Episode 83: Is Mystery Shopping Legit? (and Other Side Hustle Opportunities), Oct. 25, 2011.
Over the last few months I’ve been taking on some side hustles to earn extra income and see if they’re legitimate ways for our listeners to earn some extra cash. Today I unwrap the mystery behind mystery shopping and discuss whether it’s really worth your time.
At the end of the show I briefly mentioned Living Hope Uganda. This is a cool organization that’s doing more than just feeding hungry people. They’re teaching transferable skills that help the poor in Uganda create income streams so they can feed their own families instead of waiting for help from charitable organizations. If you teach a man to fish… Check out their ministry at livinghopeuganda.org
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Show notes:
- Mystery shopping often sounds like a scam and there are a lot of scams out there. You need to make sure you’re signing up with a legitimate company. Some of the companies I’ve found that are pretty legit are:
- Corporate Research International
- BARE International
- Maritz Research
- National Shopping Service
- Certified Field Associate
- Market Force Shopper
- I break down the ins and outs of mystery shopping and how it works. To avoid scams – never join something that requires an initial investment!
- If you become a mystery shopper, it’s important to remember you’re an independent contractor and you need to track that income separately like you would for a business.
- It’s reasonable to expect to make $200-$300 per month doing mystery shops but you’ll spend a lot of time earning that $$. It’s not hard work but it is time consuming so be prepared to earn as low as $5 per hour.
- When it comes to other side jobs, sometimes you just have to be open to opportunities and make yourself available. That’s how Janelle landed her current temporary (full time) job. There are often some seasonal jobs you can pick up to supplement your income.
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