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

PurpleMunchkin

Thanks so much for all your info Timmne your info is absolutly invaluable.

I started MSing about 3 months ago, had a baby gave up work and decided to earn a little extra money. I assumed because i wasnt over the tax limit i didnt need to do anything with regards to the IR. Obviously i was wrong. Im going to contact them Monday to get it sorted out.

Ive done well at organising all my paperwork although i think i will need to set out an excel spreadsheet with all mileage etc on it.

I'm registered with 3 companies and they keep me fairly busy. Best assignment so far - due in for a couple of weeks time - weekend away with hubby, all expenses paid :j can't be bad !!!!

PurpleMunchkin xx

Becles

Just an ammendment for the NI bit on the first post!

If you earn less than £4,635, you don't have to apply for the Small Earnings Certificate and you can pay the £2.20 a week contributions.

If you are not paying NI in any other jobs, it can be worthwhile to pay these NI contributions. It will count towards any benefits you may need in the future and contributes to your state pension record.

For example, the self employed get one of two rates for Maternity Allowance, regardless of their actual earnings. If you have a Small Earnings Certificate, you get £27 a week. If you have paid enough NI contributions, you will get £112.75. It's a big difference!

Timmne

Thanks!

I'll just insert that into the post if that's OK?

Becles

Yes - that's fine!

PurpleMunchkin

Becles - thats really interesting to know about the Maternity Pay. Not thinking about the 2nd baby at the moment (!!) but considering it for the future its definetly worth paying those NI contributions.

You said in your post
'If you have paid enough NI contributions, you will get £112.75.'

Is the £2.20 'enough' to get the increased amount ??

Thanks in advance

PurpleMunchkin xx

comping_cat

With regards to NI - i was under the impression that if you are claiming child benefit, you are exempt from paying NI as the government will make up your contributions for a certain number of years (wont let you just keep having children the whole of your working life) Is this correct?

I do have an exemption certificate, and have only once needed to pay my years small earnings contribution (and i was able to pay the whole years in one go, was about £110 for the year) in the last 5 years that i have been self employed.

princess_leia_3

Been trying to download Office Accounting Express 2008 but it doesn't seem to be working when I click download now????

Anyone else tried it and this happened?

Thanks

Becles

PurpleMunchkin wrote: »

Becles - thats really interesting to know about the Maternity Pay. Not thinking about the 2nd baby at the moment (!!) but considering it for the future its definetly worth paying those NI contributions.

You said in your post
'If you have paid enough NI contributions, you will get £112.75.'

Is the £2.20 'enough' to get the increased amount ??

Thanks in advance

PurpleMunchkin xx

Yes - paying £2.20 a week is enough to get the £112.75. That's what I'm getting at the moment!

There is a rule where you have to have x many contributions over a y week period, but I forget the timescales. I think it might have been 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before baby is due, but you would need to check that out for sure if you thought you might need to claim maternity allowance.

Becles

catowen wrote: »

With regards to NI - i was under the impression that if you are claiming child benefit, you are exempt from paying NI as the government will make up your contributions for a certain number of years (wont let you just keep having children the whole of your working life) Is this correct?

The person claiming child benefit will get this protection, but there are still rules which apply. You still have to have some years where you have paid contributions to get a basic state pension. It's all changing in 2010 too.

If someone else gets the child benefit or if you don't have children, it may be worth paying the NI so you get a full state pension, depending on your work history to date.

As well as maternity benefit, you will also be able to claim incapacity benefit if you suffered an illness or accident and couldn't work. I can't remember what other benefits you would be entitled to.

annedunlop

Can anyone advise me as to what companies are looking for when they ask questions like “what do you feel would have improved your shopping experience?” or “what could have been done better” ? Reading over some of the messages I gather companies want a bit more than ‘nothing’ as an answer but I’m not sure what they want.
I’m finding that maybe I’m a bit too easily pleased. I don’t give too hoots if the ‘colleague’ uses my name or asks me if there is ‘anything else they can help me with today”, as long as they can help me or can find someone else who can help me and they are polite and friendly, Most places seem to be fine but I just feel I should be writing a bit more.