The mystery shopping thread - part 4

Sarah_Joanne

mpsusanne wrote: »

I soo agree, not that I have a lot to plan around at the moment, good luck on the flight job and when:j you get it, a blow by blow account would be great, maybe as a pm?:T if everyone else has heard it all before?

No problem I can let you know how it goes, if it goes!

I have been told that there is an awful lot of applications for these flights - no surprises there really! But they don't give them to new shoppers, and they give them to those with high average shopper grades.

I've only done 3 jobs for them so I'm not holding my breath this time. There's always other months though!

cookinmummy

Right tax q.

On my spreadsheet I have a column for mileage (showing cost of) and then a column for fee. Now if I work for a company that pays fee and then pays mileage seperately do I then leave my mileage column blank for that job and leave the mileage money off the fee amount in the fee column OR should I still be putting the miles in the column - but if I do that I still need to claim somewhere that part of the fee covered that and deduct it off earnings - right?

Timmne would your simplestart just take care of all of this for me?

p.s just read this back and it makes no sense - but can't think how to put it better!

Sarah_Joanne

I think you should put the mileage paid by the MS co included in your fee, then put your mileage in as whatever you have travelled at 40p/mile.

I would think that otherwise you'd be out of pocket as the mileage given by the MS co won't usually cover your actual mileage done.

HTH

cookinmummy

Sarah_Joanne wrote: »

I think you should put the mileage paid by the MS co included in your fee, then put your mileage in as whatever you have travelled at 40p/mile.

I would think that otherwise you'd be out of pocket as the mileage given by the MS co won't usually cover your actual mileage done.

HTH

So, I shouldn't be deducting the mileage fee off the profit then? I can see the benefit - but wasn't sure on what I should be (tax man wise) doing.

Sarah_Joanne

I think (and someone correct me if I'm talking rubbish) that you should work it out like this:

total income received from MS co. (eg fee + mileage allowance) - total expenses (eg purchases up to reimbursement limit + mileage + printing etc)

= profit

Sarah_Joanne

Basically, if you take the mileage allowance from the MS co and just use that as your mileage figures you are likely to be out of pocket for most jobs

if your mileage allowance is , for example, £3.50, then if you travel more than 9 miles in total then you would be out of pocket if you only claimed that allowance.

I hope you see what I mean as I'm not entirely sure I'm explaining myslef very well!!

cookinmummy

Sarah_Joanne wrote: »

Basically, if you take the mileage allowance from the MS co and just use that as your mileage figures you are likely to be out of pocket for most jobs

if your mileage allowance is , for example, £3.50, then if you travel more than 9 miles in total then you would be out of pocket if you only claimed that allowance.

I hope you see what I mean as I'm not entirely sure I'm explaining myslef very well!!

No - I think I understand what you are saying and I agree I think - :rotfl:

bobthego

jobbingmusician wrote: »

What do people think?

- Brilliant idea! I'll start saving mine

Daisydoll

I have just started mystery shopping, and was just wondering do the jobs go really quickly? I've had an email from grassroots today about about 20 mins ago and the job is already gone! I suppose I need to be a bit quicker next time;) would have been a good one too:rolleyes:

cookinmummy

Daisydoll wrote: »

I have just started mystery shopping, and was just wondering do the jobs go really quickly? I've had an email from grassroots today about about 20 mins ago and the job is already gone! I suppose I need to be a bit quicker next time;) would have been a good one too:rolleyes:

You can never be too quick with gr - they go quicker than you can blink! Not all ms comps are as quick as that though.