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

catwoman150

obsessedwithmoney wrote: »

Hi All,

I am looking into being a MS, but trying to work out if worth it . Do you get parking and mileage expenses? Also if I don't work at all do I still need to advise tax man?
any help would be great.

It depends on which company you choose for expenses being paid. Sometimes the fee includes parking and mileage, but most if the time it doesn't im sorry to say.
Yes you do need to inform the tax man. and NI people. You can claim your mileage and most of your expenses back fro the tax man instead of paying tax. Other people on this site will be able to explain it better for you though.

A_little_stressed!!

Which ones pay expenses? the ones I'm with don't seem to.

wensie

Lu_T wrote: »

Thanks for this Wensie. Are you sure? My paperwork says to order 1 buffet and 1/2 drinks (incl free refills). I know I'm worrying but don't want to mess up my very first assignment!! I can't find anything on the Gap site that tells me what I'll be reimbursed for or is that meant to be included in the assignment payment?

Any tips on where to get a cheap digital watch (yuk!). Know I need one, but not my idea of style!!

Thanks for all the help & suggestions.

That wasn't my post. I haven't done that buffet place for a while so I am not quite up-to-date with the rules and requirements. Sorry!

I bought a a Timex watch at a well known catalogue shop. It wasn't quite that cheap (around £20 or so which I consider a fortune for a watch - as I never wear any) but it has a lap timer which is especially useful for jobs like the burger place where they want exact timings to the second. I keep it in my jeans or coat pocket though with my hand in it so it's not that obvious.

Another tip for taking quick notes during a job ... on most phones you can make notes or save text messages to the drafts folders. I make notes of names, timings, etc. This is especially great for meal jobs. :A

sec79

I did a mystery shop for one the other day. I was told the meal would cost £3.40, but was charged £3.69! I ordered one of the possible options, a chicken meal.

Was I overcharged do you think?
Thanks

TractorGirl327

Lu_T wrote: »

Hi Obsessed

I'm new to MS-ing but can tell you a little. There are loads of experienced people on this board who can tell you more.

Jobs are either paid a fee or reimburse you an amount you've spent. If you're lucky there will be a job where you will be reimbursed for spending as well as getting a fee, but I haven't come across any of those yet!

I'm doing a job at a well-known restaurant chain tomorrow and can have up to £xx reimbursed. This will pay for lunch for hubby & I. I have another job at a phone shop tomorrow where I'm not required to buy anything. This will pay £x.

As far as I can see, expenses are kept to a minimum and they expect you to fund travel, parking etc out of whatever you are given.

Regardless of you not doing other work you must tell the tax man if you are bringing in any income. However, there is an allowance below which you don't have to pay tax so you may not have to give him anything. There are more expert people than me on this board who can clarify further I'm sure.

HTH

You might want to edit the amounts out of your post. I've been "politely" told off for doing the same, apparantly on this thread it's not the done thing to disclose what you are being paid for the jobs.

TG x

TractorGirl327

sec79 wrote: »

I did a mystery shop for one the other day. I was told the meal would cost £3.40, but was charged £3.69! I ordered one of the possible options, a chicken meal.

Was I overcharged do you think?
Thanks

Prices in fast food joints do vary depending on where you are in the country. Personally if I was "overcharged" by 29p I wouldn't make a mountain out of it!

TG

ali1972

Lu_T wrote: »

Any tips on where to get a cheap digital watch (yuk!). Know I need one, but not my idea of style!!

Thanks for all the help & suggestions.

I have to buy cheap stop watches for work and tend to get them from a web based company called clicksport. They are only about £6 each, I think. Alternatively, Argos may still have them. Ditto Argos for digital watches. I've found it easy enough to use a proper stop watch for Gapbuster assignments because you can shove it in your handbag and just look like you're rooting around for your phone or wallet, muttering to yourself all the way! Alternatively you can have 2 and keep one in your pocket and have your finger on the relevent button inside your pocket as you enter and join the queue. Then use the one in your handbag once you're sitting down. I find that easier than using an actual wrist watch.

wensie

TractorGirl327 wrote: »

... apparantly on this thread it's not the done thing to disclose what you are being paid for the jobs.

TG x

When you sign up with mystery shopping companies you sign confidentiality agreements. You agree that you don't disclose fees, client names etc. Many, if not all, companies can react quite badly and are likely to sack you when found out.

Lu_T

Still haven't had a reply clarifying things for me about whether I can buy lunch for both hubby & I and claim it back. As it's my first job I think I'll play safe and just order for me. Think I have a scenario worked out where I arrive with the baby and hubby stays outside on his phone for a few mins. I'll order for me and make a comment about him working this morning and the boss just calling but not wanting the boss to know that me and baby are out with him. He can then arrive and order separately.

This will set us up to pay separately as hubby will be claiming his lunch back from work.

Thanks to the person whose idea this was (sorry I've forgotten who it was!).

josie

Lu_T wrote: »

Still haven't had a reply clarifying things for me about whether I can buy lunch for both hubby & I and claim it back. As it's my first job I think I'll play safe and just order for me. Think I have a scenario worked out where I arrive with the baby and hubby stays outside on his phone for a few mins. I'll order for me and make a comment about him working this morning and the boss just calling but not wanting the boss to know that me and baby are out with him. He can then arrive and order separately.

This will set us up to pay separately as hubby will be claiming his lunch back from work.

Thanks to the person whose idea this was (sorry I've forgotten who it was!).

If you want to find out how much you are getting reimbursed from Gap, if you can't remember, then log onto their website and go to my assignments and it lists all done and pending assignments that you've signed up to there. It will have the reimbursement amount there too. Hopefully that will help you make your mind up.

If it's the place where you would normally go for a flat, round type of meal with tomato and cheese (:rotfl: ) then you can definitely order food for 2 of you. We always go as a couple. You may spend more than they allow, buy hey, most of it's free. The restriction is usually that you can go with 4 of you, but they other couple would need to order and pay separately. So, I guess if you're going with a child, it makes it a bit more complicated, but if it's a buffet, you may be able to share enough for all 3 of you.

Hope that helps a bit! You could always get the separate receipt for your hubby's work expenses, but say his firm are relaxed about paying for both of you, so can they put two meals on his receipt and pay for the child's one separately.