Work from Home as a Mystery Shopper

Yes, it’s true, most everyone out there today would love to be able to work from home, but not everyone is capable of doing so. Sure, you have probably spent hours surfing the Internet, looking at all of the “great opportunities” you find there, and wondering if what they promise really could be possible. There are some truly good work at home jobs to be found on the Internet, but there are also many scams as well, so you do have to be careful about what you are getting into, as it isn’t always what it seems to be on the website.

One job that can be found online, and that is often legitimate, is mystery shopping. Many businesses use mystery shoppers to get feedback about their stores, and improve customer service. They know that their success depends on the happiness of their customers, so they do everything to ensure that their customers are treated well, so they want to return. As a mystery shopper, you pose as a customer, and then fill out a form, giving the owner the feedback he has requested. It is a simple job, in most instances, but is not really something that you should depend on for your sole source of income.

Mystery shopping jobs are better suited to stay at home moms who need some extra cash, students, and retirees. These people have other sources of income, or in some cases only themselves to support, and can get by with only working part time as a mystery shopper. You should know that not all mystery shopping jobs will pay the same, and some only reimburse you for the actual money that you spend, and that is it. For example, if you are assigned to give feedback on your local movie theater, then you may only be reimbursed for the cost of your ticket, and receive no other funds. The same holds true for many other jobs, such as reviewing restaurants, gas stations, retail stores, etc.

When you are looking for a job as a mystery shopper, you need to keep your guard up, and be on the lookout for potential scams as well. You shouldn’t be asked to send in money for an application fee, filing fee, information fee, etc. If a company truly wants you to work for them, and is on the up-and up, they are not going to ask you, the potential employee, for money. So if you find these situations, you should immediately look elsewhere, regardless of how good the job may sound.

You may have better luck going around to some local businesses, and letting them know that you are interested in becoming a mystery shopper, and asking them what company they use, if any, to provide their mystery shopping services. Then you, on your own, could contact that company about becoming a potential employee. By using this method, you know that you are not going to be scammed, and that you are in deed working for a legitimate company, that will pay you, in some form or fashion for your time.

No matter how you find your mystery shopping job, just keep in mind that you won’t be able to depend solely on that job for your income needs. It should be done in your spare time, and used as an extra source of money. If you are one of the few people who can make a living doing this type of work, then consider yourself lucky, and don’t let go of it!

Mystery writers gather at Bookwagon (Ashland Daily Tidings)

The 2008 Mystery Series is expected to attract numerous lovers of crime fiction and mysteries on Friday when it opens at Bookwagon in the Ashland Shopping Center.

This Week at the Spartanburg County Public Libraries (Spartanburg Herald-Journal)

10 30 a.m. Westside Library, The Usual Suspects Mystery Book Club. Discuss quot All Mortal Flesh quot by Julia Spencer Fleming. Light refreshments. Call 574 6815.

Thomson Financial UK at a glance share guide - weekend (Sharewatch)

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - MARKETS FTSE 100 6,204.7, down 66.1 FTSE 250 10,437.3, down 112.5 DJIA 12,745.88, down 120.9 Nasdaq Comp 2,445.52, down 5.72 S&P 500 1,388.28, down 9.4 Gold $876.30 ($884.55) Oil - Brent Jun $125.40 ($122.84) WEEKEND PRESS * Vodafone eyes 19 billion pounds South African prize; British mobile phone group considering bid for Johannesburg-based MTM in latest overseas ...

There's more than Grand Ole Opry, but country is still king (Pioneer Press)

The last time I listened to country music was the summer after my senior year of high school, when I worked in a sweatshop in Tyrone, Pa., sewing seams in Big Yank work pants.

There's more to Nashville than country music (Louisville Courier-Journal)

You could easily keep yourself busy for a week in Nashville while avoiding country music altogether, as long as you didn't walk down Broadway after dark. But you wouldn't want to miss that experience even if you're not a fan — the strip of honky-tonks is lively and fun. Reminds me of Bourbon Street in New Orleans.