Make some extra money by becoming a mystery shopper

GM. This is Work "After" Work, your business cheat sheet - because who really reads the whole textbook?

Happy Friday Eve! Here’s the docket for today:

• 🛒  Mystery Shoppers

• 😂 Meme of the day

Have you always wanted to start investing in real estate, but don't have $100k lying around? Don’t worry you’re not alone…

I recently came across this company called “Arrived” -  they allow you to invest in real estate for a fraction of the cost. (Think $100 and you can own real estate!)

• They do all the work on finding profitable properties 

• They deal with all the maintenance, upkeep, cleaning, etc.

• They take care of all the legal jargon

All you have to do is buy shares of a home… kind of like a stock. And every quarter they’ll pay you on your investment!

It’s a great way to get exposure to real estate without having to put a lot of money down.  

Even if you’re not ready right now at least subscribe to their emails that way you can see potential deals that become available! (It’s completely free)

HOW TO GET PAID AS A MYSTERY SHOPPER

When I was in college, hustler was my middle name. I tried everything from ATM machines to buying laundromats (which I still own) to creating my own website and dropshipping dog water bowls.

I even worked a retail job at CVS and made it to "Shift Supervisor" while in school. Here’s a pic of me from back then 😅 

Now, as uneventful as it was becoming a supervisor (considering I only made 50 cents more an hour), I did learn some juicy insider stuff I want to share with you guys.

One of which is mystery shoppers.

Ever heard of them? They’re the people who get paid to check the quality of stores (in secret). Kinda like a spy.

You have one goal. Act like a customer and give feedback on: 

• How nice the staff are

• The store’s cleanliness

• A product’s taste

Sometimes you even film it all! 

And it’s not just retail stores. Mystery shoppers also roam to restaurants, salons, and even car dealerships.

How’s it work?

• Sign up with a mystery shopping company (Reddit says Marketforce, Presto, and Field Agent are the best but many say it will depend on your area)

• Schedule your gig

• The client tells you what to do and watch

• Write about it at home. This takes time - up to 2 hours

• Send your report and get paid

Each job is a bit different. But this is pretty much how it works. 

If you like shopping and trying new stuff this a good simple side hustle for you to make a few extra bucks.

And if you were wondering… they do pay you back for whatever you buy. 

So essentially you help stores do better and get a free meal or product in the process. Sounds like a pretty win-win scenario to me. Almost as good as the coveted win-win-win scenario.

But of course, the most important question is “How much can you make?” Cause we don’t want to waste our time if we’re not making money. Here’s what I’ve found.

The longer a job sits, the higher the price goes to incentivize someone to take it.

One Redditor only takes Five Guys jobs - never accepting anything less than $15 and averages $20-$25 a gig.

Others complain that people have been eager to make money and are just grabbing gigs right away, regardless of what is it, driving prices down.

From my view, here are the overarching pros and cons:

Pros

• It’s flexible. You can do it when you want so it’s great for students, parents, and retirees

• You can try different things, from coffee to cars

• You can keep what you buy and enjoy free food

Cons

• Work isn't always available

• Writing the report takes time

• There’s no big payday - it’s just for some extra cash

Making it work for you

If you are going to hop into the world of mystery shoppers I’d encourage you to read this subreddit page and follow these 3 keys 🔑 

1. Be punctual: Timely reports equal trust and more gigs.

2. Choose wisely: Go for the jobs that aren’t far and pay well.

3. Stay real: This is about extra cash, not a career shift.

📊 Quick Poll

MEME OF THE DAY

it hits different 😂😂

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That's a wrap! Have a great weekend :)

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.