Guest Post: 4 Ways to Make Money in July!
Guest Post By Nicole from Nicole’s Nickels:
This is the my sixth month of guest posting for Collin and by now I am sure you all know the drill. So without further ado… here are 4 ways you can make money this month!
1. Surveys
I love how flexible surveys let you be. Many let you start and stop them at different times and they don’t care if you complete them from home in your pj’s! For many of us, this flexibility is key and while surveys won’t make you rich you can earn some gas or grocery money you may not have otherwise had!
Remember to sign up for a separate web-based email address to use just for surveys. I don’t get any spam from the survey sites but I do get a large volume of emails from all of the companies I am signed up with. That way the invites won’t clog your personal inbox. You can also read more about all of the survey companies I am signed up with and my experiences with them.
A. The first company for this week is HCD Surveys. I don’t receive that many invites from them but I really enjoy the ones I do. The surveys aren’t for products, they are usually about current events.
Some require watching a short video and answering questions., The surveys are short for the compensation received. My only complaint is that surveys close very quickly and often they are no longer open by the time I get to them. HCD pays by check with a minimum of $10 needed in your account to cash out. Sign up HERE.
B. The second survey company I wanted to bring you today is Say Nation. I receive approximately 7-10 survey invitations per week from Say Nation and like that their emails usually say who (i.e. what kind of person, like male over 50 or female in her 20’s) they are looking for. I have received some product tests from Say Nation.
Say Nation pays in a variety of ways. I use my points to cash out for cash payments via Paypal but you can get e-certificates to Amazon and Barnes and Noble among others. Sign up HERE.
2. Mystery Shopping
If you’re new to mystery shopping, you’ll want to read my Mystery Shopping 101 post. If you are an experienced mystery shopper please be aware that it is a violation of your ICA with each company to reveal what places you shop with each company so please don’t jeopardize your shopper status in the comments of this post! You can also read more about what companies I shop for and my experiences with them.
The most important quality you need to be a successful mystery shopper is to follow the shop directions carefully and write a comprehensive shop report, doing whatever they ask. The money is nice and I enjoy being able to set my own assignments/hours and earn some extra cash each month.
A. The first mystery shopping company I wanted to tell you about today is Coyle. Coyle is “la creme de la creme” of mystery shopping. It’s tough to get into, I applied twice a few months apart before I was accepted. They shop very high end restaurants, hotels, and even cruises! I am amazed at what I see listed. Their shop reports are the most extensive I have seen and take the most time. If you live in or near a big city or travel often, Coyle will have shops in your area. Sign up HERE.
B. The second mystery shopping company I wanted to tell you about is Kern Scheduling. Kern lists available shops for many other legit mystery shopping companies and also schedules their own shops. They have shops available in many locations – everything from bank shops to gas station shops to restaurant shops. Sign up HERE.
Remember, it’s FREE to sign up for the mystery shopping companies I discuss here. No legit mystery shopping company will ever make you pay to sign up. Set your own hours, choose your own assignments and earn some extra money today!
Thanks so much for this Nicole ( and Collin of course) ! I always look forward to this post!
Thanks for the post ladies! I have started mystery shopping within the past month because of your posts and I’m really enjoying it so far. I will be able to do a lot more when the kids go back to school, as lot’s of shops won’t allow you to bring kids. Right now I’m getting my feet wet!
Nicole, did you complete any shops for Coyle yet? If so, how did it go? I was accepted with them, but have not done any shops for them yet.
What exactly did you to do get accepted? I live near Portland Or. and I tried but I never got contacted. Were your narratives extensive? Or were they tailored toward a high end experience you had? How detailed would you say your narratives were? I am DYING to get in with this company!! Any help is appreciated!!
I wish I could say exactly how to get accepted. I don’t think my narratives were extensive, but I did proofread the entire application carefully. It may be that they accept where they have a need for shoppers. They could have too many shoppers in an area. I know Nicole said she had to apply 3 times before she got in, and she’s an experienced shopper, so it may depend on current need. I wish I had the magic answer-good luck!!!!!
I just wanted to add that, yes, I wrote about an experience in a high end restaurant.
I have completed several shops for Coyle. It took me several times to get accepted and I’m not sure why they finally accepted me. I do think they look for people who are used to fine dining and fancy hotels. The shop reports were very extensive.
Thanks for the links. I signed up for both, so hopefully I will start mystery shopping soon!
I was given a tip once. Google http://www.sassieshop.com SHOPPER SIGNUP FORM. You will find hundreds of companies to shop for that use the sassie reporting system. It also doesn’t hurt to get Silver Certified at least, its only $15 through MSPA! Happy shopping all:)
I didn’t know what the certifications mean nor how to become certified. Would you be able to shed some light on this? Thanks.
There is a company where you can pay to become certified and they have several different levels of certification. I am not certified and it hasn’t been an issue. Perhaps if many people were trying to get the same assignment a company may look for certification but I’m not sure of that.
Signed up with KSS but so far there is nothing available in my area.
I have been mystery shopping for over 10 years now. I absolutely love it! I used to be signed up with Coyle, but now it says I am not. So, I signed up again and am waiting for acceptance. My favorites mystery shops are the restaurants and hotels. I do as many of these as I possibly can get. I take two cruises a year, so that is very appealing to me. It’s my favorite way to vacation! I am signed up with about 40 different companies, but I only work for around 10 of them usually.
So if you shop for Coyle, how does payment work in spas or high-end restaurants? Do you have to pay and then they reimburse you? Or do you just get paid for doing your report and, if so, does that usually cover the amount you spent? What about tipping servers or spa workers? Is that your responsibility to pay for? Thanks so much for your feedback! This is very intriguing!
Meghan: Most mystery shops you pay and then get reimbursed. Sometimes you get reimbursed plus a fee for your work and time. Often tipping is included in your reimbursement, each assignment is different and it’s important to read the directions.
Another Fabulous way to make money this summer and into the holiday season is to become a lia sophia consultant~ you can contact me for more information at http://www.liasophia.com/itsagirlthing! i would LOVE to share the opportunity with anyone!
I’m not able to see the Coyle site…I wonder if it’s down…Guess I’ll try later! Thanks!
It’s working for me – definitely try again.
I applied to Coyle and was accepted. Yahoo. I have never done this before so I am curious what to expect. No one has said what they pay either.