I am excited to get started, but first I need to figure out how to best use my time. Is it better to apply for the shops that pay more or apply for the jobs that pay less but may be more consistant. Whats the usual distance you think I should travel from my home.? I will appreciate any help anyone can give me.

It all depends on the shopper; I think each of them works it out their own way. You should try both sides out and see what works best for you. I know some shoppers who can't handle too many of the little shops at once so they stick to the big ones. I also know shoppers who can't find any big shops where they live so they have nothing to do but the little ones.

In the long run, I believe that moderation is the best - 50% of the high paying complex shops and 50% of the low paying simple shops. Sometimes you won't really have the option if either is not available to you, though.

Distance varies from shopper to shopper, especially when it comes to where you live. 10 miles may not be much in a more rural area, but in a large city such as New York, 10 miles can be a much tougher ride. Some shoppers don't mind the drives but some can't stand traffic. More than anything though, make sure that the distance is worth your time. Mystery Shop Companies will generally offer you a bonus payment to cover the gas and distance, but they might just choose another shopper who lives closer so that they won't have to pay extra for you. Longer distances also equal more time, so if they're not willing to pay you more for the extra time then the shop might end up being not worth the money.

That's just my quick point of view on the matter, I'm sure the experienced shoppers on here will have much more valuable input, as well. Either way, welcome to the industry and good luck!

Kathy, I would suggest that you start out by taking one shop that is near your home and does not require a large outlay of cash. Your first reports may not be accepted, and if that happens you would not be reimbursed for your purchase. Always bear in mind when committing to a shop that you stand to lose your cash outlay if something goes wrong.

After you complete your first shop, you will feel more relaxed and will be ready to consider more shops. I recommend that you schedule no more than two for your second day out, and that you increase your workload with caution. It is easy to overbook yourself because you will constantly be taking on shops which are new to you and may require more time than you expect. You cannot depend on the company's estimate of how long it will take you to do the shop or the report.

I know some shoppers travel hundreds of miles and have overnight stays. I also have travelled up to 150 miles to shop. On an average week though I would travel 60 miles one way twice a week.

Kathy, I have driven up to 300 miles on a one-day route, but I don't recommend it for a beginner shopper. To be able to shop far from home, you need a string of shops to make the route worthwhile. Typically, to make up a route, we find two or three nicely bonused shops and then build around that by adding some lesser shops. You will need to work up to doing route shopping gradually. The most important thing at first is to get signed up with lots of companies and get some shops under your belt.

I don't regret focusing on smaller, lower paying shops in the beginning. Unless you have had reason to develop skills in route building, making your own schedule, working within strict guidelines and all of the record-keeping, slower is better. Then you will get into a rhythm and find what works best for you.

If you can, find some similar type shops and work on some repetition before beginning to add a lot of different shops and don't try too many of those long, complex shops requiring equally long, complex reports. The big dollars look great, that is until you spend hours working on reports and answering follow up questions

Thanks to all of you that responded, I appreciate all your imput and I will take your advice.