Communicate more. Mystery shopping companies want shoppers to keep them informed. Let them know if there is a problem scheduling an appointment or something goes wrong on the shop visit or a location no longer exists or… One shopper told me that she discovered a major problem with the scenario for a shop: Shoppers were supposed to tell the salesperson the amount of their budget, and there was nothing in the store for anything close to that price. Oops. Letting them know about the error immediately helped them fix the problem before other shoppers did their assignments.

Try something new. Try a different kind of assignment or investigate doing other, related work such as merchandising and demos. You may find jobs you really love, and have more opportunities to earn.

Do shops sooner. When you have two weeks to do a shop, do it as soon as you can. This frees you up to take additional assignments and you don’t have to worry about unexpected events interfering with your shop. And if something does come up, you have plenty of time to get the assignment done before the due date. Something else to keep in mind is that many schedulers look at when you completed past shops when making assignments. The shopper who does their assignments early is often given preference over the shopper who always gets assignments done at the last minute.

That goes for reports, too. Report deadlines are shorter than ever, but if you have 24 hours to do the report you should not wait until hour 23 to start. Get it done as soon as you can after the shop. The details are fresher in your mind, getting it done means you can move on to the next thing, and computer problems or family emergencies won’t cause you to miss the report deadline.

Clear out the deadwood. Are there companies you no longer enjoy working with? Are there others that never seem to have interesting assignments? Maybe it’s time to dump them and concentrate on the companies you love. Or look for some new companies you have not worked with before. There are hundreds of mystery shopping providers out there—deal with the ones you love and forget the rest.

Learn something new. Acquire a skill that will help you to make more money as a mystery shopper. That might be learning about video mystery shopping so you can take on new, profitable assignments. Or it might be learning how to use technology to earn more money in less time. For example, you might learn how to mange your email more effectively to spend less time hunting for assignments, or how to use your GPS or mapping software to plan a route and spend less time (and gas money) driving from one shop to the next.

Start a savings plan. The money you earn as a part-time or occasional mystery shopper may seem inconsequential—$20 here, $50 there, it doesn’t seem like much compared to a “real” paycheck. However, when you add up the money and the extras you earn as a mystery shopper, it is probably a nice addition to the family income. Don’t fritter it away by cashing your checks and blowing the money. Deposit all of your mystery shopping payments into your bank account. Put aside a portion for expenses and taxes, and put the rest in an account earmarked for a special purpose, such as holiday gifts, a vacation trip, college for the kids or your retirement.

Implement a few of these resolutions and you will make 2012 your best year ever as a mystery shopper.

Doing these seven things will make you a better—and a more successful—secret shopper.

1. Do a great application. The information on the application will be all that the mystery shopping company knows about you. The more they know, the easier it is to match you to appropriate mystery shopper jobs. Answer every question completely and honestly. Provide a good writing sample with proper spelling, grammar and punctuation so they can see that you have the writing skills needed.

2. Be reliable. As many as 25% of secret shopper jobs accepted by shoppers are not completed and have to be reassigned. This creates lots of work for the companies as those jobs still have to be done, often at the last minute. If you take an assignment, do it on or before the due date.

3. Hone your writing skills. You do not have to be a great writer to be a great secret shopper, but you need solid writing skills. If you think your grammar and writing may not be up to par, take a business writing class at your local community college or keep a couple of good reference books on hand to check your writing.

4. Communicate. Do not hesitate to contact the mystery shopping company when you have questions about an assigned shop, or if something goes wrong before, during or after the shop. This is critical. Do not be embarrassed if you do not understand something or that you made a mistake. When you have a question or a problem, let the mystery shopping company know right away. They will appreciate it.

5. Read and follow the guidelines for the shop. The guidelines describe exactly what the client wants you to evaluate. Failing to follow the guidelines means that your shop may not be accepted and you will not be paid.

6. Complete the shop and the report on time. When you are offered a mystery shopper job you will know when it must be completed. There may be a range of days and times, or it may be very specific. In either case, put it on your calendar so you remember to do it before the deadline. Then do your report as soon as possible after your shop visit—the client needs the information while it is still fresh.

7. Be a pro. All of the tips in this article are about doing your best for your secret shopping clients. Mystery shopping companies have told me that only about 10% of their shoppers are excellent shoppers—people they know will always do their assignments reliably and correctly. Make it your goal to be one of the 10%. It is not always easy, but it is simple.

Choose assignments wisely. Although each of us has gotten stuck with assignments that turned out to be a lot more time and trouble than they were worth, be wary of any assignment that seems as though it could get complicated (unless, of course, the compensation makes it worthwhile). If there are companies that consistently misrepresent assignments, dump them

Look for familiar assignments. When you do shops for the same client multiple times, you spend less time learning the requirements and preparing per shop. (Of course, always make sure you know the current requirements–they sometimes change.)

Fill in with shops near other shops. A big part of the time spent on mystery shops is going to and from the shop location. Once you have a mystery shopper job set up, look for others nearby. Even if the pay for those assignments is a little less, you will not spend a lot of time driving to them and that gives you a better hourly rate.

Watch your spending. Every dollar you do not spend is another dollar added right to your bottom line. Keep your expenses low. Do not buy something for your mystery shopping business just because it is deductible. If you don’t need it, you have wasted money. Do not go overboard on spending because you are being reimbursed, Keep within the reimbursement limit unless you have a good reason for exceeding it.

Group like activities. Print out and review the guidelines for today’s shops all at once. Instead of scanning one receipt and writing the report, scan all of your receipts at once, then complete all of the reports. Check job boards and handle emails a few times a day rather than every five minutes.

Become a better, more confident writer. You can spend a lot of time trying to get your reports written if you do not feel comfortable writing. Take a business writing class to become confident with grammar, spelling and punctuation, and to learn to write faster.

Check your reports carefully before you submit them. If your report is incomplete or unclear, you will have to respond to questions from the editor. Do it right the first time.

Each of these things will help you to make more money for each hour you devote to mystery shopping. Small changes can add up to big money!

Dutch company SPRANQ has introduced a new font that has tiny holes in each letter. (They compare it to “Dutch holey cheese.”) As you can see in the graphic to the right, at normal sizes (10 – 12 point) the font looks solid. You can see the holes start to appear at 14 point, and they are quite obvious in the 24 point example.

This is not a font you would want to use for business letters or other external documents, but it works well for printing out mystery shop guidelines and forms, data from web sites, and other documents for your personal use. I printed a sample page and found it very easy to read.

The font will work on systems running Windows XP, Vista, Mac OS X and Linux. You can download this free font at http://www.ecofont.com/en/products/green/font/download-the-ink-saving-font.html If you are not sure how to install a font on your computer, you will also find links to detailed instructions on the download page.

Why not try a painless way to save money on one of your biggest supply expenses?

Thanks to Anne Mitchell at The Internet Patrol for making me aware of this font.

Mystery shopper jobs allow us to earn extra money that can be used to build our savings, or pay down those credit card bills. And, by choosing assignments wisely, we can also get many things for free, or at a reduced price, that we would normally have to pay for.

In my career as a professional shopper, I have been reimbursed for meals, haircuts, eye examinations, dry cleaning, car oil changes, groceries and much more. In addition, by using a rewards credit card for many of my reimbursed purchases, I have received gift cards and other perks from my credit card company.

We can even splurge a little now and then, thanks to mystery shopping.

In the current economy, one of the first things to go from many budgets was eating out at restaurants. If that is an indulgence you hate to give up, mystery shopping may allow you to dine out at least once in a while when you accept restaurant mystery shopper jobs. Although some shops are fast food (hardly an indulgence, but your kids may enjoy the burger), many family, casual dining and fine dining restaurants are also mystery shopped.

There are several mystery shopping companies that specialize in movie theater audits and mystery shops. If going to a first-run movie is no longer in the budget, this may be an opportunity to do so.

Some things are necessary, even if money is tight. Have you been putting off getting your eye examination or buying new glasses? There are secret shops of optometrists and opticians where you may receive a free eye exam and a deep discount on glasses or contacts as part of your compensation.

Mystery shopper jobs that do not include a reimbursement for products or services purchased provide extra cash, something we all can use. These types of shops are available at banks, apartment complexes and new home communities, and some retail stores. (Mystery shops of retail stores may not provide a reimbursement if there is no purchase required or the shop calls for the purchase and return of an item.)

Although you will not get rich as a secret shopper, mystery shopping can be just the answer for making some extra cash, or stretching your dollars to help them go further.

How? Well, as a CPA friend of mine says, “It’s not how much you make, it’s how much you keep.” Here are some suggestions to help you keep more of what you make as a secret shopper.

Maximize tax deductions. You can deduct reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the process of running your business. These may include:

• Computer and Internet expenses;
• Office supplies (including paper, ink, toner, etc.);
• Cell phone service;
• Mileage or automobile expenses;
• Training and education;
• Voice recorders, digital cameras and other technology;
• Batteries and supplies for technology;
• A home office; and
• Other costs.

You may not be able to deduct 100% of these expenses. In general, you may deduct the percentage used in your business. For example, if you use your Internet connection for business 35% of the time, you may deduct 35% of the cost. Document usage to substantiate the deduction.

Keep good records of expenses so you do not miss any deductions. Put a notebook and envelope in your car (the map pocket is a good place). Record mileage and expenses as they are incurred, and drop receipts in the envelope. And do not forget to deduct the cost of the notebook and envelope.

Look for ways to reduce expenses. It is not a smart or profitable move to incur an expense just because it is deductible. For every dollar of expense you incur, you get a tax benefit of about 15 to 50 cents (depending on your tax bracket). If you believe it is a good deal to spend $1 to get 15¢, please see me. I will give you a full 25¢ for every dollar you give me. What a deal!

Reduce expenses by:

• Eliminating unnecessary expenditures. Do you really need a new digital camera or will your current one do?
• Looking for ways to reduce costs and fees. Can you get a better deal on Internet or phone service?
• Grouping trips to save car expenses.
• Seeking cost-effective solutions. Consider the costs of maintenance and supplies when buying equipment. An ink jet printer may cost a little less up front, but the cost of ink may make using it much more costly than a laser printer. For example, when I had to replace my fax machine, I chose a laser instead of an ink jet or thermal fax. It cost a little more to buy the laser fax, but I have saved hundreds of dollars on ink cartridges over the last few years.

Most importantly, when you get an assignment, do a great job. Do the shop on time, according to the guidelines, and submit a well-written report. Schedulers love to give assignments to shoppers on whom they can depend.

Apply to as many companies as possible. Just like you can’t win the lottery if you do not buy a ticket, you can not get assignments if you are not in the data base. (Of course, you should never pay a fee to apply anywhere.)

Use http://www.Jobslinger.com/ to find assignments in your area. Even if you do not land a particular mystery shopper job, you can find more companies that have clients where you like to shop.

Don’t forget to apply to scheduling companies. They have assignments from many companies.

Communicate with schedulers. Don’t be a pest, but say thank you when you get your first assignment, or an especially good assignment. Let them know if you are available to handle last-minute shops. Schedulers are always happy to find shoppers who can pick up assignments others have flaked on.

Getting MSPA certified can help. Certified shoppers may be offered many assignments before other shoppers.

Try something new. If you think you would never do a bank shop, an apartment shop, a video mystery shop, a reveal shop, or some other type of mystery shopper job, why not try just one? You may find that they are more enjoyable than you expected. If so, you have opened up many new opportunities for yourself.

The same goes for other types of work, such as merchandising, demos, surveys, audits, etc. Making yourself available for assignments other than mystery shopping can provide more consistent income, as well as more income overall.

Be available. If you have little time to mystery shop, or you will not make an effort to fit a last-minute assignment into your schedule, you will have fewer opportunities. How to use your time is a choice only you can make, based on what is right for you.

Restaurants are special favorites of mine. My husband and I love to go out to eat, so getting our dinners paid for is nice compensation for the secret shop.

Several years ago, I did a lot of grocery shops where I received a generous reimbursement when buying groceries. I used them to buy my usual groceries and to stock up on non- perishables such as soap and paper products, things I had to buy anyway.

Many mystery shoppers look at these perks and benefits of mystery shopping as getting things ‘free.’ They are not truly free because you earn them with the time you put in doing the shop and report, but they can be good compensation.

The danger is that feeling that you are getting something for nothing can lead you to overspend on mystery shops. When doing a fine dining shop, you may have an allowance of $150 or more. So if you end up going over that amount you may look at it as getting a $180 meal for $30. However, there are some reasons not to overspend on mystery shops.

The first reason is that if you are like most mystery shoppers you are doing this to make money. If you spend more than you earn on every shop you are not making money. Yes, it is nice to get a big discount on things you buy, but even better not to pay anything out of pocket. Keeping your spending in line means that you are not paying to do the mystery shop.

Another reason to avoid going over the reimbursement limit is that being a big spender may take you out of normal customer spending patterns. Many companies will warn against doing things such as ordering the most expensive item on the menu. You do not want to stand out or be memorable, so keep your purchases normal and reasonable.

Mystery shopping is not something for nothing, but it is a great way to get things you want or need in return for your time and effort.

This strategy must be used properly, or it could backfire—big time! Here are the steps you need to take to earn more with reward programs.

Most importantly, you can not carry a balance. That means that you should not use a credit card unless you will pay it off in full, every single month. No exceptions. One month where you pay interest can wipe out all of your reward income. Do not use an existing credit card account if it has a balance on it. One option is to get a credit card specifically for mystery shopping (or a card you use for all purchases when you want to maximize rewards).  Do not charge anything on this card unless you will be able to pay it off on or before the due date.

Choose the right card. Because you are not going to carry a balance on this card, the interest rate is much less important that the rewards you will receive.

Paying a fee for the card means that you need to recover the value of the fee before you profit from your rewards.  Many cards with fees have better rewards, so you should project your expected spending and rewards to determine if it is worthwhile to pay a fee. In most cases, it probably will not be cost-effective to pay a fee for your credit card.

You can compare credit card offers here.

Consider any special offers available.  Do you get double or triple points for certain types of purchases, or purchases from specified merchants? Those bonuses can dramatically increase the value of your rewards. The Chase Freedom card also currently offers a $50 bonus after your first purchase–that looks like a great deal to me.

How can you redeem your points? Are points good for gift cards good at only certain merchants? Is a credit automatically applied to your account? Can you choose from several redemption options? Do you get miles? On what airlines can they be used, and what restrictions exist? After all, if you can not use your points for something you want or need, they do not have value to you.

Using a rewards credit card for reimbursed mystery shopping expenses, or for necessary business expenses, can increase your profits by the amount of your rewards.

Could you expand the number and types of shops you do if you could save 20%, 30%, 50% or more on gasoline?

There are lots of ways to save on gas, but the most effective way is to change the way you drive. Chances are, your driving habits are costing you big bucks. Here are a few simple things you can do now to immediately increase your gas mileage.

The most important thing you can do is avoid sudden starts and stops. When you approach an intersection where you may have to come to a stop, take your foot off the gas pedal well before you reach the stop light or sign. Avoid ‘jackrabbit’ starts and accelerate gradually. This isn’t a drag race, so you do not have to jump off the line.

When possible, avoid stopping. When you are approaching a red light, slow down. If you time it right, the light may turn green before you get there, allowing you to go through the intersection without coming to a full stop. (Note: Always come to a full stop at stop signs. Never coast past a stop sign because, “There isn’t anyone coming on the cross street.”)

Drive at or below the speed limit. Driving faster uses more gas.

Use cruise control to drive a consistent speed on the highway. When driving on the highway, it is easy for your speed to creep up without you noticing, or your speed may fluctuate as you accelerate and brake. Keeping a constant speed will save fuel.

Don’t run the air conditioner and other accessories unless you must. They cause you to use more fuel. The exception is that using your air conditioner at freeway speeds uses less fuel than driving with the windows open.

Get your car up to temperature. When your engine is cold it is less efficient. Do not warm up the engine by idling it before you leave. Instead, drive to your farthest destination first, then work your way back. The longer drive will warm up the engine making the stopping and starting less stressful on the engine.

Stay out of the drive through. Avoid idling the car unnecessarily. That means parking and going in to the bank and other places instead of using the drive through lane. (Of course, if you are doing a mystery shop of a drive through restaurant, you will have to use the drive through lane.)

Techniques advocated by some hypermilers are not safe. They could damage your car or even get you injured or killed. For example, turning off your vehicle while you are driving, or tailgating large trucks to take advantage of the ‘draft’ are not recommended.

Although keeping your tires properly inflated will help your mileage, over-inflating your tires leads to uneven tire wear, can make the car difficult to handle (especially in wet weather) and in extreme cases can even lead to a tire blowing out and losing control of the vehicle.

Start training yourself to use these techniques and you will see the results in your wallet. You can learn more about hypermiling on Wikipedia.

What are you doing to use less gas?