Greetings all! I am not a new shopper, but thought I would join the discussion and add my story. I live in a medium-sized city in the Midwest. I began shopping last year when a coworker (in another state) mentioned to me that he performed the ubiquitous Fast Casual shops on a regular basis and got paid (!) to have lunch. I couldn't believe it. I suppose I had always considered mystery shopping to be a scam or a ruse and not worth my time. I have definitely changed my thoughts on that, though.
In October 2014 I began shopping the Fast Casual shops for that particular company, and then started using JobSlinger and Volition to find other shops. As I got more involved, I developed an Excel spreadsheet to track assignments, due dates, payments, etc. This really helped me keep organized and prevent overscheduling.
As of today, I have over 500 completed shops under my belt and have netted over $5700 for my efforts. As we know, that doesn't include benefits that come with performing jobs (e.g., meals, car washes, purchased items, postage, etc.). I have really enjoyed mystery shopping.
Today, after nearly a year of shopping, I decided to take the plunge and purchase the MSPA Gold course. I have read the forums and considered the pros and cons of paying the $75 to gain access to the course, and decided that the risk is worth the potential reward. If it does offer access to shop notifications earlier, or give you a leg up with some companies' schedulers, then it is worth it. If not, then perhaps the added knowledge of completing the course will help me increase my skills as a shopper.
I've learned a lot this past year about ways to successfully complete shops and have definitely become more efficient. I've developed relationships with some schedulers and companies, and feel that my services are valued. I'm so glad to a part of this community, and thankful that my coworker tipped me off to the benefits of mystery shopping.
Shopping Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois since 2015.