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

Working From Home and Being Self Employed - A Thin Line Between Love and Hate

Of all the things I love about working from home and being self employed, filing taxes and the IRS are THE worst! I sure look forward to seeing how the universe will work this out for me. I’ll have to come up with a different strategy for the upcoming years, cause this one ain’t working!

Not only did my company earn $70K in year two, but I was able to secure work for friends and family, or "Framily" as some might say. How would you like to drive around YOUR neighborhood, and beyond, collecting data and photographs? Can you submit an online report with 10, 15, or 20 questions? That's part of my job that's pretty easy, but then I have to put on my "Accountant's Hat". That is where I fail miserably. I must admit that I'm a graduate school drop-out, due to Business Math. Sigh.

To date, I am still dealing with and reeling from the treatment by the IRS.  It only takes numerous letters, but ONE bank account seizure for the IRS to get your attention. Well, to get my attention, as it were. The IRS got tired of asking nicely, so they did what they had to do – they TOOK their coins!

Next time, I should just pay my PI… up front! Can you say, "Bitch betta have my money?"  I owe, I owe, so it's off to work I go!

Working from home does not give one a free pass. Working from home means just that - work. Be it 5am, 5pm, or midnight, work must be done and I (you) must do it. 

Now let me gather myself so I can get 'er done! 

by Michelle Brown

+workfromhome +self-employed +irs +taxes

Beer & Bruschetta - President's Day and Working From Home

How did you celebrate the President's Day holiday? Since I am self employed and work from home, national holidays can be more of a nuisance than a vacation. I took the opportunity to have an office day instead of working in the field today. I spent the entire day blogging. As with any full schedule, you have to take time out for nourishment, sustenance, food! I happened upon some great finds at the $.99 Only Store this a.m. I found some small, oven-baked Italian toast and wished for smoked gouda. Although I have at least 4 or 5 varieties of cheese in my fridge, sadly, smoked gouda was not one of them. What I was able to scrounge up was goat cheese. I had a great and productive day blogging.

For lunch I prepared myself a beer with a side of bruschetta topped with freshly roasted grape tomatoes, red onion, fresh basil, goat cheese (Yum!) and olive oil. Now, I'm switching my chef's hat for my Webmistress hat and it's back to the grind.

by Michelle Brown