mean?

I did talk to the tax office when I was doing my tax return, they told me that I could claim while I was doing the tax return but when I went back into the form it wouldn't let me. I discussed it with pay roll at work who said that it will be in my final pay packet for this financial year but then when I pointed out that I was also self employed they said they would get back to me and never did and it wasn't in this months pay.

I was hoping that as I assume no one here is actually living on mystery shopping money and most will have additional jobs that someone would have some experience to share. If no one knows the answer then that's fine, no issue with that at all. It just seems that this thread is often not very welcoming/friendly to people who don't post here often (which is why I mostly just lurk in case there's anything interesting happening in the world of mystery shopping).

Google doesn't work on my computer, whenever I click on a link it takes me to a page that is not the page that google said it was.

Anyway, I shall go back to lurking and posting the occassional alert.

yonk

I think you need to sort your Google out. Download it via IR or Chrome again and re-install it, after running various antivirus software. Sounds like you have some malware running. Go to CNET and look at the various options there for the appropriate programs.

And I would definitely talk to the tax office, they can adjust your tax code for you so that you get paid back sooner.

roamingandy_2

i've been planning on living on it. i graduated last year but have had a nightmare trying to find work - partly due to health issues i have. so i figured this would pay more than job seekers allowance.. would you say that i'm making a bad choice??

i have been wondering, particularly because i have to buy a london travel card zones 1-5 every day for £8.80

brooke3

roamingandy wrote: »

i've been planning on living on it. i graduated last year but have had a nightmare trying to find work - partly due to health issues i have. so i figured this would pay more than job seekers allowance.. would you say that i'm making a bad choice??

i have been wondering, particularly because i have to buy a london travel card zones 1-5 every day for £8.80

Yes, I would say that's a bad choice. When I was a student I was earning enough to live on when combined with my bursary but the pay is terrible, often less than minimum wage. If I could have had a job alongisde my studying I would have rather than trying to live on MSing pay. Plus you can't ever guarantee that you'll have work and some weeks are slower than others.
But others will disagree I'm sure, I think some people do earn enough to live. For me it's just a hobby and a way of getting a few extra luxuries, I guess it depends on what you have to compare it to. It might be more than job seekers allowance (not sure if you can still claim housing benefit if you are self employed though). And I know that you can work a certain number of hours when you have job seekers allowance, it might be a way to supplement what you're getting in benefits until you find a job. And you should look into the disability benefits too. I would recommend talking to a benefits adviser about that.

Flygirl767

brooke3 wrote: »

I'm a bit confused...I didn't ask how much money I should expect to me making. I've been doing this for enough years now to know how much money I make! Perhaps you could explain what you mean?

I did talk to the tax office when I was doing my tax return, they told me that I could claim while I was doing the tax return but when I went back into the form it wouldn't let me. I discussed it with pay roll at work who said that it will be in my final pay packet for this financial year but then when I pointed out that I was also self employed they said they would get back to me and never did and it wasn't in this months pay.

I was hoping that as I assume no one here is actually living on mystery shopping money and most will have additional jobs that someone would have some experience to share. If no one knows the answer then that's fine, no issue with that at all. It just seems that this thread is often not very welcoming/friendly to people who don't post here often (which is why I mostly just lurk in case there's anything interesting happening in the world of mystery shopping).

Google doesn't work on my computer, whenever I click on a link it takes me to a page that is not the page that google said it was.

Anyway, I shall go back to lurking and posting the occassional alert.

Calm down, Boredupnorth was replying to roamingandy not you!

With regard to your tax rebate, I think you can apply for it during the tax year, not sure what form you need but you do need to speak to your tax office. Otherwise you should get your rebate at the end of the tax year.

Big_Graeme

Workie_Ticket wrote: »

I got GFK on Friday 23rd?

Someone cocked up...

Workie_Ticket wrote: »

Also, I thought Catalyst were Paypal or cheque?

Paypal paid tomorrow, will be spendable (on my Paypal card) right away.

Workie_Ticket wrote: »

Though my shop log shows the payment is pending. RE/MF won't be until Friday 30th.

Paid in tomorrow spendable Thursday or Friday.

brooke3

Flygirl767 wrote: »

Calm down, Boredupnorth was replying to roamingandy not you!

With regard to your tax rebate, I think you can apply for it during the tax year, not sure what form you need but you do need to speak to your tax office. Otherwise you should get your rebate at the end of the tax year.

That makes more sense!

Great, I should get a cheque any time now then. I wasn't sure if you had to actually apply for the rebate or if it was automatic. Thanks for the help

kst101

Wonder when Gap will pay this month - must be nearly that time.

I got paid by GFK on Friday as well - and am sure I have been paid on a Friday before when 10th/25th has been at the weekend.

Monkeynut

Ooooh, Kst, that's just reminded me Gap owe me a nice little amount, that I had completely forgotten I was expecting, and it was only 2 jobs, on the same day, but got a decent bonus for both.
The guy who phones me about them is so nice and helpful, and always asks how my children are, as he phoned when I was in hospital (I only answered as I had just been speaking to my mum and she was at the checkout in Tesco so was going to call me right back, so I wasn't really looking when I answered - just in case anyone thought I was just super keen answering the phone to Gapbuster when I'd just had a baby )
They must have the facility to put little notes on our profiles or something that they can see when they phone, as he always knows which ones he's phoned me about in the past, and he knows that he generally has to offer me 5 x the fee for me to consider even my local ones!!
I know that they are generally considered quite an unapproachable company but it's nice to know that there are some good eggs there too