Maximising income - Mystery Shopping? Surveys?

Yorkielass

Another question about the insurance can someone clarify exactly what the reason is for needing insurance, had one hell of a day and I'm getting all confused . I work for TNS and NOP.

Thanks

Rachie_B

have a look at genies post above number 2413

Saveit

I completed this on line and AXA came up the cheapest at the time . I had to contact them by phone though to add on to the home Business policy etc.

http://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/gppc/dorfq/imp_tradesmen/1.htm?ref_id=sbtest

apoorstudent

Argh, how annoying... I got offered my first assignment by NOP, but then when I logged in there was nothing there. I presume this is because someone got in there before me?!

hypno06

apoorstudent wrote:

Argh, how annoying... I got offered my first assignment by NOP, but then when I logged in there was nothing there. I presume this is because someone got in there before me?!

Fraid so - check the site every couple of hours if you are near the computer, just in case.

TraceyJ_2

redcar wrote:

Back on the tax issue. I work full time and had already contacted the tax office years ago to declare a small amount of extra income and off-set this against tax decutable expenses.

I contacted them again when I started MS and after a bit of discussion and referring to someone esle the guy I spoke to said I could just ask to get my tax code adjusted again. I can also tell them this in January so I have a better estimate of what my extra earnings will be. The limit, which I didn't take much notice of as I wouldn't be anywhere near it was about £3k I think. It avoids you having to fill out a tax return which was why I wanted to do it.

Has anyone else done this?

The reason I haven't as yet signed up for any non-PAYE companies is due to the tax 'complication'. How (and why) do they adjust your tax code?

Sorry to sound dense! With NOP changing the way some of their assignments are paid, I'm thinking that I will have to now sign up with the tax man (I also work full time).

redcar_2

TraceyJ wrote:

The reason I haven't as yet signed up for any non-PAYE companies is due to the tax 'complication'. How (and why) do they adjust your tax code?

Sorry to sound dense! With NOP changing the way some of their assignments are paid, I'm thinking that I will have to now sign up with the tax man (I also work full time).

Before I started MSing I was earning some extra untaxed money outside of my full-time job about £50 per year. I also have to pay annual professional organisation subscriptions for my job which someone said I could claim back the tax on. When I contacted the tax people they said they could adjust my tax code to take account of both and I would pay what I needed through my main employer payslip every month. I think they just adjust the code for what you get tax free in your main employment. The tax people handled it and I didn't have to deal with my main employer or the one who paid me the extra.

When I contacted the tax people more recently to ask about MS income, the guy I initially spoke to didn't know about the tax code adjustment route but when he conferred with someone else they confirmed it and said they could tweak the codes until quite late in the tax year say up until January. If you work full-time and aren't going to earn much extra through MS this might be the easiest way. You do need though to state how much you are earning extra. They don't seem to need this to the penny but probably to the nearest £50 and I have never been asked since to say how much I have earned extra each year even though it has fluctuated around (generally up from the original figure).

What I am wondering though is whether to take expenses off before stating my estimated MS earnings and what I can allow - is it the same as people who do normal tax returns.

For example, I have done some jobs in the town where my parents live and so not sure if I could take off travel expenses for all the way there even though I made the journey for other reasons too. Or on meal jobs if I have paid extra for the meal above the allowance. In some cases this would wipe out the fee and look as if I was shopping for a loss on some jobs. If I look at all the jobs as a whole and allow for these things I woud probably not really make any money at all. Can anyone who does a tax return help with this?

Before I go back to the tax people and start being 'complicated' if I can I want to know where I stand as I think their default option is to ask you to fill out a tax return which ideally I'd like to avoid as I fear this would be a real pain.

TraceyJ_2

Thanks for the explanation redcar, hope someone can answer your questions. Think I'll have to have a good look at this soon and perhaps speak to the tax office.

System

I know what you mean about some jobs operating as a loss redcar. This happens for me too. In most occasions I think it is because we are entitled to claim 40p mile back, when it does not cost nearly this much for petrol alone. And like you say you may be going there anyway (for visiting, shopping etc). In my case this is ok if some jobs LOOK as if they are at a loss because this is balanced against other SE work where I make a 95% profit after expenses. So at the end of the day I hope this will just mean I won't be taxed too much.

If I make a purchase over and above the allowance, whether on a meal or in a shop I wouldn't claim this as an expense though because this would be my choice.

Sorry can't be much help....confusing isn't it?

Genie75

Redcar, I think you can only claim the expenses relating solely to that job so if you travel 30 miles to your parents then a further 2 miles to the job, you only claim 2 miles. If you travel 9 miles to a town and do three jobs, you only claim 3 miles per job.

And with the meal jobs, if it is possible to spend under the allowance and you don't then you loss the extra. If the item you have to buy is above the reimbursement, then I believe you can claim the extra as an expense.

HTH