Mystery shopping thread 26 *please read the op first**please no client names or fees

fraserbooks

Does anyone use Sassie. I have just been asked to sign up to it. Is it user friendly?

Hydra101

fraserbooks wrote: »

Does anyone use Sassie. I have just been asked to sign up to it. Is it user friendly?

Yes, a lot of MS companies use Sassie, it's dead easy. I assume you're talking about GFK - I got the same email, can't understand why they're going to run both systems though, with different jobs on each, means we've got to check 2 websites now for 1 company - would be much easier just to switch completely over, but hopefully they'll see how much easier it is and change in near future

Larac

la-moi wrote: »

Has anyone on here made an excel template for new mystery shoppers to organize expenses/income?

If you PM me your email address, I will send you the one that the 'late Big G' of these boards created. It was pretty comprehensive as he was a very prolific MS before his sad departure from this life, earlier this year.

Larac

MysteryMe wrote: »

That GR money assignment is an absolute pee take. Another MSC that seems to have gone down the pan

It used to be that when GR sent out an email, you had to be on the web site within a couple of minutes, to get a sniff of a job. Not anymore - agree that the fees they now pay are really low, in comparison to what they used to be. Currency job fee does not factor in the return visit to exchange currency back to pounds. Just picked up a couple of mobile phone calls from them and I am struggling to see what the end client is going to get from the analysis as the questions are really subjective.

sulkisu

Forgive me if this has already been asked, I did search the thread but no results came up, but just wondered if anyone claims working tax credits using mystery shopping as their self-employment (or even part of their self- employment). HMRC were a bit vague as to whether it qualified or not.

serendipity2706

sulkisu wrote: »

Forgive me if this has already been asked, I did search the thread but no results came up, but just wondered if anyone claims working tax credits using mystery shopping as their self-employment (or even part of their self- employment). HMRC were a bit vague as to whether it qualified or not.

Hi,
Yes it does, you need to register with HMRC as self employed even if you don't make a profit.
WTC will use your estimated figures to work out any benefit due. You need to make up final accounts by Jan 2018 for work in 2016/7 tax year and submit these to HMRC.
Once your accounts are approved by HMRC you can let WTC know the final figure and any adjustment will take place. That figure will be used for a provisional WTC benefit for the next tax year.
You need to work a minimum of 16 hours a week, but this can include writing reports, looking for work etc.
PM me if you need more advice x

sulkisu

serendipity2706 wrote: »

Hi,
Yes it does, you need to register with HMRC as self employed even if you don't make a profit.
WTC will use your estimated figures to work out any benefit due. You need to make up final accounts by Jan 2018 for work in 2016/7 tax year and submit these to HMRC.
Once your accounts are approved by HMRC you can let WTC know the final figure and any adjustment will take place. That figure will be used for a provisional WTC benefit for the next tax year.
You need to work a minimum of 16 hours a week, but this can include writing reports, looking for work etc.
PM me if you need more advice x

Great, thank you. I'm kicking myself that I didn't think of it before. I have been MS on and off for years but started doing it more frequently since taking redundancy in April - definitely more than 16 hours per week. I'm already claiming CTC, so will update my claim.

Larac

serendipity2706 wrote: »

Hi,
Yes it does, you need to register with HMRC as self employed even if you don't make a profit.
WTC will use your estimated figures to work out any benefit due. You need to make up final accounts by Jan 2018 for work in 2016/7 tax year and submit these to HMRC.
Once your accounts are approved by HMRC you can let WTC know the final figure and any adjustment will take place. That figure will be used for a provisional WTC benefit for the next tax year.
You need to work a minimum of 16 hours a week, but this can include writing reports, looking for work etc.
PM me if you need more advice x

Don't you also have to show that the 16 hours that you work are at least getting minimum wage? Somebody on another forum got involved with tax credits and the HMRC and their accounts went under a 'forensic' examination and wanted to see hours versus wages. Alot of MS work falls well below this, so guess you need to get 'creative' with the hours.

serendipity2706

Larac wrote: »

Don't you also have to show that the 16 hours that you work are at least getting minimum wage? Somebody on another forum got involved with tax credits and the HMRC and their accounts went under a 'forensic' examination and wanted to see hours versus wages. Alot of MS work falls well below this, so guess you need to get 'creative' with the hours.

I don't get minimum wage from MS and haven't been scrutinised. Perhaps it depends if you are saying that that is the TOTAL income you get. If so, they would no doubt want to know how you survive and pay your bills.
If MS is one job of a few then presumably the others would make up for it?

Larac

serendipity2706 wrote: »

I don't get minimum wage from MS and haven't been scrutinised. Perhaps it depends if you are saying that that is the TOTAL income you get. If so, they would no doubt want to know how you survive and pay your bills.
If MS is one job of a few then presumably the others would make up for it?

They needed to show that their income was equivalent of 16 hours minimum wage and the hours they worked to achieve it. They also had to show a business plan on how they intended to improve the profitabilty of their business going forward. I think your OK as long as you don't end up on the end of an investigation, then they start asking questions around the sustainability of your self employment.