Another way that I make money is by taking Mystery Shopping assignments. Mystery shopping obviously must be done during business hours, and therefore can’t be fit into my schedule whenever I have a bit of free time like paid online surveys can. Because of this, I don’t use it as often as I do paid surveys, but it has still proven to be a very profitable choice for our family.

Mystery shopping is a unique type of market research. Mystery shoppers are given an assignment to visit a store, mall, or shopping center, dine at a restaurant, or watch a movie. They then complete a questionnaire based on their experience as a customer. Mystery shoppers earn money while visiting their favorite stores, eating at great restaurants, going to their local theater, or even playing a round of golf!

Similar to paid online surveys, there are membership web sites you can join that will help you find and successfully complete your mystery shopping assignments. Again, if you would like the best opportunity to choose shopping assignments that best fit your preferences, it is beneficial to join more than one site, as this will give you access to the greatest variety of job openings.

Here are some of the mystery shopping membership sites that have worked well for me:

  • Get Paid to Shop, Eat Out, or Watch Movies
    This is my favorite site to use to find mystery shopping assignments, and as a plus they also maintain a listing of paid survey opportunities! Resources are also available to help you learn more about mystery shopping and tips and techniques you can use to be more successful. All in all, this is a great company to work with!
  • Want to Shop for a Living?
    This is another super site to use for finding mystery shopping jobs. They provide access to over 200 companies that are looking for secret shoppers, and their opportunities are updated on a daily basis. Several bonuses are also offered for signing up here, but I personally didn’t find them as useful as the ones offered at some of the other sites. However, this is still one of my favorite sites, and I can always find jobs in my area and that fit my timeframe.
  • Get Paid to Shop and Eat!
    This is one of the first sites to provide access to mystery shopper information and because of their many years of experience it remains among the best out there. One of the bonuses they offer for joining is a report that will tell you how you can earn extra money by attaching advertising decals to your car. This was a money-making opportunity that I had never heard of before, and I now earn about $200 each month by doing this!
  • Access to Hundreds of Paid Survey and Mystery Shopping Opportunities
    This is another site that offers access to both mystery shopping and paid survey opportunities. One of the things that is unique about this one is that they offer an online forum where you can exchange thoughts and get helpful hints from other members. This is a great resource, especially for someone who is just getting started mystery shopping!