It's time for... Tally it up Tuesday!

It's time for another money saving Tally.
Secret shopping since 7/1/09 : Free stuff aquired while secret shopping: $74.50
Cash earned secret shopping since 07/01/09: $96
Dryer loads dryed outside : 0 (I've fallen off the wagon here...)

This week was busy doing Deli work-- I'm becoming addicted to Muffalettas :)

Tally it Tuesday!

It's time for another money saving Tally.

Secret shopping since 7/1/09 :
Free stuff aquired while secret shopping: $47.50
Cash earned secret shopping since 07/01/09: $78

Dryer loads dryed outside : 0 (I've fallen off the wagon here...)

Getting Started in Secret Shopping

I've been secret shopping for about 5 years now. Every once in a while (but particularly when the economy deals a new blow) I'll get questions about secret shopping. I thought I'd take a minute to answer the most frequent ones from my perspective. If you're interested, it's a great way to stretch your pennies even further!

Q: How do you know the company is "for real" not a scam?

This is probably the question I get asked most. Reputable shopping companies do require some personal information because, like other reputatble companies they pay taxes. They require a social security number, your address, date of birth, etc. Sometimes giving out that information (particularly over the internet) can make you a bit leery.

One great place to start is with the MSPA - the Mystery Shopping Providers Association. This is not a secret shopping company itself, but rather a professional organization for mystery shoppers. They have certification tests and conventions, and allow secret shoppers to present themselves professionally to reputable companies.

Through their site, there are links to reputable companies to contact, as well as lists of current scams. It's a great place to start.


Q: Can I make a living mystery shopping? Can it replace my income?


The true answer here, in my opinion is no. Mystery shopping can be a great way to stretch a household budget or make a few extra dollatrs, but except for a very few people, it's not a full time salary. There are exceptions of course. You might build this into a full time income- kudos to you! But for most of us, it's like coupons. It won't pay for everything, but it can help!


Q: Do I get to keep the merchandise I buy while shopping?

If you looked at some of the ads, you'd think mystery shoppers were getting to keep Louis Vuitton purses and the like. This isn't really the case. In most cases, if you are asked to buy something expensive you are also asked to return it. I actually like these shops because they pay real money. Which leads me to...

Q: Will I get paid to eat out?

Most restaurants will buy your meal, but most do not pay in addition. Some will pay a small additional fee ($4 - $15) UNLESS they are in a bind- and that's when it can get really fun. I was once paid $30 to have a pizza delivered to my house, in addition to being paid back for the pizza! They do usually pay for your food (and sometimes your alcohol) bill. My husband and I have had many $100 + dinners and countless $35 dinners paid for by secret shopping companies.

Some of this might also depend on the area you live. In a big metropolitan area with many secret shoppers, the pay will be less. If you travel quite a bit and go through airports, there is big potential.

Although report writing can be time consuming at first, once you have a few under your belt and begin to see the kind of reports and details companies are looking for, it gets easier and quicker.

If this sounds like something you might be interested in, stay tuned. Tomorrow I'll deliver Part Two: What do I need to get started?

Have you Tried Survey Savvy?

Making a few bucks, a few minutes at a time..
I like to do some surverys on line for a little extra cash. I find that in 5 or 10 minutes a night, I can make a buck or two after the kiddos go to bed. I'm doing these for a couple of different companies, and we've gotten a $15-20 check every other week or so. Not bad for spare minutes.

So I recently started with Survey Savvy, and I've been HAPPILY surprized by how many paying surveys you get pretty quickly.

Want to check it out? Here's how...
Click on the link below to sign up:
https://www.surveysavvy.com/?id=3011326&action=join

Then..fill out the portrait's on the site so they can match you with the available surveys. New ones get posted every once in a while, so it doesn't hurt to check back. They have tiny cups of coffee to tell you how long they take (5 minutes a cup) but I found they went much faster than this. Might be slower if you are on dial up.

You can make money from referrals, too. Most of the surveys I've taken are pretty quick.

DID YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE of KROGER's cereal DEAL TODAY?
3 boxes of cereal (General Mills) and a Gallon of milk for $5. That's a serious deal if you have little people in the house. This is what Jim Cramer would call a "M'on Back"... which I did-- a second time before the deal ended, since we go through 2 gallons a week.