The First Step in Successful Mystery Shopping

First Things First…

If you take any steps toward becoming a mystery shopper, the first step should be getting yourself a dedicated email and password for this venture.

Sure dozens of emails requesting your services sound nice but it can become overwhelming QUICKLY. Plus when those schedulers and account managers come calling or emailing, as it were, you want the bigger bucks.

In addition to higher paying mystery shops,  my field services contracts can yield up to $130, each. I got started with a list like The Hot New Mystery Shopping List. Fifteen years ago I began mystery shopping with a hot new mystery shopping list and today I've successfully made a career for myself as a field services professional.

Just as we all stand around the proverbial water cooler and dream about working for ourselves, I did that too. I dreamed of working from home or working for myself then I took a leap. I leaped with faith in myself.

You Must Crawl Before You Walk…

It didn't happen overnight. I used mystery shopping as a springboard to a lucrative and  sustainable full time job. I have a full time job, with part time hours. I am self employed as a field services professional.

Now that my break is over it's back to this deluge of email. It seems that I found out about the dedicated email TOO LATE!

I've been mystery shopping for years upon years but the industry has changed. With a few swift clicks you too could be sifting through tasty offers. You, too, could be getting paid for shopping and dining.  Amusement parks and hotels use mystery shoppers, too!

TIP: Applying to more companies gives you more opportunities. Mystery shopping companies all over the United States are looking for people like YOU! Apply to five companies per night for a week and you can pick and choose the mystery shops that suit your fancy!

Field services contracts worth more than one hundred dollars a pop might be the penacle of my craft, but I also enjoy the mystery shops for (free) oil changes and quick flamed pizza in my neighborhood.

Try The Hot New Mystery Shopping List today. Earn extra cash next month!

Apply to several companies tonight and prepare for the avalanche tomorrow. Results will vary according to needs in your city and surrounding areas.

My primary email address with AOL is chock full of mystery shopping requests for services. However, my dedicated email for my work at home ventures is Google Gmail. As a bonus, Google+ has a pretty cool social circle.

So, REMEMBER the first step in SUCCESSFUL mystery shopping is to get a dedicated mystery shopping address.

Get a dedicated mystery shopping  gmail address and add me to your Google+ circle at The Field Services Diary on Google+.

Thanks for reading and sharing! Happy Shopping!

by Michelle Brown

#mysteryshopping #workathome #gmail #googleplus #thefieldservicesdiary

Work at Home - Freebies!

Who doesn't love, Love, LOVE FREEBIES? You know, Free stuff, twofers, coupons, and great deals. Working at home allows me time to do things that I like and I like FREEBIES and the internet! That's where YOU win. I've been fluent in internet since the 1990's. I pride myself on knowing my way around this camp. People are always looking for part time jobs, extra or quick cash and FREEBIES! I've often come across these opportunities and would like to share one with you today. Introducing - Influenster

After signing up and creating a profile, I was chosen to receive a complimentary #VitaVoxBox for testing. I've been so exposed, I often don't qualify for panels anymore. Much to my surprise, I got one! You should get yours too!

Now, what was in my Box? It was filled with cool, yummy stuff. Not dry and boring stuff that I'd never use. The absolute best thing in my Box was the Softlips Cube. OMG. My lips were so moist and lip smackingly tasty! The Softlips Vanilla Bean Cube is the Bomb.com! The round, exposed "stick" was amazing and fun to use! I'm zeroing in on a paddle tennis partner and it's warm and sunny here in Los Angeles. I can't wait to #GetCubed with my Softlips Vanilla Bean Cube!


Also in my Box was some Pure Leaf Iced Tea. That was very tasty. I found the iced tea refreshing in that it was lightly sweetened, with a fresh brewed and full, rich flavor. I like black tea, red tea, and green tea. I enjoy both hot tea and iced tea. I suppose you could say that have a  #loveofleaves. Pleased again!


If you didn't know already, I enjoy cooking and occasionally will burn myself. Also in my Box was some First Degree Advanced Burn Cream. Not only is it good for burns from cooking and grilling, but from hot beauty tools, as well! I know you ladies suffer a little to be as BEAUTYful as you are! I don't use hot beauty tools, but I do get down in the kitchen. I'll keep my First Degree Advanced Burn Cream handy because #BurnsHappen.

Energy and protection also came in my Box. When I get ready to smash my opponent (any takers?) out there on the paddle tennis court, I'll have my extra energy with the Bikini Ready Energy Gummies. I've always liked gummies. NOW I can enjoy gummies that are great tasting B-12 vitamin supplements for a quick energy booster. Let's see if the Bikini Ready Energy Gummies  and paddle tennis will get me a #bikinireadylifestyle by next summer!

The Playtex Sport Fresh Balance with Odor Shield is designed to neutralize odor on and off the court. It's specifically designed for Sport Level Protection allowing me to #PlayOn. 

Since I'll be a Grand Ma Ma soon, I want to maintain a youthful appearance for as long as I can. Enter the Elizabeth Arden #FlawlessFuture skin serum. I do look forward to feeling the Ceramide Caplets bursting with richness on my face when I smooth it in. I apply in an upward and outward motion from my chin up. That's how I work on my jowls when I moisturize.  How do you moisturize? How do you apply? Leave me a comment below.

What an awesome Box, right? It was jam packed with cool and useful items. You may not work at home (start here with The Hot New Mystery Shopping List), but if you like deals, coupons, and FREEBIES, check out Influenster.com.  You can thank me later!

BE Injoy!

by Michelle Brown

A Spontaneous Day Off...

A spontaneous day off is always cool, isn't it? If so, why do I feel like I'm behind?! As much as I enjoy life and living for me, yesterday mommy had to take the backseat. I didn't see the Floyd Mayweather vs Canelo Alvarez fight.

I didn't get my laundry done. I did no field services work. Not a door-knock, not a mystery shop, not a nothing! 

When I realized in the early afternoon that my daughter wouldn't be back with the "get-away" anytime soon, I determined the day was a wash! May as well eat pizza, donuts and watch videos. Heavy sigh.

So, now it's around 5 am and I must produce today. As I schedule my day, there is a mystery shop in Beverly Hills and loads of SNAP/EBT (food stamps) store reviews all over the Los Angeles area.

Is it just me, or does everyone else see the economic downturn of the US. Not just see it, but experience it? I cry on the days that I go to Malibu, Huntington or Redondo Beach. Some of the most affluent communities in the nation are requiring government assistance in the form of "food stamps". Of course they haven't been called food stamps by the government in a long time, but it's hard to change such brand recognition.

If I was really on the ball, I'd schedule myself a nice mystery shop lunch, but that would be too much like RIGHT!  Doing the right thing isn't so much fun, is it???  Or is it? My pocketbook would be happier to receive the check back, but fitting it in the schedule and NOT going bonkers isn't a better price to pay. So "Brown Bag Cafe" it is! If only I were that organized! HA! I will probably end up choosing something terrible to eat while out and about.

I plan to do better next week! Which is tomorrow, for me.

If you want to check the eligibility for SNAP/EBT (food stamps) for you, a friend or family member, click here.



by Michelle Brown

Door-knocking and car chasing

I was laughing out loud at the thought of a debtor trying to hide their vehicle in the parking area of the apartments next door. Imagine open, courtyard-type parking for neighboring apartments, sharing one driveway.

Before knocking on the particular door, I briskly walked to the rear parking area. A quick peek behind the debtors building - nothing. 

But! I glanced at the neighboring building's open courtyard-type parking and VIOLA! Paydirt! The make and model were correct from the rear. One quick dip around the front and the VIN matched, too! YES! By locating the collateral and recording the license plate number my contact percentage rate will increase.

Wait! Is the airbag deployed? Scratched front bumper and a cracked windshield? The collateral was wrecked! Apparently the owner doesn't want to pay for the car since it can't be driven. The nerve of some people! Just kidding. I have been there and done that. I was young. Maybe she is too. Maybe she is in the struggle to survive in this day upon the apocalypse. 

Door knock is a term you can search for when looking for field services work. In addition to mystery shop, inspect, or review. I have done just about everything in the field that does not require licensing or certification, although some companies will certify you to work with their proprietary software or equipment. I inspect cars, businesses, heavy equipment, damaged freight, and foreclosed properties. With 15 years experience, I have learned about some good companies and some not-so-good companies. I have learned what works for me and what does not. I learned these things through trial and error. 

Normally I would advise against paying to become a mystery shopper; but, here's a quick and easy way. It is a compilation of real time shops available in one spot! Free oil changes, amusement park tickets, demo jobs, movie checkers, and merchandiser positions, all in one area. 

Times are different from when you worked at one job (for an employer) and retired into your golden ages from there. Emerging from recession has changed the times. Lots of people now have bad credit as a result of the mortgage fiasco and subsequent recession. Because times have changed, creditors have changed as well. That's where we come in. It is unfortunate that people have lost their jobs and livelihoods, homes, and cars, but someone has got to service those bad debts. More and more creditors are sending people to the last known address of a debtor to make some sort of contact. Door knocks have become a by-product of the debt-ridden society we live in today. Because of those bad debts I have a job and you can too.

I've worked my way up to premium field services jobs in the last 15 years. Here's a little about my story 15 years in and counting!


You've got to start somewhere. You can do a lot of research for yourself, finding companies to work for and applying, or you can try this directory. All of the leg work is done for you.

Happy shopping!

by Michelle Brown

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Photo Credits:

http://fashionzona.com/tag/online-shopping/

http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-image-air-bag-deployed-car-wreck-aftermath-image7781316

http://cms.ac-martinique.fr/circonscription/trinite/file/Didapages/LVE/STORYTELLING/26554-door_rather_knock.jpg

Shopping For A Living

Well, I don’t know about earning a living, but you can certainly entertain yourself on someone else’s dime! In my inbox there are numbers of upscale restaurants needing to be shopped, golf courses and hotels, too!

When I moved to Orlando, FL in 2000, I began mystery shopping as a way to learn my way around the city and earn some extra cash. There are some mystery shop jobs that pay a fee for the service, in addition to reimbursing you for your purchase. A lot simply reimburse. 

I have shopped apartment complexes, restaurants, retail stores, etc. At first, I used to feel like a super-hero on a secret mission or something. I guess in my old age, I am simply looking for what’s right. Was my hot food served hot and my cold food served cold? Did the server greet us promptly?

If you can make a purchase and remember a name, you could be a mystery shopper. There is no easy way to get great work; it is WORK! There are dozens of companies looking for mystery shoppers or secret shoppers. Nine times out of ten, there are no fees associated. If there is a fee, it might be something like a background check and those are far and few, in between. I would NEVER pay a fee to a company to sign me up to other companies! You can do that yourself!

Make it a point of applying to a handful of companies everyday. The more companies you apply to, the more work you get. Typing the same thing over and over can be a bear. Make use of the auto-fill function found in most browsers.

Mystery shopping can be fun and you can earn a couple of bucks in your spare time. 

Some mystery shop companies are listed on these pages:

List I

List II

List III

Thanks for reading and happy shopping!

Signed,
Paid To Shop

Working From Home

It's Tuesday and I am relaxing with a cup of coffee on the porch and writing. Working from home allows me the luxury of relaxing during the regular work week. I have an  appointment at the salon this afternoon and I'll visit a few "clients" today. Piece of cake. 

Working from home is the best thing since sliced bread, in my opinion.Mystery shopping - gets you fine dining for FREE! You make your own schedule and have lunch with friends. Working from home allows you to generate multiple income streams!

It is not about making $100,000 at one job, get yourself two or three jobs and make $40-$50,000 each. During my first year as a vendor with First American Field services, I earned $70,000. Now I'd like to try my hand at a different "work from home" phenomenon - BLOGGING!

The system is already setup and it just needs YOU! Tell us what you do. I am a self-employed field services representative and I will show you how to can earn money in your spare time. From mystery shopping to government contracts - I've done them all!

Signed,

Paid in the shade