Mystery Shopping and Making Money!

Not all mystery shopping makes you money -- at least not right away. Some mystery shops are called "reimbursement only," which means you do the shop and get paid later. Most of these "shops" are restaurant dining, hotels, spas, and "yes" cruises.

Before you get too excited about the thought of dining out for free or taking a cruise, remember that you need to work your way up. You don't start out in mystery shopping by taking a cruise. No, you have to prove yourself by doing timely reports for less money first. When you do excellent work, turn in great reports, and don't "flake" on assignments, you will be offered more lucrative mystery shops.

One of the fastest ways to earn your way up to the top is to get your MSPA silver or gold credential. All of these are offered at the MSPA website.

Remember: If you have to pay to be to get a shop, it's a scam. However, in mystery shopping, sometimes you pay for a dinner at a fine restaurant and then are reimbursed for that meal (4-6 weeks later), and sometimes you are also given a fee for the report (anywhere from $15 to $25).

A few of my favorite companies are: http://www.a-closer-look.com/ and http://www.coylehospitality.com/.

Have fun shopping!