With the freshness of spring turning slowly into the warmth of summer, vacation season is quickly approaching. Your vacation this year doesn’t have to put a temporary hold on your extra stash of cash from mystery shopping. One of the great things about mystery shopping is that you can pick up assignments just about anywhere. Whether you are plane a road trip or hopping on a plane, it’s easy to pick up a few assignments while you are traveling.
Airport Assignments. Airport assignments are generally pretty easy to complete and often don’t have a lot of competition from other mystery shoppers. For many assignments, you have to have a boarding pass to gain access to locations inside the terminal, so this makes competition for these assignments pretty low. You can look at assignments for restaurants, retail stores, and other venues inside the terminals. If you are parking a car or renting a car at the airport, you can pick up an assignment at the airport parking garage. Mystery shopping at the airport is a great way to make some extra money while you kill time before your flight or during a layover. Just be sure to allow yourself plenty of time between flights or before your flight to complete the assignment. Also, if you are typically a traveler who gets stressed out en route, an airport assignment may not be the best assignment for you, as you may feel some time pressure if flights are delayed.
On The Road. If you are planning a road trip, add some adventure to your travel time by picking up an assignment or two between your Point A and Point B. Consider restaurant, gas station, and retail assignments in small towns along your route. Often you can request travel pay to compensate for these out-of-the-way assignments and pick up even more cash. Picking up a few assignments on the road can be a fun way to break up a long road trip, but keep in mind that adding too many assignments can really slow down your trip.
Be Prepared. Mystery shopping assignments completed while you are traveling are a great way to add some fun to your trip and make some extra cash. However, they also take some extra planning. First, be sure that you have all of the required paperwork that you need for the assignment easily accessible, but hidden away so store attendants can’t see it. Also, have your camera, your watch, and any other equipment you might need in your car or in your carry-on luggage. Also, after the assignment’s site visit, have a plan of action for completing the report. Will you bring your computer along with you, or will the hotel you are staying at have a computer you can use? Will you have access to a scanner or fax machine to transmit receipts to the mystery shopping provider? Finally, will you be able to get the report completed and submitted within the 12-24 hour window most mystery shoppers require? If not, make advance arrangements in writing with your provider for an extension to this time frame.
Mystery shopping while you are traveling is a fun way to earn cash and add some excitement to an otherwise long trip, but it does take a little planning.