Maximising income - Mystery Shopping? Surveys? (Part Two)

ella_ella_ella

Thanks for the tips - 1571 is a great idea!

Im going to a bank today, god i hope i dont pass out with nerves once i'm in there but im pregnant so can always blame the baby lol

Timmne

never_broke wrote: »

hi lyndsay, there is a loophole with mystery shopping that you are not employed, therefore tax is not taken from your payment...i suggest you keep quiet!! I have earned heaps extra cash with bare international (bai - see top links) i really like their mortgage shops, a bit tricky at first but once you get the hang of it its easy money! plus you get lots of financial advice and get paid. i find it really worth the while

I'm guessing you're posting under an alias name as it's your first post - which says to me you know the advice you're giving is wrong....

Lindsay, it just isn't worth not telling the tax office. People get exasperated with tax forms and at first sight assume they're hard before really having a go. I would take a deep breath and have another go!

The tax office issue a tax return guide which will help you fill it in - also if you go to your local tax office they'll help you fill it in if you take your records along with you.

Of course if you need any help on the return we're all here to help and me being an accountant may be of some use to you - I'm always around to help!

(not sure how old your post was though as I can't remember seeing it in the last page or so!)

never_broke

ella_ella_ella wrote: »

Hi Guys

I signed up a couple of days ago for mystery shopping and have got my first assignment tomorrow and im sooooo nervous!

Thanks for all the info on here and wish me luck

i have been mystery shopping alot recently and my first assignment (with bai) i was soo nervous, but it was for a hotel and i had to assess the bar which reduced my nerves- ive been hooked ever since. but to the point - mystery shopping gets easier - even if the assignments get harder. they will use you more if you meet their deadlines and get good grades - then you get all the best shops!

nickik1970

TractorGirl327 wrote: »

Yes, I was really nervous before my first job last June! But it was fine, just keep a cool head, don't panic!

My top tip is this: If you can't remember exactly what you're meant to be looking for, or doing, or if you want to make a note of something, pretend your mobile is ringing, step outside the store to "take the call" out of sight of the assistant, and sneak a look at your briefing sheet or make a few notes. Also, no-one will bat an eyelid if you look like you are sending a text message inside a shop either, so I often use the Memo feature on my phone to jot down a few notes right under their noses!! :rotfl: :rotfl:

I'm doing a mobile phone one this afternoon where I have to count how many handsets of each make they have on display - not quite sure how I'm going to be able to do that without them either (a) sussing me out or (b) thinking I'm barking mad!!!

I have done a few phone counting shops. I take the kids with me as there is no time limit we go after school. Yhey count the phones while I bore the assistant with daft questions!

mimi1234

What I tend to do is take my mobile wherever I go, and type myself a text message with all the details (description, how many in queue, how many tills etc), and save it to my archives and then do the paperwork later. Being a studenty type (25 but everyone seems to think I am 18), no one bats an eyelid, they just assume I must be a sociable student or something. And the first few assignments are quite hard as you are not that confident in that field, but once you have done a few, you just get so used to it, it's a doddle.

never_broke

Timmne wrote: »

I'm guessing you're posting under an alias name as it's your first post - which says to me you know the advice you're giving is wrong....

Lindsay, it just isn't worth not telling the tax office. People get exasperated with tax forms and at first sight assume they're hard before really having a go. I would take a deep breath and have another go!

The tax office issue a tax return guide which will help you fill it in - also if you go to your local tax office they'll help you fill it in if you take your records along with you.

Of course if you need any help on the return we're all here to help and me being an accountant may be of some use to you - I'm always around to help!

(not sure how old your post was though as I can't remember seeing it in the last page or so!)

I didn't know the info was wrong (as it is true there has been debate over tax and mystery shopping payments from what I have found) or give it intentionally, and i will say now it is only my opinion. Of course, as you are an accountant you know alot more about taxes etc than I do, but I only do ms for fun sometimes.

Please dont think I think I know everything, or try to give bad advice.

I will be more cautious what I write in future as I don't like to be thought of in this way.

I thought everyone had an alias name on forums - it is my first time.

jo1972

I had to do a department shop at the weekend comprising of 4 parts, I had to note down 8 different members of staff plus all the normal bits. I ended up 'texting' myself 13 times :rotfl: I'm 35 but reckon I looked more like a teenager constantly texting my mates! At one point I had to go into the changing rooms, so took an item of clothing with me and sat in the cubile refining all my text messages till I thought I'd been in there long enough!

I've somehow managed to get myself 9 MSs for this weekend alone, don't think my mobile is gonna stand up to it!! :rotfl:

Timmne

OK no worries - apologies if you took any offence by my post.

It's important to remember generally that earning money through work of any kind (over the personal allowance of course) is taxable and loopholes do not generally exist, especially with low income.

Another important thing to remember is that whatever you're earning whether it be £1 or £1000 matters to the tax man and they'll chase you for every penny if needs be! Saying it's not worth registering for £100 of income sounds reasonable to most of us but for obvious reasons the tax man doesn't see it like that!

We're all here to help so if anybody has any issues about registering then they should just ask here and there will be loads of us to give advice!

If you work out your actual profit after deducting things like printing, mileage, internet costs and postage, you'll probably find there isn't much of one anyway! Important to remember that a return should be filed whatever the weather though, profit or loss....

:beer:

never_broke

Timmne wrote: »

OK no worries - apologies if you took any offence by my post.

It's important to remember generally that earning money through work of any kind (over the personal allowance of course) is taxable and loopholes do not generally exist, especially with low income.

Another important thing to remember is that whatever you're earning whether it be £1 or £1000 matters to the tax man and they'll chase you for every penny if needs be! Saying it's not worth registering for £100 of income sounds reasonable to most of us but for obvious reasons the tax man doesn't see it like that!

We're all here to help so if anybody has any issues about registering then they should just ask here and there will be loads of us to give advice!

If you work out your actual profit after deducting things like printing, mileage, internet costs and postage, you'll probably find there isn't much of one anyway! Important to remember that a return should be filed whatever the weather though, profit or loss....

:beer:

Thank you for the advice.

I only want to be helpful and join in!
Maybe I can come with some good advice in the near future :T

lola234

jo1972 wrote: »

I had to do a department shop at the weekend comprising of 4 parts, I had to note down 8 different members of staff plus all the normal bits. I ended up 'texting' myself 13 times :rotfl: I'm 35 but reckon I looked more like a teenager constantly texting my mates! At one point I had to go into the changing rooms, so took an item of clothing with me and sat in the cubile refining all my text messages till I thought I'd been in there long enough!

Does your mobile have a recorder facility? I did a shop that sounds similar to this a while back and when I was out of earshot walking to different departments I would "phone" someone and say the names and descriptions of all the staff (and also stuff like "they haven't got the one you wanted in your size blah blah" in case any customers happened to hear me). I then played it back to myself later while I was doing the questionnaire. Only thing is, I didn't realise the phone could only hold 4 recordings at a time so I recorded over one of them and had to rely on the brain cells for what was on the left and right of the shop. Duh!