Whether you’ve got big plans for a beach vacation at a resort, you’re heading out with the family on a road trip across the country, or you’re just visiting family a few towns over, you can make extra money this summer by working a few mystery shopping assignments into your vacation plans.
Taking Flight. If you’re flying to your destination this summer, a whole world of opportunities open up to you with mystery shopping assignments at the airport. Mystery shopping providers often have difficulty getting airport assignments filled. Airports in many cities are removed from the center of the city, making the distance unattractive for locals. Some airport assignments require that you have boarding passes to access the assignment site. Airport parking lot assignments require the use of a car at the airport, making them a poor choice for travelers stopping at that airport for a layover.
With so many hindrances for doing an airport assignment, there are also pros. Competition for these assignments is fairly low, making them easy to get your hands on. If you do have a long layover, or worse yet – several layovers, you can put what is normally a dull and even annoying part of your vacation to work and make some money while you’re traveling.
On The Road. On a road trip, you will have access to a much larger number of assignments. As you pass through major cities and even rural towns, you can take on assignments all along your route. The best idea for a road trip is to set your route with a fairly accurate itinerary. Then, a few days to a week before your trip, check your providers for assignments along your route.
Make sure that you will be able to fit the date and time requirements for the assignment into your travel schedule. Allow time for completing the assignments in your itinerary, as well as time to write and submit your report each night.
Access To Equipment. Whether you’re heading to grandma’s house or to a luxury resort, make sure that you will have everything you need to complete your report while you’re traveling. As you book your hotel, make sure it has a business center with a fax or scanner if necessary to file receipts, and that it provides internet access.
If grandma or great-Aunt Millie isn’t wired with the latest technology, you can usually take care of business at an internet cafe. Fax machines are usually available at retail postal stores. If you have no other choice but to stay in an area without access to the technology you need, talk to your scheduler and ask if you can get an extension on filing your report. In many cases, the scheduler will not assign the job to you if you need an extension. However, if the scheduler has had difficulty placing the assignment, you may have a shot at it. It’s always worth asking.
Don’t miss out on your chance to earn extra money this summer. Vacations are the perfect opportunity to do assignments you normally wouldn’t have access to.
P.S. Do be sure to check state laws! I usually visit Las Vegas twice a year, but cannot do mystery shopping in Nevada because they require a Private Investigator’s License. I also visit the beaches in my state and ALWAYS check to see if there’s a shop available there. Most of the time, those are the hardest shops for schedulers to fill and I can almost always find one that will cover my gas costs.
And even if you’re not on vacation, out of town route shops are the way to make money mystery shopping. I did six shops today for $20 a piece, all out of state. I spent 7 hours in the car or on location, two hours reporting, and $25 in gas. That’s a worth while profit to me.
For our upcoming wedding anniversary I have booked a hotel shop, and four restaurant shops for those days! It is my surprise for my husband, who thinks we will have to pay for everything. From last weeks several liquor store shops, we will have wine as a bonus!