Dressing for Shops

We have had a real cold snap come through this area and I had several outside shops this weekend. Let's just say I got the pictures I needed and got back into my car to complete the paperwork. It is important to remember to have the correct clothing when completing a shop. Some shops require casual dress attire for inside office shops. Others require you to dress down because you are posing as someone who typically visits that kind of shop. Other shops don't give a dress code. For one of the gas shops I complete, I have to wear a safety vest! I also have to upload a picture of me in a safety vest!

I am keeping my gloves in the car at the moment, so I always have them when I am out and about and doing my shops. I also keep my vest out there. I keep an eye on the weather reports so that I can be prepared for the weather. Last week, I completed a few evening shops in the rain! Thankfully, it was just to run in and buy something. I didn't have to be standing in the rain!

Supplies You Will Need

I have written about the skills needed to be a mystery shopper, so now I am going to give you a list of supplies you may need to mystery shop.

• pens, pens and always another pen. I never seemed to have one in my car when I need one, so I bought a large box of pens and put them in my glove box.
• clipboard--truly a must have. When you are sitting in your car completing your input form you need it to write on. You also need it when walking around gas stations completing the form.
• pocket folder--it doesn't have to be a pocket folder, but something to keep all of your forms in for the day.
• something for receipts--I like to use a clear zip plastic envelope type thing. It's official name is a poly zip check envelope. Comes in handy!
• digital camera--truly a must have when doing audits. You can sometimes use your camera phone for small jobs, but you really need a camera for the larger ones.
• printer/scanner--again, a must have. I scan all of my receipts to send electronically in to verify my shops. I sometimes have to scan other forms. I got by with an ink jet printer for a while, but now use a laser jet printer for my shops.
• paper--well of course you need paper...duh! YOU NEED A LOT of paper! Take advantage of office supply stores that offer you rebates and/or rewards when buying paper.
• clips--paper clips to the large black clips that can hold a LARGE stack of paper...get clips.
• stapler--you need a good stapler and a LOT of staples. First you staple the input sheets together and then once you completed the shop you staple the receipt to your input sheets. This way if there is a problem you have the receipt and the input forms together.
• GPS--I wrote a whole blog on this, but I wanted to mention it again. A MUST HAVE!
• Stopwatch--most cell phones now have some kind of timing device or at least an app you can purchase to act as a stopwatch, but this is also a MUST HAVE.
• calendar--OK it doesn't have to be a calendar, but you better have some way of keeping up with your shops. I have shops scheduled through the middle of February right now. Before I even schedule a new shop, I look to see what is already on my calendar. I don't want to overbook myself, or be driving from one side of town to the other. I try to cluster my shops together by city when I can!
• Good computer--you need a good computer and good computer skills. Organize your documents on your hard drive into folders.
• File cabinet--again, it doesn't have to be a file cabinet. I use a drawer on my desk that holds files, but someway to organize the shops you have printed.

This should be a good start! I am sure something else will come to mind. Good luck, if you decide to become a mystery shopper. Keep a list of your expenses, you can write them off on your income taxes.

Death of a Printer!

If you remember, I posted back in February of this year that my step mom gave us a laser printer. We saved a great deal of money with this laser printer. We did at least 15,000 prints on this thing. I recently bought a new drum for it, because even with a new toner cartridge the print was very light. However, after only a few days with the new drum, the printer started making some funny noises. It finally just stopped printing. I wrote the company an email and they sent a new drum, but it also wouldn't work. My partner and I came to the conclusion that the printer had finally come to its end.  We did some research and decided that we would each by a new Brother laser printer that was on sale for $79. Whenever she had wanted to print using our other laser printer, she would have to bring her laptop into the den to print. Now we will each have our own laser printer and can print all we want!

I had thought about buying a HP Office jet inkjet printer, but decided I didn't need something like that. My little HP(knock on wood) scanner/printer is working just fine. I use it mostly to scan and sometimes to print things in color.

I can also write this new printer off on my income taxes! Before purchasing the new laser jet printer, we checked to see how much the toner cartridges and replacement drum would be. We found them for a good price on line and will order them online rather than purchase them at the store!

Taking Advantage of Office Supplies on Sale!

Part of being a mystery shopper is that you do a lot of printing. I have blogged about the new laser printer we got and the cost of toner. However, there is another cost to printing and that is PAPER! We go through at least a ream of paper(500 pages) a week and when new shops come out, we can go through two reams of paper in a day!

Last year, we found paper on sale during the summer school supply sales. Office Max, Staples and Office Depot all have some kind of reward program and they are having sales again this year. Last week we each bought two reams of paper that cost $5.99, but then got $5.98 in rewards! That means we really only paid ONE CENT for each ream. Now we do have to wait until our rewards come in come October, but I can do that. I can always buy something at an office supply store. Staples had their paper on sale and you apply for the rebate and again we will end up only paying ONE CENT for each ream. Today I went and got more paper and this time I will get all of my money back in rewards except ONE DOLLAR, so each ream only cost me a dollar. They also put batteries on sale a few times a year. I bought a large pack of batteries for $16.99 and am getting $16.98 back in rewards.

Now, the downside is, you have to pay quite a bit in the beginning and then wait for the rewards. However, it does add up. Last year I got me a nice blue tooth with all of my rewards. I still do some printing on my small ink jet printer for colored sheets for shops or to print things a bit darker than the laser jet, so I can use my rewards for ink! I also keep track of all of my expenses, so I can write them off on my income taxes!

Even if you just do a small amount of printing at home, this is the best time to purchase it and if you get a few reams, it might last you until next year!

Changed the Laser Toner Cartridge

Remember the laser printer that my dad and step mom gave us? Well, we finally had to change the toner cartridge for it today. I looked back in the blog and we started using it on Jan. 30th of this year. It is now four months later and we figure at least 6,000 copies. Not bad for $54 for the drum and cartridge. We spent $47 and got two more cartridges. My black ink cartridges for my ink jet printer usually averaged about 200 pages so that would have been 30 cartridges times $16 a cartridge. That would have been $480! Needless to say, the laser printer has saved us a lot of money!

Most people don't print 6,000 pages in three months at home, but we do! Mystery shopping is a good way to make money, but you do spend the money too! I started an excel document to keep track of my expenses and plan on adding my new computer to that list too!

Got a New Printer!

My step mom read my blog post about how much ink I used and gave me a call. She had a laser jet printer that she was no longer using and said I could have it! I went by and picked it up tonight and hooked it up to my laptop! IT WORKS! YEA! I need to order a new drum and toner cartridge which I just ordered! The two of them together cost me $53. The website said it should print me 6,000 pages which is a lot better than the 200 that I get on my ink jet printer with one cartridge!

The printer fit in nicely on a shelf next to my desk! I can't wait to get the drum and cartridge in so I can start using it! My poor HP printer was starting to sound like it was worn out. I still need it for the scanner because I have to scan receipts and other items for my shops. I also use it to make copies of other items I need!! Sometimes a color print out is needed on some shops, so I can use it then also!

Nicki and Dad....Thanks for the printer!

Ink, Ink and More Ink!

I have found that I go through a lot of ink with all of the printing I do for my shops. Some of the shops can be rather long!! They may be as long as 30 pages and if I have several of those, well it adds up fast. Other shops can be as short as two pages.

I have about 25 gas stations coming up in the next month. I have four to do this weekend and I was finally able to print them tonight. They are each 21 pages long, so that is 82 pages right there. I also have to print an authorization letter as well as a thank you letter for each shop! I printed those four and kept on printing, because I will need the other shops sooner or later. I had just changed my ink cartridge after starting my printing and after 45 minutes of printing I had to change the cartridge AGAIN! I now have no more black ink! I will have to stop tomorrow and buy at least one cartridge! I still have a LOT more printing to do and I'll do it a bit at a time! At least I am ready for this weekend!

I get a lot of my ink for free with reward dollars with Office Max and Staples! Right now, I don't have any though. I also go through a lot of paper, but I have learned to print on both sides to save on paper.